PEN America Endorses “Fight Book Bans Act” Introduced in Congress To Help School Districts with Financial Burden of Book Bans
Laura Schroeder, Congressional affairs lead for PEN America, said: “Banning books in schools is not only unpopular; it’s expensive. As school districts around the country divert resources to address… More
PEN America Endorses Appeal for New UN Special Rapporteur on Democracy
The statement, led by Democracy without Borders, warned on Monday that “democracy is threatened and authoritarianism is on the rise.” It stresses the urgency for the UN to actively… More
PEN America Welcomes Bill to Hold Foreign Governments Accountable When They Trample on the Rights of Dissidents Living in the U.S.
“Writers and artists around the world face continued threats to their safety by regimes seeking to force them into silence. Transnational repression compounds these threats, menacing the exiled and… More
PEN America Proudly Supports Introduction of Congressional Resolutions Condemning Book Bans and Educational Censorship
PEN America endorsed the resolution and praised the lawmakers’ commitment to preserving free expression in classrooms and libraries. More
On Anniversary of Mahsa Amini Protests, U.S. Congress Affirms Support for Women’s Rights in Iran
“In the year since Mahsa (Jina) Amini’s death, Iranian women in particular have continued to bravely use their voices to speak out against the abuses of the Iranian government.… More
PEN America Comments on Federal Government Appointment in Response to School Book Bans
PEN America has been at the forefront of documenting and defending against the unprecedented rise of school book bans nationwide. Texas, Florida and Missouri lead with the most books banned currently.… More
New Bill in Congress on School Materials Addresses a Non-Existent Problem, But Would Instead Chill Public Education
Laura Schroeder, senior manager of legislative affairs at PEN America, said: “This bill is an intimidation tactic that seeks to address a problem that doesn’t exist. There is no… More
PEN America: Trump’s Lawyers’ First Amendment Assertions on Indictment Are “Bogus” and “Readily Debunked”
“Donald Trump's legal team's assertion of a First Amendment defense to four charges of felony conspiracy, including to defraud the United States and obstruct an official proceeding is as bogus… More
New PEN America White Paper: The Human Spark That Drives Creativity Must be Safeguarded As Potential Threats Loom from Artificial Intelligence
“Generative AI and automated tools represent a sea change in how artists, journalists, and writers create, interact with, and disseminate content, and how the public understands and consumes it.… More