Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Testimonial Free Speech Act. This legislation prohibits the federal government from censoring an individual's account of his experience with foods and dietary supplements.  Hard as it may be to believe, the government is prohibiting individuals from sharing their stories of how they improved their health by using foods and dietary supplements.

Just this year, armed federal agents raided the headquarters of Maxam Nutraceutics, a company that produces and sells nutritional supplements for people with autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer's disease. The raid was based on Maxam's alleged failure (a failure Maxam CEO James Cole disputes) to comply with a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordering Maxam to remove several "improper labels" from Maxam products.  The labels in question were simply accounts from Maxam customers describing their experiences with Maxam products. That's right, the federal government sent armed agents into a private business because the business posted customers testimonials.

Mr. Speaker, restricting communication of individuals' accounts of their experiences with foods and dietary supplements is a blatant violation of the First Amendment. The necessity for this bill shows how little respect the federal bureaucracy has for the Bill of Rights and the principles of a free society. I therefore urge my colleagues to join me in taking a small step toward restoring free speech by cosponsoring the Testimonial Free Speech Act.