S.Res. 920 was introduced 9/29/2026 by Senator Brian Schatz [D-HI]. It is currently pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and has 18 co-sponsors on a partyline basis.
H.Res.1603 was introduced 10/01/2026 by Representative Jamie Raskin [D-MD]. It is currently pending before the House committees on Judiciary andEducation and Workforce, and has 73 co-sponsors on a partyline basis.
Bill Summary: S.Res. 920 and H.Res. 1603 express concern about the growing problem of book banning and increasing threats to freedom of expression in the United States. The resolutions cite school districts in states that imposed book bans between July 2025 and June 2026, highlighting the broader impact of these restrictions on students’ access to diverse stories, viewpoints, and perspectives. They also address the effects on educators, librarians, and authors whose work is targeted, parents seeking diverse educational materials for their children, and communities seeking access to literature free from politically motivated restrictions. The resolutions designate October 4–10, 2026, as “Banned Books Week” and reaffirm First Amendment protections for writers and the public’s right to read without government censorship. These resolutions call on schools and local governments to follow best practices when addressing book challenges, protect students’ access to diverse viewpoints, and preserve educators’ and librarians’ ability to teach, while also urging the rescission of executive actions that impose content- or viewpoint-based restrictions on reading and learning in public schools and libraries.
Context: There is a prevalence of book bans of Palestine-focused and Palestinian authored literature across K-12 schools and public libraries. This includes the removal of “Young Palestinians Speak” in the New York Chappaqua Central School District in 2025, countless cancellations of book talks and signings throughout the country where venues planned Palestinian authored book talks, and shadow censorship of Palestine focused books on Amazon.
This repression is frequently a result of purposeful campaigns by groups like the Committee For Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA), which attempts to impose ideological conformity within the U.S. educational system. For instance, CAMERA has campaigned to remove books such as A Map for Falasteen, written by Maysa Odeh and illustrated by Aliaa Betawi from circulation on the basis that the books depiction of Palestine voids reference to Israel, making it geographically inaccurate and an attempt to deny Israel’s existence and sovereign right to the land.
While S.Res. 920 and H.Res. 1603 do not explicitly cite repression of literature that conveys Palestinian or pro-Palestinian perspectives, these resolutions uphold the values of open learning, freedom of critical thinking, and protection of open education through literature in public education, public libraries, and higher education. Through direct recognition of protecting the core democratic value of free-speech and the first amendment, these resolutions express that appropriate freedom of thought and expression are the core of the U.S. education system, and are necessary for robust learning. Any state, federal government agency or institution which supports, endorses, or is complicit in book banning or shadow censorship based on political or partisan grounds, including when it comes to Palestinian perspectives, represents a concerning trend towards authoritarianism.
American Values Analysis: The promise of the United States is enshrined in the First Amendment and guarantees the freedom to speak, think, write, publish, and learn regardless of political or ideological differences. Historically, societies moving toward fascism have sought to restrict freedom of thought and transform education from a space for critical inquiry into a tool for political indoctrination. S.Res. 920 and H.Res. 1603 express the stance that authoritarian tactics are antithetical to the founding principles of democracy guiding American values.
American Interest Analysis: S.Res. 920 and H.Res. 1603 promote the U.S’s longstanding commitment to free expression, learning, and continued diversity of thought devoid of political surveillance and censorship. A key foundation of U.S. global leadership is trust, which is undermined when surveillance restricts education and access to literature through censorship and book bans.
A New Policy’s Recommendation: SUPPORT
A New Policy supports S.Res. 920 and H.Res. 1603 because they affirm our core democratic values, including freedom of thought, expression, and access to information and education. The resolutions support the ability of students and communities to access diverse literature through public libraries and educational institutions without political pressure to censor or restrict
books and ideas.
