Representative Burgess Owens (UT-04) will hold a hearing titled Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education.
Hold a hearing on the First Amendment in higher education.
Occurrences
Owens announced a subcommittee hearing on 'Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education,' scheduled for April 29, 2026.
Evidence
The committee calendar lists a Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing on April 29, 2026 titled “Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education,” with Rep. Burgess Owens as the opening statement member and a hearing recap link on the same page.
The committee’s recap says the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development "held a hearing" on April 29, 2026 to examine how college campuses have become a battleground for the First Amendment, and notes Chairman Burgess Owens opened the hearing.
The House Education & Workforce Committee page dated April 29, 2026 is titled "Owens Holds Hearing on the First Amendment in Higher Education" and states that Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens delivered a statement at a hearing titled "Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education."
The Congressional Record Daily Digest for April 29, 2026 states that the Committee on Education and Workforce's Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development "held a hearing entitled" "Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education" and heard testimony from public witnesses.
Assessments
Official House Education and Workforce Committee materials and the Congressional Record show that on April 29, 2026, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled "Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education," with Chairman Burgess Owens delivering the opening statement. Because the promise was specifically to hold such a hearing, and Owens directly led the subcommittee hearing while in office, the promised oversight action was completed in the same term.
The promised action was to hold a hearing on the First Amendment in higher education. Multiple official House Education & Workforce Committee records and the Congressional Record confirm that on April 29, 2026, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee held a hearing titled "Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education." Burgess Owens was the subcommittee chairman, opened the hearing, and is directly credited by the committee as holding it. This satisfies the oversight promise during his current federal House term.
The promise was to hold a hearing on the First Amendment in higher education. The provided official House Education & Workforce Committee evidence shows the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing on April 29, 2026 titled “Speech or Silence? The Future of the First Amendment in Higher Education,” and that Burgess Owens opened or led the hearing as chairman. Because this occurred while Owens was serving in the relevant federal office and directly matches the promised oversight action, it counts as delivered in the same term.