H.R. 10783House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Speak Your Truth Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated October 14, 2026 at 4:21 AM UTC

The Speak Your Truth Act would require a plaintiff who sues someone for defamation or libel to pay the defendant’s reasonable attorney’s fees if the defendant wins. The fee award applies only when the defendant’s statements are factual, made without malice, and relate to the defendant’s own experience of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination. The bill shifts the cost of defending against certain defamation claims to the plaintiff.

Key Provisions

A prevailing defendant in a federal defamation or libel case can be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, which the plaintiff must pay.
The fee award cannot exceed the defendant’s reasonable costs for the specific claim, and a court may reduce the award if it finds exceptional circumstances that make payment unjust.
The term “communication” is limited to factual, non‑malicious statements about the defendant’s personal experience of sexual assault, harassment, discrimination, or related retaliation.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

October 9, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 9, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

October 9, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 9, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10783

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 9, 2026

Ms. Mace introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide for the payment of attorney’s fees to a prevailing defendant in a civil action for defamation or libel.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Speak Your Truth Act.

Payment of attorney’s fees

(a)

Award of fees

A prevailing defendant in any civil action against such defendant for defamation or libel, brought in or removed to a court of the United States, for making a communication shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs for prevailing in such litigation. Attorney’s fees under this Act shall be paid by the plaintiff.

(b)

Limitation on fees

The fee award under this section shall not exceed the reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of the prevailing defendant with respect to the particular position or claim. The court may, in its discretion, limit the fees awarded under subsection (a) to the extent that the court finds exceptional, unusual, and special circumstances that make payment of such fees unjust.

(c)

Definition

In this Act, the term communication means factual information—

(1)

expressed by the individual making the communication to another without malice; and

(2)

related to an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination experienced by the individual making the communication, including any of the following:

(A)

an act of sexual assault;

(B)

an act of sexual harassment;

(C)

an act—

(i)

of workplace harassment or discrimination, failure to prevent an act of workplace harassment or discrimination, aiding, abetting, inciting, compelling, or coercing an act of workplace harassment or discrimination; or

(ii)

of retaliation against a person for reporting or opposing workplace harassment or discrimination; or

(D)

an act of harassment or discrimination, or an act of retaliation against a person for reporting harassment or discrimination, by the owner of a housing authority.