Bloggers everywhere should thank Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Republican from the 5^th District, for working to protect their free speech rights. Hensarling’s HR 1606 was put back in the holster today by the House leadership, after it was deemed unnecessary when the FEC issued regulations this week that protected bloggers.

The FEC brought Internet political advertising under the nation’s campaign finance law Monday but declared that other political activity on the Internet would not be placed under federal regulations. Anyone placing a paid political ad on a Web site must abide by federal campaign spending and contribution limits.

But the FEC made it clear -- after hearing from blogs across the country -- that all other Internet political activity, including blogging, e-mail communications and online publications, would not be covered by the campaign finance law. Blogging will enjoy the same exemption from the campaign finance law that newspaper and other traditional forms of media have received.

The Hensarling bill had been slated for the floor on Thursday but was pulled off the calendar, to be held in reserve pending any other efforts to deny bloggers First Amendment rights.

House Majority Leader John Boehner, in a statement issued today, credited Hensarling and House Administration Committee Chairman Vernon Ehlers for “bringing the issue of online freedom of speech to the forefront of public debate.” Boehner also said that if there are efforts to expand the FEC’s regulatory scope, “the House will resume plans to consider the Hensarling bill in order to guarantee freedom of speech on the Internet.”

The Hensarling bill was a bipartisan effort widely supported by both members and blogs, including such well-known political blogs as redstate.com and dailykos.com. Dailykos.com said Wednesday: “People-powered politics has been legally validated.”