The House Judiciary Committee has voted to pass H.R. 4330, the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act, legislation introduced by MD Congressman Jamie Raskin, KY Congressman John Yarmuth and CA Congressman Ted Lieu that would safeguard a free and independent press by establishing a federal statutory privilege to protect journalists from being compelled to reveal confidential sources and prevent federal law enforcement from abusing subpoena power.
“I’m delighted that the House Judiciary Committee passed my PRESS Act on a unanimous bipartisan voice vote,” said Rep. Raskin. “The constitutional promise that no law shall abridge the freedom of the press instructs us to protect journalists from government overreach and abuse of the subpoena power, and today this committee has made good on that promise.”
“The First Amendment is essential to our democracy and to ensuring both a free press and an informed public,” said Rep. Yarmuth. “I’m so proud that our PRESS Act cleared the Judiciary Committee today and is one step closer to passage in the House. As the first Society of Professional Journalists member to be elected to Congress, I know how important it is that we protect journalists and their ability to speak truth to power without fear of retaliation or retribution.”
PRESS Act, introduced by Reps. Raskin, Lieu, and Yarmuth, would provide a shield against governmental efforts to undermine acts of truth-telling as weaponized through the subpoenaing of confidential journalistic information, providing reporters with a legal protection available in most states but not yet against the federal government.”
The PRESS Act has the endorsement of Demand Progress, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), News Media Alliance (NMA), News Leaders Association, MPA – The Association of Magazine Media, Protect the 1st, Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
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