The Journalist Protection Act, reintroduced by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), aims to make it a federal crime to harm or intimidate journalists on duty. The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), addresses rising violence against the press, with 124 journalists and media workers killed globally in 2024—the highest on record—and 80 attacked in the U.S. alone.
The legislation would criminalize assaults on reporters, especially those causing bodily harm. Swalwell emphasized, “A free press is vital to democracy. As the Trump Administration vilifies journalists as ‘enemies of the people,’ this act ensures accountability for violence or intimidation against them.”
Blumenthal added, “Journalists face unprecedented threats that undermine truth-telling essential to democracy. This bill offers critical support amid escalating intimidation.”
First introduced in 2023, the bill has garnered support from the News/Media Alliance, Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press, and other groups like the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and National Press Photographers Association. Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance, praised the bill, stating, “Journalists deserve to work safely while delivering vital news to communities nationwide.”
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