Reporters Committee urges Congress to pass PRESS Act

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is once again urging members of Congress to pass a bipartisan shield bill that would establish robust federal protections for the newsgathering rights of journalists.

In separate letters sent on Oct. 8 to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, the Reporters Committee and 108 news media and press rights organizations expressed strong support for the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act, or PRESS Act, which passed the House in January and is currently pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

The PRESS Act would bar the federal government from using subpoenas, search warrants, or other compulsory actions against journalists to force the disclosure of information identifying confidential sources as well as other newsgathering records, except in very limited circumstances. It would also broadly limit the government’s ability to use the same actions against third parties, including email providers and search engines, to seize journalists’ data, with narrow exceptions.

The Reporters Committee’s letter to the Senate urges leadership to advance the PRESS Act and similarly urges Senators to support the measure if it does advance. In the letter to the House, the Reporters Committee commends members for passing the bill earlier this year and urges them to continue to support the measure if it returns to the chamber for another vote.

“The PRESS Act is a reasonable, common-sense measure to preserve the free flow of information to the public, as evidenced by its broad bipartisan support and the fact that 49 states and the District of Columbia have similar protections,” the letters state. “All reflect the reality that the press cannot fulfill its constitutionally recognized watchdog role without some safeguard for confidential source identities and sensitive newsgathering material.”

Senate letter:

House letter: