Why political rivals can and should come together for press freedom
Freedom of the Press Foundation
February 2, 2024
Journalist Catherine Herridge, pictured above interviewing former Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller in 2020, has spent months fighting a subpoena that would force her to burn her sources. “201215-D-BN624-0040” by Lisa Ferdinando is licensed under CC BY 2.0 DEED.
As unlikely as it sounds, Republicans and Democrats are putting their differences aside to support the most important press freedom legislation in modern times — the PRESS Act.
The act passed the House last month. If passed by the Senate, it would finally put an end to government surveillance of journalists and court orders compelling them to burn sources.
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We wrote an op-ed in The Hill with Clayton Weimers of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) explaining that the PRESS Act’s bipartisan appeal stems from the fact that journalist-source confidentiality benefits everyone who relies on the press to stay informed.
Read the op-ed here.