Legislation that would bar the United States government from spying on journalists'except under rare, specific circumstances'is currently stalled in Congress, despite having passed the House of Representatives with unanimous support nearly one year ago. Now, with only weeks left to legislate, press advocates are urging Senate Democrats to pass the bill, known as the PRESS Act, before the end of the lame-duck session. The bill, also known as the 'Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act,' would broadly prevent federal agencies from using subpoenas and warrants to target journalists and their sources. The protections would cover any information 'obtained or created' while 'engaging in journalism,' and would extend to phone and email records possessed by third-party services, such as Google and Meta. While the PRESS Act famously enjoys strong bipartisan support, the current conditions in the Senate, where the bill now lingers, are less than ideal. Democrats, poised to lose...
learn more
