Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4250, the Protect Reporters from Exploitive State Spying Act, or the PRESS Act, and I yield myself such time as I may consume in support of this bill. Introduced by my colleagues, Representatives Kevin Kiley, Darrell Issa, Harriet Hageman, Russell Fry, Jamie Raskin, and Ted Lieu, H.R. 4250 is a reporter shield law that will ensure that journalists can engage in effective journalism while reducing the risks of putting themselves, or their confidential sources upon whom they rely to bring critical stories to the public's attention, in legal jeopardy. Specifically, H.R. 4250 would create a strong but qualified Federal statutory privilege that protects journalists from being compelled by the Federal Government to reveal confidential sources and information. The bill also allows the government to defeat this privilege under certain circumstances where a court determines that the disclosure is necessary to prevent or identify any perpetrator of an act of terrorism or to prevent a threat of imminent violence, significant bodily harm or death, and then only after the journalist is provided notice and an opportunity to be heard before the court. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Federal Government from compelling an electronic service provider that stores a journalist's information to disclose that information, as well as information relating to the journalist's personal account or technology device to the government.…”