Patrick Leahy: “I strongly support the enactment of a Federal shield law for journalists, and I urge the Senate to promptly consider and…”

“I strongly support the enactment of a Federal shield law for journalists, and I urge the Senate to promptly consider and pass Federal shield legislation. All of us have an interest in enacting a balanced and meaningful first amendment privilege. According to a newly released study by Privacy International--a privacy, civil liberties and human rights watchdog organization, the United States is one of just a few established democracies around the world that does not have a law to protect journalists from being forced to reveal confidential sources. In fact, according to that study, approximately 100 countries have adopted laws that allow journalists to honor their promise of confidentiality.”