Protecting the Press

After revelations that the Justice Department seized a large amount of AP phone records, Representatives Poe (R., TX), Radel (R., FL) and Conyers, Jr (D., MI) have introduced the the The Free Flow of Information Act of 2013, which builds on similar legislation that passed the House in 2007 and 2009, but never became law. 

A partial press release of the bill is below the jump. 

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Representatives Poe, Radel, Conyers Announce Bipartisan House Support for Press Shield Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), Rep. Trey Radel (R-FL) and John Conyers, Jr (D-MI) announced they were working together on “The Free Flow of Information Act of 2013" (H.R. 1962).  The legislation is based on similar legislation which passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly in the 110th and 111th Congress. The legislation protects members of the media by providing a qualified privilege that prevents reporters source material from being revealed to government investigators except under certain narrow circumstances, such as where necessary to prevent an act of terrorism or other significant and specified harm to national security, imminent death, or harm to national security.  The bill strikes a carefully tailored balance between the First Amendment and national security and law enforcement.  Both Rep. Poe and Rep. Conyers are senior members of the Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the legislation and were past supporters of the legislation.  Rep. Conyers was Chair of the Committee when similar legislation passed in 2007 and 2009. Rep. Radel spent nearly twenty years as a journalist in Florida. ...