[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 204 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 204
Recognizing escalating threats to freedom of the press and freedom of
speech worldwide, including increasing harm to journalists reporting in
conflict zones and under repressive regimes, reaffirming the vital role
that a free and independent press plays in upholding democracy,
fostering economic prosperity, and keeping the public informed, and
reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority of the United States
Government in supporting democracy, human rights, and good governance
in commemoration of ``World Press Freedom Day'' on May 3, 2025.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 5, 2025
Mr. Schatz (for himself and Mr. Tillis) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing escalating threats to freedom of the press and freedom of
speech worldwide, including increasing harm to journalists reporting in
conflict zones and under repressive regimes, reaffirming the vital role
that a free and independent press plays in upholding democracy,
fostering economic prosperity, and keeping the public informed, and
reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority of the United States
Government in supporting democracy, human rights, and good governance
in commemoration of ``World Press Freedom Day'' on May 3, 2025.
Whereas freedom of the press is foundational to American democracy and has been
enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and
in various State constitutions;
Whereas a free and independent press around the world supports United States
foreign policy goals of countering authoritarianism and promoting
democratic governance by refuting propaganda and enhancing public
accountability, transparency, and participation in civil society;
Whereas a robust independent press plays a key role in exposing and refuting
malign influence campaigns used by authoritarian governments, including
the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China;
Whereas the censorship, victimization, and killing of journalists around the
world, particularly in war zones, has profound implications for the
ability of the public, including Americans, to be informed about
conflicts with local, regional, and global ramifications and other
issues;
Whereas the United States has advanced press freedom globally, including by
leading the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which
was adopted by the United Nations in Paris on December 10, 1948, and
states, in Article 19, ``Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion
and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without
interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
through any media and regardless of frontiers.'';
Whereas, in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the third day
of May of each year to be ``World Press Freedom Day''--
(1) to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom;
(2) to evaluate press freedom around the world;
(3) to defend the media against attacks on its independence; and
(4) to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while
working in their profession;
Whereas Congress has passed legislation supporting press freedom abroad,
including--
(1) the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-
166), which expanded the examination of the freedom of the press around the
world in the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices published by
the Department of State; and
(2) the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of
title XII of Public Law 114-328), which has been used to place targeted
visa and economic sanctions on individuals for their roles in the targeted
killings of journalists;
Whereas, in 2021, in an effort to combat attacks against journalists, the
Department of State adopted the Khashoggi Ban pursuant to section
212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1182(a)(3)(C)), which imposes visa restrictions on individuals who,
acting on behalf of a foreign government, are believed to have been
directly engaged in serious, extraterritorial counter-dissident
activities, including activities that suppress, harass, surveil,
threaten, or harm journalists, activists, or other persons perceived to
be dissidents for their work;
Whereas the United States Government has--
(1) supported broadcast journalism around the world to provide news to
millions of people living under authoritarian regimes; and
(2) provided emergency assistance to journalists facing immediate risks
to their lives as a result of their reporting;
Whereas 2024 marked the 19th consecutive year of decline in global freedom, with
an estimated 40 percent of the global population living in countries
deemed ``Not Free'';
Whereas 2024 marked the 14th consecutive year of decline in global internet
freedom, with people in at least 56 countries who are facing legal
repercussions for expressing themselves online and people in 43
countries who are facing physical assaults or death for their online
commentary;
Whereas infringement on freedom of expression, including media freedom, has been
one of the key drivers of broader declines in global freedom during the
last 50 years, including attacks and prosecutions against journalists,
pressure on media outlets, repressive regulatory and legal frameworks,
internet shutdowns, unlawful efforts to undermine strong encryption, and
blocks on online sources of information;
Whereas there are alarming indications about growing divisions resulting from
the spread of authoritarian information campaigns with the potential to
weaken democratic societies;
Whereas punishments against women journalists are increasing disproportionately,
with 30 percent more women journalists being held in prison in 2022 than
in the previous year, and with most of the longest prison sentences
handed down against journalists in 2023 given to women;
Whereas journalists and media workers are murdered, imprisoned, attacked, and
harassed around the world, including--
(1) at least 124 journalists and media workers who were killed
worldwide during 2024 and at least 15 journalists who have been killed
during the first 4 months of 2025;
(2) approximately 361 journalists who were imprisoned during 2024, with
50 of these journalists imprisoned by the People's Republic of China;
(3) between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2024, impunity for the
killing of journalists persisted, with nearly 80 percent of the 241
journalist murders during this period occurring without accountability; and
(4) journalists and media outlets targeted by government actors with
sophisticated spyware products that pose a severe risk to their privacy and
the security of their sources and families;
Whereas more than 375 writers and public intellectuals, including columnists and
editorial journalists, were imprisoned across 40 different countries
during 2024; and
Whereas United States journalists have been killed, injured, and imprisoned
while reporting abroad, including--
(1) Christopher Allen, who was killed while covering the conflict in
South Sudan on August 26, 2017, and for whom there has been no credible
investigation to pursue justice after nearly 8 years;
(2) Austin Tice, who was kidnaped in Syria and has been held in
captivity since August 13, 2012;
(3) Brent Renaud, who was killed by Russian forces while covering the
war in Ukraine on March 13, 2022;
(4) Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli forces on May 11,
2022, while reporting in the West Bank;
(5) Evan Gershkovich, who was wrongfully detained in Russia on baseless
charges of espionage from March 2023 to August 2024;
(6) Alsu Kurmasheva who was wrongfully detained in Russia on bogus
charges of failure to register as a foreign agent from October 2023 to
August 2024; and
(7) Dylan Collins, a journalist at Agence France-Presse (AFP), who was
injured in an attack on a group of journalists in southern Lebanon by
Israeli forces on October 13, 2023: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) declares that a free press--
(A) is a central component of free societies and
democratic governance;
(B) contributes to an informed civil society and
government accountability;
(C) helps to expose corruption;
(D) enhances public accountability and transparency
of governments at all levels; and
(E) disseminates information that is essential to
improving public health and safety;
(2) expresses concerns about threats to the exercise of
freedom of expression, including by the press, around the
world;
(3) recognizes and commends journalism's role in providing
trusted, accurate, and timely information and in holding
governments and leaders accountable to citizens;
(4) recognizes the indispensable role of journalists and
media outlets in informing voters and the international
community about elections in multiple countries worldwide in
2025;
(5) pays tribute to journalists who made tremendous
sacrifices, including the loss of their lives, in the pursuit
of truth and justice;
(6) condemns all actions around the world that suppress
press freedom and endanger the safety of journalists;
(7) calls for the unconditional and immediate release of
all wrongfully detained journalists;
(8) reaffirms the centrality of press freedom to efforts of
the United States Government to support democracy, mitigate
conflict, and promote good governance domestically and around
the world; and
(9) calls upon the President and the Secretary of State--
(A) to preserve and build upon the leadership of
the United States on issues relating to press freedom
and journalist safety, on the basis of the protections
for freedom of the press afforded the American people
under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States;
(B) to transparently investigate and bring to
justice the perpetrators of attacks against American
journalists;
(C) to support transparent investigations and
efforts to ensure accountability for attacks against
journalists of other nationalities; and
(D) to promote the respect and protection of press
freedom around the world.
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