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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Contact:
Clint Brewer, President, (615) 301-9229, cbrewer@spj.org
Alyson Ahrns, SPJ Communications Department, (317) 927-8000, ext. 210, aahrns@spj.org
For Immediate Release
Shield Law stalls in Senate
INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists is disappointed in the Senate’s vote today that stalled S. 2035, the Senate version of the Free Flow of Information Act, also known as the federal media shield law.
— Download press release [PDF, 135 KB]
— SPJ's Shield Law page
— The Society encourages journalists across the country to contact their senators and voice their support for the bill. Contact information can be found at Senate.gov.
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Senators who voted “No”
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Reid (D-NV)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Senators who didn’t vote at all
Kennedy (D-MA)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Obama (D-IL)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Wicker (R-MS)
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Today’s vote failed to invoke cloture, or the motion to proceed, after receiving only 51 of the necessary 60 votes. The 43 senators, mostly Republican, who voted against cloture, cited a pending energy bill they wanted to amend to allow for increased domestic oil and gas production.
“We are very disappointed that the Senate does not see the need to debate a federal shield law today,” SPJ President Clint Brewer said. “SPJ will continue to encourage its members and public citizens to contact members of Congress and express part of the Society’s mission: to encourage a climate where journalism can be practiced freely. A federal shield law would be a major step toward that goal.”
The Society encourages journalists across the country to contact their senators and voice their support for the bill. Contact information can be found at Senate.gov.
To see a list of those who voted against bringing the bill to the Senate floor for a vote, see the list to the right. A full roll call is available by following this link.
A federal shield law would give journalists the right to refuse to reveal information and sources obtained during the newsgathering process with a few notable exceptions, including where national security is at issue. The qualified privilege would be similar to those afforded to lawyers and their clients, clergy and their penitents, and psychotherapists and their patients.
Forty-nine states have common-law, statutory or rule-based protections in place to shield journalists and their confidential sources from compelled testimony.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For further information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.
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Latest Updates
January 14, 2009: Letter from SPJ President Dave Aeikens to President-
Elect Barack Obama
"We ask you to follow through, when you become President, on the support you expressed for a federal shield law as a candidate." Read the complete letter [PDF, 68 KB]
July 30, 2008: Shield Law stalls in Senate
The Society of Professional Journalists is disappointed in the Senate’s vote today that stalled S. 2035, the Senate version of the Free Flow of Information Act, also known as the federal media shield law. Continue reading
July 16, 2008: SPJ President Clint Brewer's letter to Sen. John Cornyn's office urging support of S. 2035
In a letter to Matt Johnson, Sen. Cornyn's Judiciary Committee Counsel, Brewer urges the Senator to focus on the act of journalism rather than defining who is a journalist. Read the letter [PDF, 164 KB]
May 10, 2008: New York Times: From Places Unexpected, Support for the Press
“An unusual cast of conservatives has added momentum to a bill that would protect the confidentiality of reporters’ sources, even as the Bush administration has lobbied vigorously against the idea.”
Continue reading over at newyorktimes.com
May 5, 2008: Arlen Specter: Why We Need a Shield Law
“The importance of a free press is so woven into the fabric of our history that Americans often take it for granted. But when we observe fledgling democracies around the world, Americans can see just how essential a free media are to democracy — and how easily they can be chilled. If we are to have a free press, it is necessary to protect the relationship between journalists and trusted sources to whom journalists have promised confidentiality. For this reason, every state but Wyoming has established some form of reporters' privilege.”
Continue reading over at washingtonpost.com
April 4, 2008: SPJ leaders urge Bush Administration, Department of Justice to forego shield law legislation opposition
Leaders of the Society of Professional Journalists today urged members of the Bush Administration, the United States Department of Justice and members of the United States Senate to forego attempts to stifle the passage of S. 2035, the Free Flow of Information Act. To read the complete release, click here.
Related Links
— Dept. of Justice Office of Public Affairs Web site: Media Shield section
— FoxNews.com: Administration Launches Web Site Opposing Journalist Media Shield
— Associated Press: Media Shield Law Remains in Doubt
— Letters from Dept. of Defense urging members of the U.S. Senate to reject the Free Flow of Information Act (S. 2035) [PDF, 188 KB]
— Letters from Dept. of Homeland Security urging members of the U.S. Senate to reject S. 2035 [PDF, 2.6 MB]
— Letter from Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence J.M. McConnell urging Sens. Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to reject S. 2035 [PDF, 416 KB]
Related Content
• U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg: Protect public's right to know
• Christine Tatum: Federal shield would protect public's right to know
• Sept. 20 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing recap
• The Federal Shield Law: What it is, why we need it and why SPJ is fighting for one
• Newsweek: You Shield Us, We'll Shield You
• SPJ Blogs: Showdown for federal shield looms
• SPJ Blogs: How to fight for the shield
• Media Coalition Applauds Reintroduction of Federal Shield Law [PDF]
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