Senate Committee Approves Protections for Journalists
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved legislation to provide greater protections against fines or imprisonment for reporters who refuse to identify confidential sources. The bill, the Free Flow of Information Act of 2013, passed 13 to 5 after lawmakers agreed on an amendment defining who qualifies as a journalist. Three Republicans, including the panel’s ranking member, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, joined Democrats to pass the bill. The panel rejected amendments from Republicans that would have stripped protections for reporters who reveal classified information, limited the bill’s protections to American members of the news media and exempted grand jury leaks. Opponents said it did not protect national security interests and unconstitutionally allowed the government to decide who is a journalist. But supporters said it was important to establish parameters for the news media as the Justice Department grapples with leak cases.
