[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 192 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 192

 Affirming that the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United 
   States guarantees the freedom of the press and asserting that no 
 purpose is served by sentencing journalists Judith Miller and Matthew 
     Cooper, nor any similarly situated journalists, to prison for 
           maintaining the anonymity of confidential sources.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 11, 2005

  Mr. Lautenberg (for himself, Mr. Lugar, and Mr. Dodd) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Affirming that the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United 
   States guarantees the freedom of the press and asserting that no 
 purpose is served by sentencing journalists Judith Miller and Matthew 
     Cooper, nor any similarly situated journalists, to prison for 
           maintaining the anonymity of confidential sources.

Whereas the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States guarantees 
        the freedom of the press;
Whereas it is essential to the democracy of the United States that journalists 
        may report important information to the public without fear of 
        intimidation or imprisonment;
Whereas a majority of the States and the District of Columbia have enacted media 
        shield laws to protect the right of journalists to maintain the 
        anonymity of confidential sources;
Whereas Robert Novak, the columnist first to publish the identity of a covert 
        Central Intelligence Agency officer by name, stated that the Government 
        should not imprison journalists for maintaining the anonymity of 
        confidential sources;
Whereas a United States district court judge may soon sentence Matthew Cooper, 
        the White House correspondent for Time Magazine, and Judith Miller, a 
        journalist for the New York Times, to prison for contempt for refusing 
        to disclose confidential sources;
Whereas that United States district court judge will hold a hearing to consider 
        arguments against imprisonment of those journalists; and
Whereas it is the responsibility of the United States Senate to make its views 
        known in areas of national and legal importance: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) affirms that the First Amendment of the Constitution of 
        the United States guarantees the freedom of the press; and
            (2) proclaims that no purpose is served by imprisoning 
        journalists Judith Miller and Matthew Cooper.
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