[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 501 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 501

 Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the 
world and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of 
   the Government of the United States to promote democracy and good 
                              governance.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 7, 2018

Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Wyden, and Ms. Hassan) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Foreign Relations

                             July 30, 2018

Reported by Mr. Corker, without amendment and with an amendment to the 
                                preamble

                           November 28, 2018

           Considered and agreed to with an amended preamble

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the 
world and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of 
   the Government of the United States to promote democracy and good 
                              governance.

Whereas freedom of the press is a cornerstone of American democracy and is 
        enshrined in the first amendment to the Constitution;
Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 
        adopted in Paris, France, on December 10, 1948, states that ``[e]veryone 
        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 May 3 of each 
        year as ``World Press Freedom Day'' to--

    (1) celebrate the fundamental principles of freedom of the press;

    (2) evaluate freedom of the press around the world;

    (3) defend against attacks on the independence of the media; and

    (4) pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the 
exercise of their profession;

Whereas, on December 18, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 
        United Nations General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013) on the safety of 
        journalists and the issue of impunity, which unequivocally condemns, in 
        both conflict and non-conflict situations, all attacks on and violence 
        against journalists and media workers, including torture, extrajudicial 
        killing, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and intimidation 
        and harassment;
Whereas the theme for World Press Freedom Day 2018 is ``Keeping Power in Check: 
        Media, Justice and The Rule of Law'';
Whereas the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note; 
        Public Law 111-166), which was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate 
        and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, expanded the 
        annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices of the Department of 
        State to include an examination of freedom of the press;
Whereas the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without 
        Borders, warned that ``media freedom has retreated wherever the 
        authoritarian strongman model has triumphed'';
Whereas Freedom House noted in the report ``Freedom of the Press 2017'' that--

    (1) global press freedom has declined to its lowest point in 13 years; 
and

    (2) only 13 percent of the global population enjoys a free press, 
meaning a media environment in which ``coverage of political news is 
robust, the safety of journalists is guaranteed, state intrusion in media 
affairs is minimal, and the press is not subject to onerous legal or 
economic pressures'';

Whereas journalists working inside the United States are not immune from 
        violence against the media, as was demonstrated on the afternoon of June 
        28, 2018, when a 38-year-old gunman with a long-standing grudge against 
        the reporting of the Capital Gazette entered the newspaper's newsroom in 
        Annapolis, Maryland, and killed 5 employees with a shotgun;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists--

    (1) in 2017--

    G    (A) the 2 deadliest countries for journalists on assignment were 
Iraq and Syria;

    G    (B) 46 journalists were killed in cases in which the motive for 
the killing was confirmed to be related to reporting by those journalists;

    G    (C) 20 journalists were killed in cases in which the motive for 
the killing was unconfirmed;

    G    (D) there were 21 cases in which journalists were jailed for 
``false news'', which represented more than double the number of cases in 
which journalists were jailed for ``false news'' in 2016; and

    G    (E) the percentage of female journalists who were killed in a year 
was the highest on record;

    (2) the most dangerous subject for a journalist to report is politics, 
followed only then by war; and

    (3) as of December 1, 2017, 262 journalists worldwide were imprisoned 
for their work, marking the second consecutive year that the number of 
journalists imprisoned for their work hit a historic high;

Whereas freedom of the press is a key component of democratic governance, 
        activism in civil society, and socioeconomic development; and
Whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability, transparency, and 
        participation in civil society and democratic governance: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses concern about the threats to freedom of the 
        press and expression around the world;
            (2) welcomes the celebration of World Press Freedom Day 
        2018 on May 3, 2018;
            (3) commends journalists and media workers around the world 
        for their essential role in promoting government 
        accountability, defending democratic activity, and 
        strengthening civil society, despite threats to the safety of 
        those journalists and media workers;
            (4) pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives 
        carrying out their work;
            (5) calls on governments abroad to implement United Nations 
        General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013) on the safety of 
        journalists and the issue of impunity by thoroughly 
        investigating and seeking to resolve outstanding cases of 
        violence against journalists, including murders and 
        kidnappings, while ensuring the protection of witnesses;
            (6) condemns all actions around the world that suppress 
        freedom of the press;
            (7) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the press to 
        efforts of the Government of the United States to support 
        democracy, mitigate conflict, and promote good governance 
        domestically and around the world; and
            (8) calls on the President and the Secretary of State to--
                    (A) on the basis of the protections afforded under 
                the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United 
                States, preserve and build upon the leadership of the 
                United States on issues relating to freedom of the 
                press;
                    (B) improve the means by which the Government of 
                the United States rapidly identifies, publicizes, and 
                responds to threats against freedom of the press around 
                the world;
                    (C) urge foreign governments to conduct transparent 
                investigations and adjudications of the perpetrators of 
                attacks against journalists; and
                    (D) highlight the issue of threats against freedom 
                of the press--
                            (i) in the annual Human Rights Reports of 
                        the Department of State; and
                            (ii) throughout the year.
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