[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 134 (Thursday, August 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12291-S12292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       SENATE RESOLUTION 162-RELATIVE TO THE SENATE PRESS GALLERY

  Mr. BYRD submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Rules and Administration:

                              S. Res. 162

       Whereas the media are a powerful force within our system of 
     government;
       Whereas the media have unequaled influence over the 
     dissemination of information to the American people;
       Whereas public trust of the media is essential to the 
     health and proper functioning of our republican form of 
     government;
       Whereas the media have no industrywide ethical standards 
     regarding the acceptance of earned outside income;
       Whereas members of the media could appear to compromise 
     their objectivity by receiving compensation from the same 
     groups they cover; and
       Whereas it is in the best interests of the American people 
     and the media that any appearance of a conflict of interest 
     regarding a member of the media's receipt of outside earned 
     income be removed: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That (a) not later than May 15 of each year, each 
     accredited member of any of the Senate press galleries who 
     was an accredited member in the preceding year shall file a 
     report for the preceding year with the Secretary of the 
     Senate disclosing the identity of--
       (1) the primary employer of the member during the preceding 
     year; and
       (2) the identity of any additional sources of earned 
     outside income received by the member, together with the 
     amounts received from each such source, during the preceding 
     year.
       (b) For purposes of this resolution
       (1) the term ``Senate press galleries'' means--
       (A) the Senate Press Gallery;
       (B) the Senate Radio and Television Correspondents Gallery;
       (C) the Senate Periodical Press Gallery; and
       (D) the Senate Press Photographers Gallery; and
       (2) the term ``earned outside income'' means any earned 
     income received from sources other than a member's primary 
     employer but does not include interest or dividends received 
     on stocks, bonds, savings accounts, or other forms of passive 
     investment or income from inheritances or rental activities.
       (c) A report filed pursuant to this resolution shall be 
     filed with the Secretary of the Senate and available for 
     public inspection as provided in section 103 of the Ethics in 
     Government Act of 1978 for financial reports filed by Members 
     and employees of the Senate.
       (d) An accredited member of any of the Senate press 
     galleries who fails to file a report as required by this 
     resolution shall be subject to the loss of the member's 
     accreditation or such other penalties as the member's Senate 
     press gallery deems appropriate.

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, on July 20, 1995, this body adopted an 
amendment I proposed which expressed support for public disclosure of 
certain types of earned income by members of the press in order for 
them to receive accreditation in the Senate press galleries. By a vote 
of 60-39, the Senate voiced its concern over the public perception of a 
press corps that largely lacks any ethical standards to guide its 
members. Today I am offering a resolution that, if adopted, will 
require such disclosure from the press.
  I know that this is a controversial and somewhat delicate matter. I 
am aware of the concerns that the fourth estate has with requiring its 
members to reveal such information. Some members of the media will 
certainly object to any outside attempt to encourage even a limited 
code of ethical standards. I believe that those objections are 
misguided.
  This resolution is not intended to be a punitive or vindictive 
exercise designed to punish, inconvenience or embarrass reporters. When 
poll after poll records alarming losses of public faith in our 
traditional institutions, I simply believe that responsible efforts 
must be made to address that erosion of public trust.
  The general perception is that the politicians are corrupt, that 
judges cannot be entirely trusted, and that the media are biased and 
unscrupulous. I believe that it is time to take serious steps to 
restore public credibility in these institutions.
  The Senate took one such step in 1991 when it adopted legislation 
which I sponsored to prohibit its members from receiving honoraria. I 
believe that action has proved to be meritorious and constructive.
  More recently, I offered a sense-of-the-Senate amendment calling on 

[[Page S 12292]]
  members of the Judiciary to take another look at their rather lax 
regulations governing gifts and travel. The amendment passed by a vote 
of 75 to 23. Again, my intent was to help restore confidence and some 
measure of accountability to governmental officials and institutions.
  Although not a formal governmental institution, the importance of the 
media in a representative democracy cannot be overstated. The role of 
the press as interpreter and sole purveyor of the news conveys with it 
a solemn duty to the public it serves. No single elected official or 
group of officials can so profoundly affect the focus and tone of the 
vital daily information which the public digests, believes, and relies 
upon. The press have an awesome responsibility in our form of 
government--one that far outweighs any slight inconvenience like filing 
a list of one's speaking fees. Regrettably, the activities of some--not 
all, some--members of the press have called into question the ability 
of the media to be consistently fair and unbiased. As with every 
institution, most journalists do a good job, providing balanced 
information that fosters an informed populace. Unfortunately, the 
perception remains that some reporters' stories are slanted in a 
particular way or skewed toward a specific interest. It is these 
perceptions that have to be addressed. My hope, all along, has been 
that journalists would recognize the need to address this problem 
themselves. They should do that. That is the way it should be done. As 
of now, I see little evidence that this will happen.
  So today, I am submitting this measure in an effort to jump start the 
process and begin the frank public discourse which will be necessary in 
order to meet the justifiable expectations of the American people, whom 
we all serve. The Senate Rules Committee has jurisdiction over this 
area. I have spoken with its chairman, Senator Stevens, some time ago 
and he is willing to hold hearings on the bill. These hearings will 
provide an excellent opportunity for all interested parties to come 
together and offer their varying perspectives and viewpoints. I look 
forward to a thorough airing of the views of any and all participants 
who wish to come.
  This country is at a critical cross-roads. The American people's 
trust of government has been replaced with a cynicism that is deeply 
disturbing. If the public continues to lose faith in the traditional 
institutions which form the bedrock of our republic, before long the 
very institutions themselves will start crumbling. To avoid such a 
calamity, we all must work together to try and rebuild confidence in 
our basic institutions. I firmly believe that this critical need 
outweighs any one individual's particular concerns and transcends what 
may be viewed as certain personal prerogatives. All of us involved in 
this process have a responsibility to make it work. Often a small 
sacrifice--a good-faith gesture can do wonders toward restoring 
credibility. The Senate, as it did in 1991, when it adopted my 
amendment banning honoraria--some Senators did not like that, and we 
also banned honoraria to our staffs--has led the way and set an 
example. It is my hope that this resolution will serve the excellent 
and laudable purpose of encouraging renewed faith in our hallowed 
fourth estate and in the objectivity of its reporting.
  I shall send the resolution to the desk, where it will be 
appropriately referred.


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