[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H1799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   FREEDOM OF THE PRESS UNDER ATTACK

  (Mr. HINCHEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important aspects of the 
foundation upon which this Republic is based is freedom of the press. 
That freedom unfortunately is under attack by the majority in this 
House. Two days ago, the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
addressing the Georgia Chamber of Commerce called upon the advertisers 
in America's newspapers to attempt to influence the quality and 
character of news as it is being recorded by the free press in this 
country. This comes upon the heels of the blatant attack during the 
last Congress to influence in an outrageous way public broadcasting, 
both television and radio, in this country by cutting back on their 
funds. Freedom of the press is critically important to the future of 
this country and to the freedoms that are possessed by all Americans. 
That freedom is under attack by this Speaker. I call upon the majority 
Members in this House to repudiate those remarks of the Speaker and to 
reaffirm that this House stands solidly behind the right of the free 
press in this country to report the news as it sees fit, not based upon 
the advertisers that advertise in those newspapers.

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