[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 92 (Monday, July 11, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S7996]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 192--AFFIRMING THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE 
  CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES GUARANTEES BY 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

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

       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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