[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 67 (Monday, May 4, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5085-H5086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, Sunday, May 3, was World Press Freedom 
Day. Three years ago, in conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, 
Congressman Mike Pence, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator Dick Lugar, and I 
established the Congressional Caucus for Freedom of the Press.
  Since then, this bipartisan, bicameral caucus has sought to highlight 
the importance of free expression around the world. The caucus is a 
forum where Members of Congress can come together to combat and condemn 
media censorship and the persecution of journalists worldwide. Our 
caucus works to send a strong message that Congress will defend 
democratic values and human rights wherever they are threatened.
  We have hosted panel discussions with press freedom experts, 
journalists, and victims of press freedom crimes; written to leaders of 
countries which jail journalists, impose censorship, and allow 
harassment, attacks, and threats to occur with impunity. We have spoken 
out here on the House floor and in the media to call for reforms in 
countries that seek to censor freedom of speech and expression.
  Just recently, Representative Pence and I introduced the Daniel Pearl 
Freedom of the Press Act, H.R. 1861. This bill is named in honor of 
former Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and 
murdered by terrorists in Pakistan just 4 months after the September 11 
attacks.
  This legislation will establish annual State Department reports on 
the status of press freedom in every country in the world and create a 
grant program aimed at broadening and strengthening the independence of 
journalists and media organizations.
  Our government must promote freedom of the press by putting on center 
stage those countries in which journalists are killed, imprisoned, 
kidnapped, threatened, censored--and this will do just that.
  A free and independent media provides the nourishment for democracies 
to thrive and grow. Citizens rely upon credible, accurate information 
from the media to make informed decisions and hold their leaders 
accountable. Information is power, which is precisely why many 
governments attempt to control the press to suppress opposition and 
preempt dissent.
  Far too often, the reporters and editors who demand reform, 
accountability, and transparency find themselves at risk. The 
censorship, intimidation, imprisonment, and murder of these journalists 
are not only crimes against these individuals, but they also impact 
those who are denied access to their ideas and information.
  In 2008, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 41 
journalists were killed in connection with their work. Another 125 were 
falsely imprisoned for their reporting. Unfortunately, 2009 is shaping 
up to be a similarly dangerous year, having already seen 11 journalists 
murdered.
  For Americans, this should spur us to consider the role that 
journalists play in our society and to ponder what our Nation would be 
like if this cornerstone of our liberty were to be curtailed. Many 
Americans take the concept of a free press for granted and don't 
realize that an unfettered press is vital to America's national 
security and to our democracy here at home.
  But much of the world's population is not as fortunate as we are when 
it comes to access to independent news. Recent national news accounts 
have highlighted American journalists being detained on trumped-up 
charges in Iran and North Korea.
  However, there are dozens of cases like these across the globe that 
don't get attention. That is why each year, as co-Chairs of the caucus, 
we host a Special Order hour to highlight countries whose abuses of 
press freedom are particularly egregious.
  In 2007, we focused on Russia, profiling the 18 journalists murdered 
in Russia during the administration of Vladimir Putin. Last year, we 
focused on China and its incarceration of more journalists than any 
other country.
  Later this month, we will host another Special Order hour where we 
will focus on growing press freedom abuses in Sri Lanka. Threats, 
attacks, imprisonment, and murders of journalists are becoming all too 
common in Sri Lanka.
  This week is a particularly noteworthy week for press freedom in Sri 
Lanka. J.S. Tissainayagam, a contributor and editor for a number of 
print and online publications, will stand trial on Wednesday, and he 
faces a possible 20-year sentence if he is convicted. He is being 
prosecuted for allegedly inciting communal disharmony related to 
articles that he wrote as early as in 2006.
  In March of 2008, J.S. was arrested under emergency regulations and 
held without habeas corpus for more than 5 months before being charged. 
His trial is set to resume on May 6, but it is our hope the Sri Lankan 
government will drop these baseless charges and release J.S. before the 
trial resumes.
  So today, Madam Speaker, we recognize World Press Freedom Day and 
call on nations like Sri Lanka to stop the persecution of innocent 
journalists. We use this day as an occasion to pay tribute to 
journalists and to reflect upon their role in advancing fundamental 
human rights.
  I want to thank all journalists around the world, especially those 
who work in harm's way, for doing all they do to foster democracy and 
promote freedom. Your work does not go unrecognized, and we appreciate 
your dedication to this noble profession.

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