[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 8, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4284-S4285]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING THREATS TO FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

  Mr. DONNELLY. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 440, S. 
Res. 447.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 447) recognizing the threats to 
     freedom of the press and expression around the world and 
     reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in the efforts 
     of the United States Government to promote democracy and good 
     governance.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations, with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble.
  (Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part 
printed in italic.)
  (Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic.)

                              S. Res. 447

       Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal 
     Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at Paris December 10, 
     1948, states that ``everyone 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 celebrate the fundamental principles of freedom of the 
     press, to evaluate freedom of the press around the world, to 
     defend the media from attacks on its independence, and to 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 a resolution (A/RES/68/163) on the safety of 
     journalists and the issue of impunity, which unequivocally 
     condemns all attacks and violence against journalists and 
     media workers, including torture, extrajudicial killings, 
     enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and 
     intimidation and harassment in both conflict and non-conflict 
     situations;
       Whereas 2014 is the 21st anniversary of World Press Freedom 
     Day, which focuses on the theme ``Media Freedom for a Better 
     Future: Shaping the Post-2015 Development Agenda'';
       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 examination of 
     freedom of the press around the world in the annual human 
     rights report of the Department of State;
       Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 71 
     journalists and 39 citizen journalists were killed in 2013 in 
     connection with their collection and dissemination of news 
     and information;
       Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 
     the 3 deadliest countries for journalists on assignment in 
     2013 were Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, and in Syria, the deadliest 
     country for such journalists, an unprecedented number of 
     journalists were abducted;
       Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 
     617 journalists have been murdered since 1992 without the 
     perpetrators of such crimes facing punishment;
       Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 
     the 5 countries with the highest number of unpunished 
     journalist murders between 2004 to 2013 are Iraq, Somalia, 
     the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Syria;
       Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 826 
     journalists and 127 citizen journalists were arrested in 
     2013;
       Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 
     211 journalists worldwide were in prison on December 1, 2013;
       Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the 5 
     countries with the highest number of journalists in prison 
     are Syria, China, Eritrea, Turkey, and Iran;
       Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the 
     Government of Syria and extremist rebel militias have 
     intentionally targeted professional and citizen journalists, 
     causing dramatic repercussions for the freedom of the press 
     throughout the region;

[[Page S4285]]

       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has 
     engaged in an unprecedented campaign to silence the 
     independent press and undermine freedom of expression, 
     including its recent efforts to destabilize Ukraine;
       Whereas Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern 
     that journalists in Cuba have suffered physical attacks, 
     arbitrary detention, and death threats, and have been 
     prevented access to information;
       Whereas Freedom House has cited a deteriorating environment 
     for internet freedom around the world and has ranked Iran, 
     Cuba, China, Syria, and Ethiopia as having the worst 
     obstacles to access, limits on content, and violations of 
     user rights among the countries and territories rated by 
     Freedom House as ``Not Free'';
       Whereas freedom of the press is a key component of 
     democratic governance, the activism of civil society, and 
     socioeconomic development; and
       Whereas freedom of the press enhances public 
     accountability, transparency, and participation: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved,
       That the Senate--
       (1) expresses concern about the threats to freedom of the 
     press and expression around the world following World Press 
     Freedom Day, held on May 3, 2014;
       (2) 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 their safety;
       (3) pays tribute to the journalists who have lost their 
     lives carrying out their work;
       (4) calls on governments abroad to implement United Nations 
     General Assembly Resolution (A/RES/68/163), by thoroughly 
     investigating and seeking to resolve outstanding cases of 
     violence against journalists, including murders and 
     kidnappings, while ensuring the protection of witnesses;
       (5) condemns all actions around the world that suppress 
     freedom of the press, such as the recent kidnappings of 
     journalists and media workers in eastern Ukraine by pro-
     Russian militant groups;
       (6) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the press to 
     efforts by the United States Government to support democracy, 
     mitigate conflict, and promote good governance domestically 
     and around the world; and
       (7) calls on the President and the Secretary of State--
       (A) to ensure that the United States Government rapidly 
     identifies, publicizes, and responds to threats against 
     freedom of the press around the world;
       (B) to continue to urge foreign governments to 
     transparently investigate and bring to justice the 
     perpetrators of attacks against journalists; and
       (C) to continue to highlight the issue of threats against 
     freedom of the press year-round.

  Mr. DONNELLY. Madam President, I further ask unanimous consent that 
the committee-reported substitute amendment to the resolution be agreed 
to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the committee-reported 
amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be 
agreed to; and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid 
upon the table, with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was 
agreed to.
  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute to the 
preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 447), as amended, was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.

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