[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 25, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4508-S4510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. Portman, and Mr. Van Hollen):
  S. 1969. A bill to authorize the Fallen Journalists Memorial 
Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of 
Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Fallen 
Journalists Memorial Act of 2019. I am proud to be introducing this 
bill with my long-time friend and colleague, the junior Senator from 
Ohio (Mr. Portman).
  The purpose of the bill is to authorize the Fallen Journalists 
Memorial (FJM) Foundation to establish a commemorative work--a 
memorial--in the District of Columbia or its environs honoring 
journalists, photographers, and broadcasters killed in the line of 
duty, defending freedom of the press. The bill directs the Federal 
government to make eligible Federal land available for the memorial.
  The bill explicitly prohibits the use of Federal funds to design or 
construct the memorial, and stipulates that the memorial must be 
designed and built in compliance with existing federal standards for 
commemorative works. Furthermore, the FJM Foundation must provide the 
funding necessary for the National Park Service or General Services 
Administration to maintain the memorial. The bill conforms to the 
structure of other similar bills.
  Across the National Capital Region, we have monuments and memorials 
to honor those who have helped make our Nation and our democracy 
stronger since its founding days. Currently missing from that honor 
roll, however, are journalists who have sacrificed everything to gather 
facts, ask questions, and report the news in the spirit of the free, 
open, and transparent societies and governments that Americans--and all 
people--deserve.
  Why do we need this memorial? Well, according to the Committee to 
Protect Journalists:

[[Page S4509]]

  Worldwide, at least 1,337 journalists have been killed in the line of 
duty since 1992;
  each year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned, and 
tortured;
  the majority of the journalists killed are murdered in direct 
relation to their work as journalists; and
  in 9 out of 10 cases, the killers of journalists go free.
  When we think of casualties, we tend to think of war correspondents 
on the front lines. in battle. Intrepid reporters and photographers and 
cameramen and women put themselves in harm's way, and many have been 
killed and wounded. But then we have cases like the Saudi Government's 
savage dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Consulate in 
Turkey last October. That was a state-sanctioned killing. And here at 
home, barely 30 miles from here, we had the horrific shooting at the 
Capital Gazette in Annapolis that left five people dead and two 
wounded. The attack at the Gazette offices occurred one year ago this 
Friday, on June 28th. So it is fitting that we are introducing the 
Fallen Journalists Memorial Act today to remember and honor the Gazette 
victims, Jamal Khashoggi, and all other journalists who have been 
killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The Fallen 
Journalists Memorial will be a visible symbol and reminder of what is 
at stake and the price people have paid.
  We Americans have certain rights and responsibilities granted to us 
through the Constitution, which established the rule of law in this 
country. Freedom of the press is one of those most basic rights and it 
is central to our way of life. This precious freedom has often been 
under attack, figuratively speaking, since our Nation's founding.
  Today, attacks on the American media have become more frequent and 
more literal, spurred on by dangerous rhetoric that is creating an 
``open season'' on denigrating and harassing the media for doing its 
job--asking questions that need to be asked, investigating the stories 
that need to be uncovered, and bringing needed transparency to the 
halls of power.
  One year ago this Friday, a 38-year-old man who had a long-standing 
spurious grudge against the Capital Gazette newspaper, made good on his 
sworn threats. He entered the newspaper offices, headed to the 
newsroom, and by the time he was done, he had shot and killed five 
employees of this community newspaper and wounded two others.
  The Capital Gazette is the local paper of record in Annapolis. It is 
one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in the U.S. It 
traces its roots back to the Maryland Gazette, which began publishing 
in 1727 and The Capital, which dates to 1884.
  This loss of life is personal to so many in Annapolis and around our 
State. You need to understand that the Capital Gazette is as much a 
part of the fabric of Annapolis as the State government that it covers 
better than anyone in the business.
  On that day one year ago, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, 
the Annapolis Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's 
Office all responded to the first 9-1-1 call within two minutes, 
rushing into the offices and into the newsroom to apprehend the gunman 
and prevent further bloodshed, according to Anne Arundel Police Chief 
Timothy Altomare.
  State and Federal law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 
Explosives (A TF), and many others agencies quickly had personnel there 
to support local officials in their efforts to clear the building and 
meticulously investigate the scene.
  I want to thank, again, all law enforcement officers and other first 
responders--from the individuals who rushed into the newsroom not 
knowing what danger they might encounter to those helping get others to 
safety; from those gathering evidence to ensure nothing was lost in the 
bustle or chaos of the moment to those diverting traffic so that people 
could be evacuated and investigators could do their jobs in safety.
  The swift law enforcement response undoubtedly saved lives but not 
before the gunman managed to kill five people. Among them were Gerald 
Fischman, 61, who was an editor with more than 25 years of service with 
the Capital Gazette admired at the newspaper and throughout the 
community for his brilliant mind and writing.
  Most often, it was his voice and his insightfulness that came through 
on the editorial pages of the Capital Gazette. Rick Hutzell, the 
Capital Gazette's editor, described Fischman as ``someone whose life 
was committed to protecting our community by telling hard truths.''
  Rob Hiaasen, 59, was a columnist, editor, teacher, and storyteller 
and brought compassion and humor to his community-focused reporting. 
Rob was a coach and a mentor to many. According to former Baltimore Sun 
columnist Susan Reimer, he was ``so happy working with young 
journalists . . . He wanted to create a newsroom where everyone was 
growing.''
  John McNamara, 56, was a skilled writer and avid sports fan and 
combined these passions in his 24-year career as a sports reporter at 
the Capital Gazette. Former Capital Gazette sports editor Gerry 
Jackson, said of McNamara, or ``Mac,'' as he went by, ``He could write. 
He could edit. He could design pages. He was just a jack of all trades 
and a fantastic person.''
  Rebecca Smith, 34, was a newly-hired sales assistant known for her 
kindness, compassion, and love for her family. A friend of her fiance 
described ``Becca'' as ``the absolute most beautiful person'' with 
``the biggest heart'' and called her death ``a great loss to this 
world.''
  Wendi Winters, 65, was a talented writer who built her career as a 
public relations professional and journalist. She was well-known for 
her profound reporting on the lives and achievements of people within 
the community. She was a ``proud Navy Mom''--and daughter.
  As we learned the details of the shooting from the survivors, it 
became clear that Wendi saved lives during the attack. She confronted 
the gunman and distracted him by throwing things at him--whatever she 
could find within reach. As the paper noted: ``Wendi died protecting 
her friends, but also in defense of her newsroom from a murderous 
assault. Wendi died protecting freedom of the press.''
  My heartfelt condolences and prayers continue to go out to the 
victims and their families. The surviving staff members also deserve 
our prayers and praise for their resilience and dedication to their 
mission as journalists and respect for their fallen colleagues. During 
and after the attack, staff continued to report by tweet, sharing 
information to those outside, taking photos and documenting information 
as they would other crime scenes. Despite their grief, shock, anger and 
mourning, the surviving staff--with help from their sister publication 
the Baltimore Sun, Capital Gazette alumni, and other reporters who 
wanted to lend a hand to fellow journalists--put out a paper the 
following morning and they have done so every day since. This is grace 
under pressure.
  Fittingly, the editorial page the day after the shooting was 
purposefully left blank, but for the few words: ``Today, we are 
speechless. This page is intentionally left blank to commemorate the 
victims of Thursday's shootings at our office.'' The staff promised 
that on Saturday, the page would ``return to its steady purpose of 
offering our readers informed opinion about the world around them, that 
they might be better citizens.''
  I want to repeat one quote from the Capital Gazette editorial page 
that bears repeating: ``Wendi died protecting her friends, but also in 
defense of her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died protecting 
freedom of the press.'' Wendi Winters and her colleagues died 
protecting freedom of the press.
  Here in the United States, the Capital Gazette shooting was not an 
isolated incident; other journalists have been vulnerable to attack or 
reprisal for their work:
  a freelance photojournalist was killed in the September 11, 2001, 
attacks on the World Trade Center;
  in October 2001, a photo editor with the Sun newspaper in Boca Raton, 
Florida, died from inhaling anthrax, a substance that was mailed to a 
number of journalists across the United States;
   in August 2007, a masked gunman shot and killed the editor-in-chief 
of

[[Page S4510]]

the Oakland Post, a prominent African-American newspaper; and
  in August 2015, a reporter and cameraman for television station WDBJ7 
were shot dead during a live broadcast in Smith Mountain Lake, 
Virginia.
  At least 59 journalists have been murdered or killed in the United 
States while reporting, while covering a military conflict, or simply 
because of their status as a journalist.
  While Annapolis and most of the Nation rallied in support of the 
survivors of the Capital Gazette shooting, the paper reported receiving 
new death threats and emails celebrating the attack. This is not right 
in America or anywhere else.
  Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of 
being violently attacked while doing their job--both figuratively and 
literally. The right of journalists to report the news is nothing less 
than the right of all of us to know, to understand what is happening 
around us and to us. Media freedom and media pluralism are essential 
for the expression of, or ensuring respect for, other fundamental 
freedoms and safeguarding democracy, the rule of law, and a system of 
checks and balances.
  Every one of us in this body--Democrats and Republicans--has sworn an 
oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of 
America. We bear the solemn responsibility of defending freedom of the 
press. It is time for us to redouble our efforts both here at home and 
abroad. We must lead by example. The very foundation and legitimacy of 
our democratic republic are at stake. One way to start is by 
memorializing those brave men and women who have died or been killed, 
as the New York Times' Adolph S. Ochs put it in 1896, ``to give the 
news impartially, without fear or favor, regardless of party, sect, or 
interests involved.''

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