Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), today proposed a new bill called the Protect Reporters from Excessive State Suppression Act (PRESS Act). This would protect data records of journalists from being seized. This is several months after The Justice Department admitted to acquiring phone and email records of reporters at The Washington Post and CNN in order to identify source journalists.Wyden stated in a statement that rules should be in place to protect reporters from government surveillance.Although Biden's DOJ initially supported the use of subpoenas in the beginning, the president quickly said that it was wrong and put an end to the practice. Merrick Garland, Attorney General, requested that new rules be established for cases involving reporters. To discuss the matter, he met with executives of the three news agencies mentioned.The federal government doesn't have a shield law that protects reporters in most states. The problem with previous attempts to pass this legislation was how journalists are defined and what activities should be protected. For example, a federal law would need to determine how journalists can be protected while still protecting national security interests.Wyden's bill proposes journalists be protected from court-ordered disclosures. However, it allows for exceptions if information would prevent terrorist attacks, identify terrorists, and if it would prevent violence, death, or other serious harm.
