[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 875 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 875
Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the
world and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of
the Government of the United States to promote democracy and good
governance.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 7, 2018
Mr. Schiff (for himself and Mr. Chabot) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the
world and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of
the Government of the United States to promote democracy and good
governance.
Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted in Paris, France, on December 10, 1948, states that ``[e]veryone
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--
(1) celebrate the fundamental principles of freedom of the press;
(2) evaluate freedom of the press around the world;
(3) defend against attacks on the independence of the media; and
(4) 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
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013) on the safety of
journalists and the issue of impunity, which unequivocally condemns, in
both conflict and nonconflict situations, all attacks on and violence
against journalists and media workers, including torture, extrajudicial
killing, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and intimidation
and harassment;
Whereas the theme for World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2018, is ``Keeping Power
in Check: Media, Justice and the Rule of Law'';
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
annual Human Rights Reports of the Department of State to include an
examination of freedom of the press;
Whereas the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without
Borders, warned that ``media freedom has retreated wherever the
authoritarian strongman model has triumphed'';
Whereas Freedom House noted in the report ``Freedom of the Press 2017'' that--
(1) global press freedom has declined to its lowest point in 13 years;
and
(2) only 13 percent of the global population enjoys a free press,
meaning a media environment in which ``coverage of political news is
robust, the safety of journalists is guaranteed, state intrusion in media
affairs is minimal, and the press is not subject to onerous legal or
economic pressures'';
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists--
(1) in 2017--
G (A) the 2 deadliest countries for journalists on assignment were
Iraq and Syria;
G (B) 46 journalists were killed in cases in which the motive for
the killing was confirmed to be related to reporting by those journalists;
G (C) 20 journalists were killed in cases in which the motive for
the killing was unconfirmed;
G (D) there were 21 cases in which journalists were jailed for
``false news'', which represented more than double the number of cases in
which journalists were jailed for ``false news'' in 2016; and
G (E) the percentage of female journalists who were killed in a year
was the highest on record;
(2) the most dangerous subject for a journalist to report is politics,
followed only then by war; and
(3) as of December 1, 2017, 262 journalists worldwide were imprisoned
for their work, marking the second consecutive year that the number of
journalists imprisoned for their work hit a historic high;
Whereas freedom of the press is a key component of democratic governance,
activism in civil society, and socioeconomic development; and
Whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability, transparency, and
participation in civil society and democratic governance: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses concern about the threats to freedom of the
press and expression around the world;
(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 the safety of
those journalists and media workers;
(3) pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives
carrying out their work;
(4) calls on governments abroad to implement United Nations
General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013) on the safety of
journalists and the issue of impunity 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;
(6) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the press to
efforts of the Government of the United States 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 to--
(A) on the basis of the protections afforded under
the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, preserve and build upon the leadership of the
United States on issues relating to freedom of the
press;
(B) improve the means by which the Government of
the United States rapidly identifies, publicizes, and
responds to threats against freedom of the press around
the world;
(C) urge foreign governments to conduct transparent
investigations and adjudications of the perpetrators of
attacks against journalists; and
(D) highlight the issue of threats against freedom
of the press--
(i) in the annual Human Rights Reports of
the Department of State; and
(ii) throughout the year.
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