Title 22—Foreign Relations--Volume 1
PART 9b—REGULATIONS GOVERNING DEPARTMENT OF STATE PRESS BUILDING PASSES
§ 9b.1   Press access to the Department of State.
(a) Media correspondents without valid Department of State press building passes shall have access to the Main State building identical to that enjoyed by members of the public.
(b) Media correspondents holding valid Department of State press building passes:
(1) May enter and have access 24 hours a day, during regular working hours, outside regular working hours, on weekends and on holidays, without an appointment, to the reception area of the Diplomatic Lobby, C Street Mezzanine area, press booths (Room 2310), press briefing room (Room 2118), and when in operation, the Office of Press Relations (Room 2109).
(2) May enter and have access without an appointment, on the basement level or on the first and second floors, to the cafeteria, post office, banks, concessionaries, barber shop, dry cleaners and the Foreign Affairs Recreation Association offices for the purposes for which they are established and when they are in operation.
(3) May not escort non-passholders into the Department of State building.
(c) Media correspondents, with or without a Department of State press building pass, may enter areas above the second floor of the Main State building only if the correspondent is invited by a Department employee to attend a specific social or official function in an office located above the second floor. Permission to enter areas above the second floor is strictly limited to direct passage to and from the appointment location of the Department of State employee, or the office or reception room where the function takes place.
(d) Possession of State Department press building pass does not confer access to or other privileges at other Federal buildings. It is not to be construed as official United States Government recognition, approval or accreditation of a correspondent.
§ 9b.2   Press correspondents employed by United States media organizations.
In order to obtain a Department of State press building pass, press correspondents employed by United States media organizations must:
(a) Present to the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, a letter from his or her organization stating:
(1) That the applicant is a bona fide, full-time media correspondent based permanently and residing in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area;
(2) That the applicant is employed by the certifying organization;
(3) That the organization and the applicant have regular and substantial assignments in connection with the Department of State as evidence by regular attendance at the daily press briefings.
(b) Submit to the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, a signed application and FORM DSP-97 for a press building pass. Applicants must comply with instructions contained in paragraphs 1 and 6 of FORM DSP-97 regarding fingerprinting and prior arrests. FORM DSP-97 requires the following information:
(1) Name;
(2) Affiliation with news media organizations;
(3) Date of birth;
(4) Place of birth;
(5) Sex;
(6) Citizenship;
(7) Social Security or passport number;
(8) Marital status;
(9) Spouse name;
(10) Office address and telephone number;
(11) Length of employment;
(12) Home address and telephone number; and
(13) Length of residence.
§ 9b.3   Press correspondents employed by foreign media organizations.
In order to obtain a Department of State press building pass, correspondents employed by foreign media organizations must:
(a) Present to the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520 a letter from his or her organization stating:
(1) That the applicant is a bona fide, full-time media correspondent based permanently and residing in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area:
(2) That the applicant is employed by the certifying organization;
(3) That the organization and the applicant have regular and substantial assignments in connection with the Department of State as evidence by regular attendance at the daily press briefings.
(b) A letter from the Washington, DC Embassy of the nation where the organization is headquartered or from the Embassy of the United States in the nation where the organization is headquartered attesting to the existence of the news organization and the applicant's employment by that organization. The Director of the Office of Press Relations may accept a letter from another source attesting to the existence of such news organizations and the applicant's employment if, in his or her judgment, a substitute letter is warranted.
(c) Submit to the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520 a signed application and FORM DSP-97 for a press building pass. Applicants must comply with instructions contained in paragraphs 1 and 6 of FROM DSP-97 regarding fingerprinting and prior arrests. FORM DSP-97 requires the following information:
(1) Name;
(2) Affiliation with news media organizations;
(3) Date of birth;
(4) Place of birth;
(5) Sex;
(6) Citizenship;
(7) Social Security or passport number;
(8) Marital status;
(9) Spouse name;
(10) Office address and telephone number;
(11) Length of employment;
(12) Home address and telephone number; and
(13) Length of residence.
§ 9b.4   Department of State building press pass for technical crews.
Department of State press building passes are issued to members of television and radio technical crews who provide technical support on a daily basis for media correspondents assigned to the Department of State. Members of technical crews who do not possess press passes, but who provide technical support for media correspondents assigned to the Department of State, may apply to the Office of Press Relations for a visitor's pass valid for one day.
§ 9b.5   Temporary Department of State press building passes.
A media correspondent or technician who meets all the qualifications stated in §§ 9b.2(a)(1) and 9b.2(a)(2) or §§ 9b.3(a) and 9b.3(b), but does not have regular and substantial assignments in connection with the Department of State may make arrangements with the Office of Press Relations for the issuance of a visitor's pass valid for one day.
§ 9b.6   Grounds for denial, revocation, or non-renewal of Department of State press building passes.
In consultation with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Legal Adviser, the Director of the Office of Press Relations of the Department of State, may deny, revoke, or not renew the Department of State press building pass of any media correspondent or technician who:
(a) Does not meet the qualifications stated in §§ 9b.2(a)(1), 9b.2(a)(2) and 9b.2(a)(3) or §§ 9b.3(a)(1), 9b.3(a)(2), 9b.3(a)(3) and 9b.3(b). (Upon denial, revocation, or non-renewal the correspondent or technician may not re-apply for a period of one year unless there are material changes in meeting the qualifications.) or,
(b) Poses a risk of harm to the personal safety of Department of State or other Governmental personnel or to Government property; or
(c) Engages or engaged in conduct which there are reasonable grounds to believe might violate federal or state law or Department of State regulations.
(d) Has been convicted of a felony (or a crime in a foreign country that would be considered a felony if it were committed in the United States).
(e) Fails to claim an approved authorization form for a State Department press building pass after notification by the Office of Press Relations following a period of three (3) months.
§ 9b.7   Procedures for denial, revocation, or non-renewal of Department of State press building passes.
(a) If the Director of the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, anticipates, after consultation with the Office of the Legal Adviser, that in applying the standard set forth in § 9b.6 a Department of State press building pass might be denied, revoked or not renewed, the media correspondent or technician will be notified in writing by the Director of the basis for the proposed denial in as much detail as the security of any confidential source of information will permit. This notification will be sent by registered mail.
(b) The notification of the proposed denial, revocation or non-renewal sent to the correspondent will also contain a statement advising the correspondent of his or her right to respond to the proposed denial and to rebut any factual basis supporting the proposed denial.
(c) The correspondent shall be allowed thirty (30) days from the date of the mailing of the proposed denial, revocation or non-renewal notification to respond in writing. The response shall consist of any explanation or rebuttal deemed appropriate by the correspondent and will be signed by the correspondent under oath or affirmation.
(d) If the correspondent is unable to prepare a response within 30 days, an extension for one additional 30-day period will be granted upon receipt of the correspondent's written request for such an extension.
(e) At the time of the filing of the media correspondent's or technician's written response to the notification of the proposed denial, revocation or non-renewal, the correspondent or technician may request, and will be granted, the opportunity to make a personal appearance before the Director of the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, for the purpose of personally supporting his/her eligibility for a press pass and to rebut or explain the factual basis for the proposed denial. The Director shall exercise, in consultation with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Legal Adviser, final review authority in the matter. The correspondent or technician may be represented by counsel during this appearance.
(f)(1) On the basis of the correspondent's or technician's written and personal response and the factual basis for the proposed denial, revocation or non-renewal, the Director of the Office of Press Relations, Department of State, will consult with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Legal Adviser to determine whether or not further inquiry or investigation concerning the issues raised is necessary.
(2) If a decision is made that no such inquiry is necessary, a final decision will be issued in conformity with paragraph (g) of this section.
(3) If a decision is made that such further inquiry is necessary, the Director of the Office of Press Relations of the Department of State, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Legal Adviser will conduct such further inquiry as is deemed appropriate. At the Director's discretion the inquiry may consist of:
(i) The securing of documentary evidence:
(ii) Personal interviews:
(iii) An informal hearing:
(iv) Any combination of paragraphs (f)(3)(i) through (f)(3)(iii) of this section.
(g) On the basis of the correspondent's or technician's written and personal response, the factual basis for the proposed denial and the additional inquiry provided for if such inquiry is conducted, the Director of the Office of Press Relations of the Department of State will consult with the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Office of the Legal Adviser and expeditiously reach a final decision in accordance with the standard set forth in § 9b.6. If a final adverse decision is reached, the correspondent or technician will be notified of this final decision in writing. This notification will set forth as precisely as possible, and to the extent that security considerations permit, the factual basis for the denial in relation to the standard set forth in § 9b.6. This notification will be sent by registered mail and will be signed by the Director of the Office of Press Relations of the Department of State.
§ 9b.8   Term and renewal of Department of State press building passes.
(a) Department of State press building passes for U.S. citizens are issued with three years' validity. Subject to positive completion of an international background check, passes for non-U.S. citizens are issued with one year's validity and may be renewed for three years. Notwithstanding its initial validity, any press building pass that has not been used for a twelve-month period, as recorded by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security's turnstyle entry devices, will become invalid at the end of that twelve-month period.
(b) For any valid passes issued before October 1, 1995, notification shall be sent by the Department of State to the holder of the pass that the pass has become invalid by reason of lack of use for 12-month period. However, failure of the holder for any reason to receive such a notification shall not affect the invalidity of the pass. Anyone whose pass has become invalid may apply for a new pass in accordance with §§ 9b.2 through 9b.5.