IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 133 

Celebrating freedom of the press. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 27, 2018 

Mr. GALLEGO submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Celebrating freedom of the press. 

Whereas President Kennedy delivered an address on April 27, 

1961, in which he praised a free press and welcomed 

media scrutiny of his Administration; 

Whereas President Kennedy stated— 

(1) ‘‘No President should fear public scrutiny of his 

program. For from that scrutiny comes understanding 

and from that understanding comes support or opposition. And both are necessary.’’; and 

(2) ‘‘I not only could not stifle controversy among 

your readers—I welcome it. . . . Without debate, without 

criticism, no Administration, and no country can succeed—and no republic can survive.’’; 

Whereas President Ronald Reagan, in proclaiming August 2, 

1985, Freedom of the Press Day, extolled freedom of the 


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•HCON 133 IH 

press as ‘‘one of our most import freedoms and also one 

of our oldest’’; 

Whereas President Reagan further stated that ‘‘Our tradition 

of a free press as a vital part of our democracy is as important as ever.’’; 

Whereas Congress through numerous joint resolutions has 

authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of ‘‘Freedom of the Press Day’’; 

and 

Whereas President Trump has consistently lambasted the 

media throughout his presidency, including— 

(1) tweeting on February 17, 2017, that, ‘‘The 

FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, 

@ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the 

enemy of the American People!’’; 

(2) calling the press ‘‘Fake News’’ for reporting 

facts, including repeating President Trump’s own statements; 

(3) suggesting that the FBI should ‘‘consider putting reporters in prison’’; 

(4) calling the press ‘‘hypocrites’’ for criticizing the 

Helsinki summit with President Putin after President 

Trump stated publicly he believes Putin’s denials of election interference over the intelligence community (as such 

term is defined in section 3(4) of the National Security 

Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)); 

(5) excluding Kaitlan Collins, a CNN reporter, on 

July 25, 2018, from a White House event given Ms. Collins’ critical questions of President Trump earlier in the 

day regarding the President’s alleged payments to a 

Playboy model; and 


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•HCON 133 IH 

(6) tweeting, ‘‘The Fake News Media is going 

Crazy! They make up stories without any backup, sources 

or proof. Many of the stories written about me, and the 

good people surrounding me, are total fiction.’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That— 

3 (1) Congress strongly endorses the role of a 

4 free press in a democratic society; 

5 (2) in the spirit of President Kennedy and 

6 President Reagan, Congress welcomes media scru7 tiny of the United States Government, and particu8 larly of the President, to ensure transparent and ef9 fective Government; and 

10 (3) Congress urges President Trump to cease 

11 attacking the media and excluding journalists asking 

12 questions critical of the President. 

Æ 


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