IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 934 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that regular journalistic 

activities are protected under the First Amendment, and that the United 

States ought to drop all charges against and attempts to extradite 

Julian Assange. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 13, 2023 

Mr. GOSAR (for himself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MASSIE, Ms. GREENE of Georgia, Mrs. LUNA, Mr. BURLISON, Mr. DUNCAN, and Ms. OMAR) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

regular journalistic activities are protected under the 

First Amendment, and that the United States ought 

to drop all charges against and attempts to extradite 

Julian Assange. 

Whereas regular journalistic activities, including the obtainment and publication of information, are protected under 

the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States; 

Whereas, in 2010, WikiLeaks, a media organization established by Julian Assange, published a cache of hundreds 

of thousands of pieces of information including GuantaVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Dec 14, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR934.IH HR934

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•HRES 934 IH 

namo Bay detainee assessment briefs, State Department 

cables, rules of engagement files, and other United States 

military reports; 

Whereas the disclosure of this information promoted public 

transparency through the exposure of the hiring of child 

prostitutes by Defense Department contractors, friendly 

fire incidents, human rights abuses, civilian killings, and 

United States use of psychological warfare; 

Whereas, in 2018, Mr. Assange was charged with one count 

under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) for 

alleged conspiracy to help a United States Army intelligence analyst access Defense Department computers 

without authorization; 

Whereas the charge under the CFAA was despite the fact 

that said intelligence analyst already had access to the 

mentioned computer, that the purported breaching of the 

Defense Department computers was impossible, and that 

there was no proof Mr. Assange had any contact with 

said intelligence analyst; 

Whereas, in 2019, Mr. Assange was charged with an additional 17 counts under the Espionage Act for alleged obtainment and disclosure of classified national defense information; 

Whereas no other publisher had ever been prosecuted under 

the Espionage Act prior to these 17 charges; 

Whereas Mr. Assange could face up to 175 years behind bars, 

effectively a death sentence, for these charges; 

Whereas, in 2019, Mr. Assange was arrested by the London 

Metropolitan Police for an outstanding warrant and is 

currently being held at HM Prison Belmarsh while he 


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•HRES 934 IH 

battles the United States request that the United Kingdom extradite him; 

Whereas the successful prosecution of Mr. Assange under the 

Espionage Act would set a precedent allowing the United 

States to prosecute and imprison journalists for First 

Amendment protected activities, including the obtainment 

and publication of information, something that occurs on 

a regular basis; 

Whereas First Amendment freedom of the press is essential 

to promote public transparency and is a crucial safeguard 

for our Republic; 

Whereas numerous human rights, press freedom, and privacy 

rights advocates and organizations have disclosed their 

sincere and steadfast support for Mr. Assange; and 

Whereas at least 70 Senators and Members of Parliament 

from Australia, a critical United States ally and Mr. 

Assange’s native country, support actions that would 

allow Mr. Assange to return home: Now, therefore be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) regular journalistic activities, including the 

4 obtainment and publication of information are pro5 tected under the First Amendment of the Constitu6 tion of the United States; 

7 (2) First Amendment freedom of the press pro8 motes public transparency and is crucial for the 

9 American Republic; 


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•HRES 934 IH 

1 (3) the Federal Government ought to drop all 

2 charges against and attempts to extradite Julian 

3 Assange; and 

4 (4) the Federal Government allow Julian 

5 Assange to return home to his native Australia if he 

6 so desires. 

Æ 


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