I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4898 

To establish the Office of Press Freedom, to create press freedom curriculum 

at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 26, 2023 

Mr. ALLRED (for himself and Mr. CONNOLLY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish the Office of Press Freedom, to create press 

freedom curriculum at the National Foreign Affairs 

Training Center, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Global Press Freedom 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) Freedom of the press is fundamental to an 

9 open and free society and is foundational in the 

10 United States democratic system and enshrined in 


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1 the First Amendment of the United States Constitu2 tion, which states (in part) ‘‘Congress shall make no 

3 law . . . abridging the freedom of speech or of the 

4 press . . .’’. 

5 (2) Historically, United States foreign policy 

6 has advanced freedom of the press as a central 

7 tenet, at home and abroad. 

8 (3) The United States led the drafting of the 

9 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 

10 Paris on December 10, 1948, which enshrines the 

11 commitment of countries around the world to protect 

12 and promote universal human rights and values that 

13 are indispensable for human dignity, including free14 dom of expression. 

15 (4) Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of 

16 Human Rights states, ‘‘Everyone has the right to 

17 freedom of opinion and expression; this right in18 cludes freedom to hold opinions without interference 

19 and to seek, receive and impart information and 

20 ideas through any media and regardless of fron21 tiers.’’. 

22 (5) A free and independent press has long been 

23 recognized as an important aspect of the United 

24 States’ national security and actions taken by for25 eign governments or organizations that weaken free 


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1 press protections are a national security threat to 

2 the United States. 

3 (6) International freedom of the press is under 

4 renewed and, in some cases, increasing assault, with 

5 rhetoric delegitimizing and discrediting the media or 

6 journalists, online harassment, physical attacks, gen7 der-based violence, legal campaigns, censorship, and 

8 surveillance, all of which threaten the ability of jour9 nalists to do their jobs safely, freely, and without 

10 fear of reprisal. 

11 (7) In the past decade, the world has seen a 

12 significant deterioration of press freedoms. 

13 (8) According to Freedom House’s ‘‘Freedom in 

14 the World’’ and ‘‘Freedom on the Net’’ reports— 

15 (A) the number of countries and territories 

16 scoring a zero for media freedom has ballooned 

17 from 14 countries to 33 countries since 2005; 

18 and 

19 (B) people in 53 countries faced arrest or 

20 imprisonment for expressing themselves online, 

21 including online journalists targeted for their 

22 reporting; 

23 (C) 40 countries blocked websites featuring 

24 political, social, or religious content, including 

25 many news outlets; and 


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1 (D) journalists, bloggers, human rights ac2 tivists, and other people experienced physical vi3 olence in retaliation for expressing themselves 

4 online in 40 countries. 

5 (9) According to Reporters Without Borders’ 

6 2022 World Press Freedom Index— 

7 (A) approximately 74 percent of the coun8 tries of the world are classified as ‘‘problematic 

9 situation’’ or worse with respect to journalistic 

10 freedom, with a record number of 28 countries 

11 receiving a ‘‘very bad’’ rating for press freedom 

12 situations; 

13 (B) approximately 26 percent of the coun14 tries of the world have ‘‘satisfactory’’ or ‘‘good’’ 

15 press freedom environments; 

16 (C) among the jurisdictions that have re17 cently suffered the largest declines in press 

18 freedom are Hong Kong, Myanmar, Afghani19 stan, Russia, Ukraine (attributable to Russia’s 

20 invasion), Georgia, Greece, Nicaragua, the Pal21 estinian Territories, Tunisia, and Mali; and 

22 (D) democracies are being weakened by the 

23 asymmetry between open societies and despotic 

24 regimes that control their media and online 


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1 platforms, while waging propaganda wars 

2 against democracies. 

3 (10) According to the Committee to Protect 

4 Journalists, in 2022— 

5 (A) at least 363 journalists worldwide were 

6 in prison, a new record high and a 20 percent 

7 increase from the 302 journalists in prison in 

8 2021, with Iran, China, Myanmar, Turkey, and 

9 Belarus all ranking among the top 5 jailers of 

10 journalists; 

11 (B) of the journalists detained— 

12 (i) 131 journalists were detained with13 out charge; 

14 (ii) 199 journalists were imprisoned 

15 on anti-state charges; and 

16 (iii) 354 detainees were local journal17 ists covering events in their own countries; 

18 (C) at least 67 journalists and media work19 ers were killed, which is the highest number of 

20 journalist killings since 2018 and almost a 50 

21 percent increase from the number of journalists 

22 killed during 2021; 

23 (D) at least 41 journalists and media 

24 workers were killed in direct connection with 

25 their work; and 


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1 (E) there was complete impunity in nearly 

2 80 percent of the 263 cases of journalists mur3 dered in the last decade, with perpetrators fac4 ing no judicial consequences. 

5 (11) Congress has recognized the importance of 

6 freedom of the press by enacting— 

7 (A) the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press 

8 Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–166); 

9 (B) the Global Magnitsky Human Rights 

10 Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of 

11 Public Law 114–328); and 

12 (C) S. Res. 501, 115th Congress (recog13 nizing threats to freedom of the press and ex14 pression around the world and reaffirming free15 dom of the press as a priority in efforts of the 

16 Government of the United States to promote 

17 democracy and good governance). 

18 (12) The importance of freedom of the press 

19 has been recognized by numerous United States 

20 presidential administrations that span ideological 

21 and party lines, including— 

22 (A) a 1786 letter to James Currie, in 

23 which Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson 

24 wrote ‘‘our liberty depends on the freedom of 


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1 the press, and that cannot be limited without 

2 being lost.’’; 

3 (B) an address to Congress on February 6, 

4 1986, in which President Ronald Reagan stat5 ed, ‘‘Victories against poverty are greatest and 

6 peace most secure where people live by laws 

7 that ensure free press, free speech, and freedom 

8 to worship, vote, and create wealth’’; 

9 (C) a statement by Secretary of State 

10 Condoleezza Rice on April 11, 2007, stating 

11 that ‘‘there is no more important pillar of de12 mocracy than a free and active press’’; 

13 (D) a statement by former Secretary of 

14 State Madeline Albright on May 31, 2018, re15 porting that ‘‘Freedom of the press is a basic 

16 aspect of democracy, invented by Americans.’’; 

17 and 

18 (E) a statement by Secretary of State 

19 Mike Pompeo on May 3, 2019, stating, ‘‘A free 

20 and independent media is indispensable to a vi21 brant, functioning democracy. Despite some 

22 progress, journalists around the world continue 

23 to be persecuted, targeted with violence, or even 

24 killed—all too often with impunity.’’. 


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1 (13) Protection of a free and open press is not 

2 a partisan issue. 

3 (14) It is imperative that Congress further en4 shrine the Department of State’s role in protecting 

5 international press freedom and those engaged in 

6 journalism abroad. 

7 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

8 It shall be the policy of the United States— 

9 (1) to condemn violations of, and attacks on, 

10 press freedoms, and threats to the safety of journal11 ists; 

12 (2) to promote, and to assist other governments 

13 in the promotion of, the importance of a free and 

14 open press; 

15 (3) to support press freedom abroad in all as16 pects of American foreign policy; and 

17 (4) to work with foreign governments that af18 firm and protect press freedom— 

19 (A) to develop multilateral initiatives to 

20 combat suppression of the free and independent 

21 press; and 

22 (B) to promote accountability for individ23 uals, governments, and other actors that violate 

24 and attack press freedoms and journalists. 


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1 SEC. 4. OFFICE OF PRESS FREEDOM; AMBASSADOR-AT2 LARGE FOR PRESS FREEDOM. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established, within 

4 the Department of State, the Office of Press Freedom (re5 ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Office’’), which— 

6 (1) shall be situated in the Bureau of Democ7 racy, Human Rights, and Labor; and 

8 (2) shall be headed by the Ambassador-at9 Large for Press Freedom (referred to in this Act as 

10 the ‘‘Ambassador’’). 

11 (b) APPOINTMENT.—The Ambassador shall be ap12 pointed by the President, by and with advice and consent 

13 of the Senate, and shall work with the Assistant Secretary 

14 of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor to ad15 vise the Secretary of State regarding matters related to 

16 press freedom. 

17 (c) DUTIES.—The Ambassador shall have the fol18 lowing duties: 

19 (1) GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES.—Notwith20 standing the active role carried out by local United 

21 States Ambassadors in the monitoring of press free22 dom violations in their host countries, the Ambas23 sador shall have the primary responsibility— 

24 (A) to advance the protection and well25 being of members of the United States and for26 eign press abroad; 


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1 (B) to denounce violations of press free2 dom or freedom of expression by foreign gov3 ernments or other actors; and 

4 (C) to engage with foreign governments 

5 and press freedom organizations around the 

6 world concerning press freedom and freedom of 

7 expression. 

8 (2) SPECIFIC TASKS.—The Ambassador, with 

9 the assistance of the Office and in consultation with 

10 the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, 

11 Human Rights, and Labor, and in fulfillment of the 

12 responsibilities described in paragraph (1), shall— 

13 (A) coordinate efforts between relevant 

14 United States embassy personnel and press or15 ganizations or threatened individuals in situa16 tions in which freedom of the press is threat17 ened abroad; 

18 (B) publicly and privately denounce op19 pression of the press abroad; 

20 (C) represent the United States in issues 

21 concerning press freedom in diplomatic engage22 ment with foreign governments, intergovern23 mental organizations, the United Nations, and 

24 other international organizations in which the 

25 United States is a member; 


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1 (D) recommend appropriate responses by 

2 the United States Government when press free3 doms are infringed upon; and 

4 (E) provide Congress and the public with 

5 a regular report describing the successes and 

6 enduring challenges of the Office, based on 

7 metrics that the Office shall develop. 

8 (3) ADVISORY ROLE.—The Ambassador— 

9 (A) shall be a principal advisor to the 

10 President and to the Secretary of State regard11 ing matters affecting press freedom abroad; and 

12 (B) shall make recommendations regarding 

13 the policies of the United States Government 

14 towards governments or other organizations or 

15 individuals that— 

16 (i) violate press freedoms; or 

17 (ii) fail to ensure the protection of 

18 members of the press. 

19 (4) REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Am20 bassador shall— 

21 (A) work with the staff of the Office to en22 sure the success of the Office in carrying out its 

23 mission— 

24 (i) to promote press freedom abroad; 

25 and 


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1 (ii) to protect members of the press in 

2 foreign countries; 

3 (B) not later than 1 year after being ap4 pointed, ensure that there is a reasonable proc5 ess for measuring the efficacy of the Office in 

6 carrying out the missions described in subpara7 graph (A); 

8 (C) not later than 18 months after being 

9 appointed, and annually thereafter— 

10 (i) submit a report to Congress that 

11 describes— 

12 (I) the outcomes of the activities 

13 of the Office based on the process es14 tablished pursuant to subparagraph 

15 (B); and 

16 (II) the efforts of the National 

17 Foreign Affairs Training Center to 

18 train Foreign Service Officers about 

19 press freedom in accordance with sec20 tion 5; and 

21 (ii) make a copy of the report sub22 mitted pursuant to clause (i) available to 

23 the public; and 


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1 (D) oversee the ‘‘Freedom of Expression’’ 

2 section of each country reviewed in the annual 

3 Country Report on Human Rights Practices. 

4 (5) FUNDING.—The Secretary of State shall 

5 provide the Ambassador with sufficient funds— 

6 (A) to hire the staff for the Office to en7 able the Office to carry out the tasks and re8 sponsibilities described in paragraphs (1), (2), 

9 and (3); 

10 (B) to comply with the reporting require11 ments described in paragraph (4); and 

12 (C) for necessary travel to carry out this 

13 section. 

14 SEC. 5. PRESS FREEDOM CURRICULUM. 

15 (a) DEVELOPMENT.—The Secretary of State shall 

16 ensure that there is a press freedom curriculum for the 

17 National Foreign Affairs Training Center that enables 

18 Foreign Service Officers to better understand issues of 

19 press freedom and the tools that are available to help pro20 tect journalists and promote freedom of the press norms, 

21 including— 

22 (1) the historic and current issues facing press 

23 freedom, including countries of specific concern; 


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1 (2) the Department of State’s role in promoting 

2 press freedom as an American value, a human rights 

3 issue, and a national security imperative; 

4 (3) ways to incorporate press freedom pro5 motion into other aspects of diplomacy; and 

6 (4) existing tools to assist journalists in distress 

7 and methods for engaging foreign governments and 

8 institutions on behalf of individuals engaged in jour9 nalistic activity who are at risk of harm. 

10 (b) REQUIRED STUDY.—Any Foreign Service Officer 

11 who is assigned to function as a Public Diplomacy Officer, 

12 a Political Officer, or a Consular Officer at an overseas 

13 mission shall— 

14 (1) complete the study of the curriculum de15 scribed in subsection (a) not later than 90 days after 

16 the first day of such assignment; and 

17 (2) benefit from knowledge sharing by civil soci18 ety actors who are at the forefront of the defense 

19 and promotion of the freedom of information. 

20 SEC. 6. GAO STUDY ON THE DANIEL PEARL FREEDOM OF 

21 THE PRESS ACT OF 2009. 

22 (a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United 

23 States shall evaluate the implementation of the Daniel 

24 Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 (Public Law 111– 

25 166) by reviewing the Department of State’s Country ReVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:12 Aug 16, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4898.IH H4898

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1 ports on Human Rights Practices, prepared in select years 

2 and for select countries, to examine— 

3 (1) the process used by the Department for pre4 paring information regarding the freedom of the 

5 press for such reports and the extent to which such 

6 process changed after the date of the enactment of 

7 such Act; 

8 (2) the extent to which the Department of State 

9 followed the process referred to in paragraph (1) in 

10 preparing information regarding freedom of the 

11 press that was included in its most recently pub12 lished Country Reports on Human Rights Practices; 

13 (3) any challenges encountered by the Depart14 ment of State in collecting, corroborating, and re15 porting the information described in sections 

16 116(d)(12) and 502B(i) of the Foreign Assistance 

17 Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)(12) and 2304(i)), 

18 as added by the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press 

19 Act of 2009; and 

20 (4) the extent to which the Department of State 

21 measures the impact of its reports on freedom of the 

22 press on foreign governments’ behaviors or practices. 

23 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

24 of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 


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1 submit a report to Congress and to the Secretary of State 

2 that— 

3 (1) summarizes the results of the study re4 quired under subsection (a); and 

5 (2) provides recommendations for any legisla6 tive or regulatory action that would improve the ef7 forts of the Department of State to report on issues 

8 of press freedom abroad. 

Æ 


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