I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4935 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a penalty for assault 
against journalists, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 5, 2018 
Mr. SWALWELL of California (for himself, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CICILLINE, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. 
SOTO, Mr. KHANNA, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. RUSH, Ms. MAXINE WATERS of 
California, and Ms. MOORE) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a penalty 
for assault against journalists, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Journalist Protection 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ASSAULT AGAINST JOURNALISTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 7 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘§ 120. Assault against journalists 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Whoever, in or affecting inter-
state or foreign commerce, intentionally commits, or at-
tempts to commit— 
‘‘(1) an act described in subsection (b) shall be 
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 
3 years, or both; or 
‘‘(2) an act described in subsection (c) shall be 
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 
6 years, or both. 
‘‘(b) BODILY INJURY TO A JOURNALIST.—An act de-
scribed in this subsection is an act that causes a bodily 
injury to an individual— 
‘‘(1) who is a journalist; 
‘‘(2) committed with knowledge or reason to 
know such individual is a journalist; and 
‘‘(3) committed— 
‘‘(A) while such journalist is taking part in 
newsgathering; or 
‘‘(B) with the intention of intimidating or 
impeding newsgathering by such journalist. 
‘‘(c) SERIOUS BODILY INJURY TO A JOURNALIST.— 
An act described in this subsection is an act that causes 
a serious bodily injury to an individual— 
‘‘(1) who is a journalist; 
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‘‘(2) committed with knowledge or reason to 
know such individual is a journalist; and 
‘‘(3) committed— 
‘‘(A) while such journalist is taking part in 
newsgathering; or 
‘‘(B) with the intention of intimidating or 
impeding newsgathering by such journalist. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
‘‘(1) BODILY INJURY.—The term ‘bodily injury’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 
1365(h)(4) of this title. 
‘‘(2) 
JOURNALIST.—The 
term 
‘journalist’ 
means an individual who— 
‘‘(A) is an employee, independent con-
tractor, or agent of an entity or service that 
disseminates news or information— 
‘‘(i) by means of a newspaper, nonfic-
tion book, wire service, news agency, news 
website, mobile application or other news 
or information service (whether distributed 
digitally or otherwise), news program, 
magazine, or other periodical (whether in 
print, electronic, or other format); or 
‘‘(ii) through television broadcast, 
radio broadcast, multichannel video pro-
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gramming distributor (as such term is de-
fined in section 602(13) of the Commu-
nications 
Act 
of 
1934 
(47 
U.S.C. 
522(13))), or motion picture for public 
showing; and 
‘‘(B) with the primary intent to investigate 
events or procure material in order to dissemi-
nate to the public news or information con-
cerning local, national, or international events 
or other matters of public interest, engages in 
newsgathering. 
‘‘(3) 
NEWSGATHERING.—The 
term 
‘newsgathering’ means engaging in the regular gath-
ering, preparation, collection, photographing, record-
ing, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing con-
cerning local, national, or international events or 
other matters of public interest. 
‘‘(4) SERIOUS BODILY INJURY.—The term ‘seri-
ous bodily injury’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 1365(h)(3) of this title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘120. Assault against journalists.’’. 
Æ 
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