I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7001 
To protect and promote the freedom of the press globally. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2020 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. SUOZZI) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and 
in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To protect and promote the freedom of the press globally. 
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 ‘‘World Press Freedom 
Protection and Reciprocity Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per-
son’’ means an individual who is not— 
(A) a United States citizen; or 
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(B) an alien lawfully admitted for perma-
nent residence to the United States. 
(2) INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED RIGHT TO 
THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.—The term ‘‘inter-
nationally-recognized right to the freedom of expres-
sion’’ means those rights described in Article 19 of 
the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights 
and Article 19 of the International Covenant on 
Civil and Political Rights. 
(3) 
KNOWINGLY.—The 
term 
‘‘knowingly’’ 
means, with respect to conduct, a circumstance, or 
a result, that a person has actual knowledge, or 
should have known, of the conduct, the cir-
cumstance, or the result. 
(4) MAJOR NON-NATO ALLY.—The term ‘‘major 
non-NATO ally’’ means a country designated as a 
major non-NATO ally under section 517 of the For-
eign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321k). 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
(1) Freedom of the press is a critical compo-
nent of democratic governance and enhances trans-
parency, accountability, and participation of civil so-
ciety. 
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(2) United States Government efforts to protect 
and expand freedom of the press and free expres-
sion, including online, is in the national interests of 
the United States by supporting democracy, pro-
moting good governance and public health, miti-
gating conflict, and encouraging transparency and 
civil society development around the world. 
(3) Globally, journalists and media personnel 
that receive and impart information and ideas, on-
line and offline, face increasing restrictions, threats, 
censorship, arbitrary detention, torture, enforced 
disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other vio-
lence for exercising their right to freedom of expres-
sion in accordance with Article 19 of both the Uni-
versal Declaration of Human Rights and the Inter-
national Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 
(4) Impunity for attacks on journalists and 
media personnel is an acute problem globally and a 
primary challenge to protecting freedom of expres-
sion and freedom of the press. 
(5) According to the press freedom rankings 
issued annually by Freedom House and Reporters 
Without Borders, countries with the most restrictive 
media and information environments include Burma, 
Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, the Philippines, 
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Saudi Arabia, Dijbouti, Syria, Laos, Turkmenistan, 
and Vietnam. 
(6) The Government of Turkey, since a failed 
coup attempt in 2016, has used terrorism and na-
tional security laws to shutter hundreds of media 
outlets and jail dozens of journalists, compounding 
the effects of more than a decade of expanding rul-
ing party influence over the ownership of main-
stream media in the country at the expense of inde-
pendent outlets. 
(7) The Government of China maintains one of 
the most restrictive media and information environ-
ments in the world and seeks to control free speech 
inside and outside the country through censorship, 
onerous media organization registration require-
ments, harassment, imprisonment, conditioning of 
press credential renewals for foreign journalists and 
media personnel and visa issuance for foreign jour-
nalists and media personnel on ‘‘positive’’ coverage 
of China, and the operation of a digital surveillance 
system so pervasive that both routine and sensitive 
reporting activities and many aspects of daily life 
are subject to government monitoring. 
(8) Russia has continued to use sophisticated 
tools to block and control information online and 
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