IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1009 
Recognizing the threats to press freedom in the United States in the wake 
of protests following the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black 
man, by police in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, reaffirming the cen-
trality of a free and independent press to the health of democracy, 
and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority of the United States 
in promoting democracy, human rights, and good governance. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2020 
Ms. SCANLON (for herself, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. NORTON, Mr. VARGAS, Mrs. 
HAYES, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. COOPER, Mr. 
WELCH, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. CICILLINE, 
Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. SAN NICOLAS, Ms. HOULAHAN, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. 
LYNCH, Ms. SPEIER, Ms. ESCOBAR, Mr. TRONE, Mr. MALINOWSKI, Mr. 
TAKANO, Ms. WILD, Mrs. FLETCHER, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. CASE, 
Mr. CROW, Ms. CRAIG, Mrs. AXNE, and Ms. SHALALA) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the threats to press freedom in the United 
States in the wake of protests following the killing of 
George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by police in Min-
neapolis on May 25, 2020, reaffirming the centrality 
of a free and independent press to the health of democ-
racy, and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority 
of the United States in promoting democracy, human 
rights, and good governance. 
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•HRES 1009 IH 
Whereas the essential role of the independent press and jour-
nalists in a free and democratic society has been recog-
nized since the colonial period of the United States and 
is enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution; 
Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution proclaims: 
‘‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment 
of religion, or preventing the free exercise thereof; or 
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the 
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition 
the government for a redress of grievances.’’; 
Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declara-
tion of Human Rights, adopted at Paris, December 10, 
1948, states, ‘‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opin-
ion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold 
opinions without interference and to seek, receive and im-
part information and ideas through any media and re-
gardless of frontiers.’’; 
Whereas the United States has made promotion of press free-
dom worldwide a core part of its human rights and de-
mocracy promotion efforts; 
Whereas the COVID–19 pandemic has accelerated the decline 
of local news, documented by PEN America in the report 
Losing the News, shuttering critical information re-
sources, 
particularly 
for 
rural 
populations 
and 
marginalized communities; 
Whereas journalists have a long established and recognized 
right to report, and actions by law enforcement or other 
authorities that prevent them from doing so through in-
timidation, violence, arrest, or detention is an affront to 
the First Amendment; 
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