Title: Celebrating freedom of the press.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Endorses the role of a free press in a democratic society.
Urges President Trump to cease attacking the media and excluding journalists who ask questions critical of the President.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 133 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 133

                   Celebrating freedom of the press.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2018

 Mr. Gallego submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
                   Celebrating freedom of the press.

Whereas President Kennedy delivered an address on April 27, 1961, in which he 
        praised a free press and welcomed media scrutiny of his Administration;
Whereas President Kennedy stated--

    (1) ``No President should fear public scrutiny of his program. For from 
that scrutiny comes understanding and from that understanding comes support 
or opposition. And both are necessary.''; and

    (2) ``I not only could not stifle controversy among your readers--I 
welcome it. . . . Without debate, without criticism, no Administration, and 
no country can succeed--and no republic can survive.'';

Whereas President Ronald Reagan, in proclaiming August 2, 1985, Freedom of the 
        Press Day, extolled freedom of the press as ``one of our most import 
        freedoms and also one of our oldest'';
Whereas President Reagan further stated that ``Our tradition of a free press as 
        a vital part of our democracy is as important as ever.'';
Whereas Congress through numerous joint resolutions has authorized and requested 
        the President to issue a proclamation in observance of ``Freedom of the 
        Press Day''; and
Whereas President Trump has consistently lambasted the media throughout his 
        presidency, including--

    (1) tweeting on February 17, 2017, that, ``The FAKE NEWS media (failing 
@nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of 
the American People!'';

    (2) calling the press ``Fake News'' for reporting facts, including 
repeating President Trump's own statements;

    (3) suggesting that the FBI should ``consider putting reporters in 
prison'';

    (4) calling the press ``hypocrites'' for criticizing the Helsinki 
summit with President Putin after President Trump stated publicly he 
believes Putin's denials of election interference over the intelligence 
community (as such term is defined in section 3(4) of the National Security 
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4));

    (5) excluding Kaitlan Collins, a CNN reporter, on July 25, 2018, from a 
White House event given Ms. Collins' critical questions of President Trump 
earlier in the day regarding the President's alleged payments to a Playboy 
model; and

    (6) tweeting, ``The Fake News Media is going Crazy! They make up 
stories without any backup, sources or proof. Many of the stories written 
about me, and the good people surrounding me, are total fiction.'': Now, 
therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) Congress strongly endorses the role of a free press in 
        a democratic society;
            (2) in the spirit of President Kennedy and President 
        Reagan, Congress welcomes media scrutiny of the United States 
        Government, and particularly of the President, to ensure 
        transparent and effective Government; and
            (3) Congress urges President Trump to cease attacking the 
        media and excluding journalists asking questions critical of 
        the President.
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