PRESS Act

Summary of the PRESS Act

The PRESS Act — which stands for Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act — is a federal bill designed to protect journalists and news reporters from being forced to reveal their confidential sources or hand over unpublished information to the government. Essentially, it would create a federal "shield law," something that many individual states already have but that does not currently exist at the national level. This means that if federal authorities tried to compel a journalist to disclose who gave them sensitive information, the journalist would have a legal right to refuse.

The bill would apply broadly to professional journalists, including those working in traditional print and broadcast media, as well as digital and online news outlets. It would generally prevent federal law enforcement agencies and courts from forcing reporters to testify about or hand over materials related to their newsgathering activities. However, the protection is not absolute — there are exceptions, such as situations involving an imminent threat to national security or public safety, where a court could override the shield protection.

This legislation would most directly affect working journalists, news organizations, and their sources — particularly whistleblowers or insiders who share sensitive information with the press. Supporters argue it is necessary to protect a free press and encourage people to come forward with information about government wrongdoing. Critics have raised concerns about potential misuse. The bill has been referred to two House committees — Energy and Commerce, and the Judiciary — where members will review it before any further action is taken.