NAA Public Policy News, September 2005

Work Continues on Federal Shield Law Effort

After a July 20 hearing before his committee, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, instructed his staff to work on a revised federal shield law that would garner the support of a majority of the committee. Chairman Specter's staff has been in discussions with the staff of Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), sponsor of S. 1419, the Free Flow of Information Act, to flesh out concepts for a revised federal shield law.

With Senate Judiciary Committee members and their staff focused on the confirmation process for two Supreme Court nominees, action in the Senate is slower than originally expected. To date, 57 representatives and nine senators have co-sponsored the legislation (H.R. 3323 / S. 1419).

The Newspaper Guild, with the help of former Los Angeles Times Bureau Chief Jack Nelson, has circulated a statement in support of Judith Miller and a federal shield law to the journalistic community. The Newspaper Guild has turned this statement into an advertisement to be run in newspapers around the country. NAA encourages member newspapers to run this ad to spread the message that protecting sources is really about protecting the free flow of information to the public. The ad is available in full-page, half-page, and banner ad formats and can be viewed and downloaded by visiting www.naa.org/shield.