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To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a penalty for assault against journalists, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill would create a new federal crime for assault against journalists. It defines a journalist as someone employed by or working as an independent contractor for a news organization who regularly gathers, reports on, or publishes information about matters of public interest. The bill makes it illegal to intentionally assault a journalist either while they are engaged in newsgathering or with the intention of intimidating or preventing their reporting. Assault causing bodily injury would be punishable by up to three years in prison and/or a fine, while assault causing serious bodily injury would be punishable by up to six years in prison and/or a fine.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Richard Blumenthal’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $9,500
- FREEPOINT COMMODITIES LLC $6,600
- ALIX PARTNERS $6,600
- PALANTIR $6,600
- KRUX INC. $6,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Richard Blumenthal → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- May 5, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- May 5, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 5, 2025
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Ms. Hirono) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a penalty for assault against journalists, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Journalist Protection Act”.
SEC. 2. ASSAULT AGAINST JOURNALISTS.
(a) In General.—Chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “Sec. 120. Assault against journalists
“(a) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) Bodily injury; serious bodily injury.—The terms ‘bodily injury’ and ‘serious bodily injury’ have the meanings given those terms in section 1365(h).
“(2) Journalist.—The term ‘journalist’ means an individual who—
“(A) is an employee, independent contractor, or agent of an entity or service that disseminates news or information—
“(i) by means of a newspaper, nonfiction book, wire service, news agency, news website, mobile application or other news or information service (whether distributed digitally or otherwise), news program, magazine, or other periodical (whether in print, electronic, or other format); or
“(ii) through a television broadcast, radio broadcast, multichannel video programming distributor (as defined in section 602 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 522)), or motion picture for public showing; and
“(B) engages in newsgathering with the primary intent to investigate an event or procure material in order to disseminate to the public news or information concerning a local, national, or international event or other matter of public interest.
“(3) Newsgathering.—The term ‘newsgathering’ means engaging in regular gathering, preparation, collection, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, or publishing concerning a local, national, or international event or other matter of public interest.
“(b) Prohibited Conduct.—Whoever, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, intentionally commits, or attempts to commit—
“(1) an act described in subsection (c) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both; or
“(2) an act described in subsection (d) shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 6 years, or both.
“(c) Bodily Injury to a Journalist.—An act described in this subsection is an act—
“(1) that causes bodily injury to an individual who is a journalist;
“(2) committed with knowledge or reason to know the individual is a journalist; and
“(3) committed—
“(A) while the journalist is taking part in newsgathering; or
“(B) with the intention of intimidating or impeding newsgathering by the journalist.
“(d) Serious Bodily Injury to a Journalist.—An act described in this subsection is an act—
“(1) that causes serious bodily injury to an individual who is a journalist;
“(2) committed with knowledge or reason to know the individual is a journalist; and
“(3) committed—
“(A) while the journalist is taking part in newsgathering; or
“(B) with the intention of intimidating or impeding newsgathering by the journalist.”.
(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of sections for chapter 7 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
“120. Assault against journalists.”. <all>
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