[sfordnews] FW: Shield Reporters From Prosecutors? Tell Congress
- From: Alan T <steps123@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <sfordnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 23:03:33 -0400
October 05, 2009
Shield Reporters From Prosecutors?
Does the First Amendment trump law enforcement? A number of high-profile cases
in recent years have raised the question of whether prosecutors should be able
to force reporters to reveal their confidential sources. Former New York Times
reporter Judith Miller was jailed for contempt of court when she refused to
speak about her off-the-record chat with a Bush administration official. In
response, some Members of Congress have restarted an effort to extend new legal
protections to journalists.
Visit Congress.org to read more about a proposed media shield law.
Talk Back to Congress
Many states have some version of a shield law to protect reporters from
subpoenas demanding disclosure of sources, notes or other materials.
The purpose of these laws is to encourage whistle-blowers, particularly in
government, to go public with problems they see without fear that their
identities will be revealed if they talk to a news reporter.
Republicans and Democrats alike have been pushing for a federal shield law for
years, but Bush administration and Senate Republican opposition combined to
stall the measure.
The House passed a bill in March. The Senate Judiciary Committee is working on
its version this week.
Tell your lawmakers what you think about the proposed media shield law.
Click here to write a letter in support:
Support the federal media shield law
Click here to write a letter in opposition:
Oppose the federal media shield law
Why You Should Avoid ALL CAPS
Writing in all capital letters is like shouting in print.
That's the lesson from Antoinette LaFarge, a professor of digital media at the
University of California at Irvine.
According to a recent online survey, 40 percent of Congress.org users say they
"sometimes" or "often" use all capital letters when writing Congress.
But in an interview with Congress.org, LaFarge says it can make your writing
less effective.
After teaching typography and graphic design for the past 10 years, she has
formed a few theories about why people write in all caps and how readers react
to it.
Click here to read the interview.
Bills of the Week
H.R. 3676 would make the E-Verify program to certify employees' immigration
status permanent.
Click here to tell your Members of Congress what you think of this bill.
S. 1725 would repeal retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies for
a terrorist surveillance program.
Click here to tell your Members of Congress what you think of this bill.
How They Voted
Legislative Branch Appropriations
The Senate approved a $4.66 billion bill that funds the legislative branch for
the next year.
Vote: 62-38 in the Senate. The bill now heads to the president.
Energy Department Appropriations
The House approved a $33.5 billion bill funding the Department of Energy and
other agencies.
Vote: 308-114 in the House. The bill now heads to the Senate.
Want to track votes cast by your Members? Sign up for our MegaVote newsletter.
Correction
Because of a typo, last week's newsletter incorrectly stated the eligibility
for the first-time homebuyers' tax credit. It is open to anyone who has not
owned a principal residence in the last three years.
A New Look
Visit the redesigned Congress.org! We have more news throughout the week. Our
reliable tools for advocacy remain unchanged and we'll be adding more in the
weeks ahead.
Get on Your Soapbox
Want to make your voice heard concerning issues important to you? Get on your
soapbox and make it happen! Our Soapbox feature allows you to give exposure to
your issue and lets other Congress.org users take action on the alerts you
create. Registered users are now allowed four free soapbox alerts per month!
Track Your Lawmakers
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MegaVote newsletter.
Signed, Sealed, Hand-Delivered!
Did you know that you can have your message hand-delivered to the door of your
Members of Congress? For a small fee, we can give your letter "Extra Impact" to
help make your voice heard. Select that option when filling out your message on
any topic.
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