H.R. 4250 118th Congress House

PRESS Act

Official title: To maintain the free flow of information to the public by establishing appropriate limits on the federally compelled disclosure of information obtained as part… Show full official titleShow less

Introduced: June 21, 2023 Introduced by: Kevin Kiley Independent · California See on congress.gov

Science, Technology, Communications Computers and information technologyCriminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationEvidence and witnessesInternet, web applications, social media

More subjectsShow fewer subjects

News media and reportingTelephone and wireless communication

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Everywhere this bill has been 15 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jan 22, 2024

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 18, 2024

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Jan 18, 2024

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: 1/16/2024 CR H143)

Jan 18, 2024

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: 1/16/2024 CR H143)

Jan 18, 2024

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H229)

Jan 16, 2024

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4250.

Jan 16, 2024

At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Kiley objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.

Jan 16, 2024

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H143-145)

Jan 16, 2024

Mr. Kiley moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

Dec 5, 2023

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 242.

Dec 5, 2023

Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 118-299.

Jul 19, 2023

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Jul 19, 2023

Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 0.

Jun 21, 2023

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jun 21, 2023

Introduced in House

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Latest action January 22, 2024

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act or the PRESS Act

This bill prohibits the federal government from compelling journalists and providers of telecommunications services (e.g., phone and internet companies) to disclose certain protected information, except in limited circumstances such as to prevent terrorism or imminent violence.

Specifically, the bill protects from disclosure any information identifying a source, as well as any records, contents of a communication, documents, or information obtained or created by journalists in the course of their work.

Further, the bill protects specified third parties, such as telecommunications carriers or social media companies, from being compelled to provide testimony or any document consisting of a record, information, or other communication that is stored by the third party on behalf of a journalist.

Related & companion bills 1

Bill text 4 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Referred in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Reported in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee
Senate

Lobbying activity 1

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

DEMAND PROGRESS ACTION, INC
for DEMAND PROGRESS ACTION, INC · Maryland · 4th Quarter 2025 (Oct 1 - Dec 31)

Bodies those filers lobbied

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
1 filing
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
1 filing
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1 filing
SENATE
1 filing

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

Cosponsors 19