House Passes Daniel Pearl Press Bill

The House of Representatives Wednesday (Dec. 16) passed the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act. The bill which expands the State Department's examination of international press freedom in its annual human rights report, was named after the late Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and killed by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002. It is the second time the bill passed. The first time was as part of a State Department authorization bill that has since gotten bogged down in the Senate. The standalone bill passed 403 to 12, and sponsors say the prospects for a stand-alone version in the Senate are good. It has already passed the Foreign Relations Committee.