,i  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dice  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,february #e1        
#bjah,mr4 ,swalwell of ,california 7for 
himself1 ,mr4 ,cohen1 ,mr4 ,cicilline1  
,mrs4 ,napolitano1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4   
,carson of ,indiana1 ,mrs4 ,dingell1    
,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4 ,khanna1 ,mr4 ,serrano1
 ,mr4 ,rush1 ,ms4 ,maxine ,waters of    
,california1 and ,ms4 ,moore7 introduced
 the following bill2 which was referred 
to the ,committee on the ,judiciary  ,a 
,,bill  ,to amend title #ah1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to provide a penalty for 
assault against journalists1 and for    
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,journalist    
,protection ,act4  #b4 ,assault against 
journalists  7a7 ,in general ,chapter #g
 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by adding at the end the       
following3  #abj4 ,assault against      
journalists  7a7 ,in general ,whoever1  
in or affecting interstate or foreign   
commerce1 intentionally commits1 or     

attempts to commit--  7#a7 an act       
described in subsection 7b7 shall be    
fined under this title or imprisoned not
 more than #c years1 or both2 or  7#b7  
an act described in subsection 7c7 shall
 be fined under this title or imprisoned
 not more than #f years1 or both4  7b7  
,bodily injury to a journalist ,an act  
described in this subsection is an act  
that causes a bodily injury to an       
individual-- 7#a7 who is a journalist2  
7#b7 committed with knowledge or reason 
to know such individual is a journalist2
 and  7#c7 committed--  7,a7 while such 
journalist is taking part in            
newsgathering2 or  7,b7 with the        
intention of intimidating or impeding   
newsgathering by such journalist4  7c7  
,serious bodily injury to a journalist  
,an act described in this subsection is 
an act that causes a serious bodily     
injury to an individual-- 7#a7 who is a 
journalist2  7#b7 committed with        
knowledge or reason to know such        
individual is a journalist2 and  7#c7   

committed--  7,a7 while such journalist 
is taking part in newsgathering2 or     
7,b7 with the intention of intimidating 
or impeding newsgathering by such       
journalist4  7d7 ,definitions ,for      
purposes of this section3 7#a7 ,bodily  
injury ,the term bodily injury has the  
meaning given such term in section      
#acfe7;h77#d7 of this title4  7#b7      
,journalist ,the term journalist means  
an individual who-- 7,a7 is an employee1
 independent contractor1 or agent of an 
entity or service that disseminates news
 or information--  7i7 by means of a    
newspaper1 nonfiction book1 wire        
service1 news agency1 news website1     
mobile application or other news or     
information service 7whether distributed
 digitally or otherwise71 news program1 
magazine1 or other periodical 7whether  
in print1 electronic1 or other format72 
or  7ii7 through television broadcast1  
radio broadcast1 multichannel video     
programming distributor 7as such term is
 defined in section #fjb7ac7 of the     

,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #ebb7ac7771 or motion picture 
for public showing2 and  7,b7 with the  
primary intent to investigate events or 
procure material in order to disseminate
 to the public news or information      
concerning local1 national1 or          
international events or other matters of
 public interest1 engages in            
newsgathering4  7#c7 ,newsgathering ,the
 term newsgathering means engaging in   
the regular gathering1 preparation1     
collection1 photographing1 recording1   
writing1 editing1 reporting1 or         
publishing concerning local1 national1  
or international events or other matters
 of public interest4  7#d7 ,serious     
bodily injury ,the term serious bodily  
injury has the meaning given such term  
in section #acfe7;h77#c7 of this title4 
4  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of
 sections for chapter #g of title #ah1  
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
adding at the end the following3  #abj4 
,assault against journalists4  4