,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #gea  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #ab1         
#bjai,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself and  
,mr4 ,menendez7 introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and 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 ,definitions ,in this  
section3 7#a7 ,bodily injury2 serious   
bodily injury ,the terms bodily injury  
and serious bodily injury have the      
meanings given those terms in section   
#acfe7;h74  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 a television broadcast1
 radio broadcast1 multichannel video    
programming distributor 7as defined in  
section #fjb of the ,communications ,act
 of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #ebb771 or     
motion picture for public showing2 and  
7,b7 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 local1         
national1 or international event or     
other matter of public interest4  7#c7  
,newsgathering ,the term newsgathering  
means engaging in regular gathering1    

preparation1 collection1 photographing1 
recording1 writing1 editing1 reporting1 
or publishing concerning a local1       
national1 or international event or     
other matter of public interest4  7b7   
,prohibited conduct ,whoever1 in or     
affecting interstate or foreign         
commerce1 intentionally commits1 or     
attempts to commit--  7#a7 an act       
described in subsection 7c7 shall be    
fined under this title or imprisoned not
 more than #c years1 or both2 or  7#b7  
an act described in subsection 7d7 shall
 be fined under this title or imprisoned
 not more than #f years1 or both4  7c7  
,bodily injury to a journalist ,an act  
described in this subsection is an act--
 7#a7 that causes bodily injury to an   
individual who is a journalist2  7#b7   
committed with knowledge or reason to   
know the individual is a journalist2 and
  7#c7 committed--  7,a7 while the      
journalist is taking part in            
newsgathering2 or  7,b7 with the        
intention of intimidating or impeding   

newsgathering by the journalist4  7d7   
,serious bodily injury to a journalist  
,an act described in this subsection is 
an act-- 7#a7 that causes serious bodily
 injury to an individual who is a       
journalist2  7#b7 committed with        
knowledge or reason to know the         
individual is a journalist2 and  7#c7   
committed--  7,a7 while the journalist  
is taking part in newsgathering2 or     
7,b7 with the intention of intimidating 
or impeding newsgathering by the        
journalist4  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