,,ii #aai? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dfad ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,may #bj1 #bjbf,mrs4 ,%ahe5 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,blum5?al7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices ,a ,,bill ,to protect ! editorial indep5d5ce ( ! ,/>s & ,/ripes news organization4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,/>s & ,/ripes ,editorial ,indep5d5ce ,act ( #bjbf4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,/>s & ,/ripes has report$ on issues unique to memb]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces1 p>ticul>ly ^? s]v+ abroad1 dat+ back to ! ,civil ,w>4 7#b7 ,/>s & ,/ripes rema9s editorially indep5d5t ( int]f]5ce or c5sor%ip f outside its own editorial *a9 ( comm&4 7#c7 ,a free & indep5d5t press is a corn]/one ( democratic gov]nance & is ess5tial to transp>5cy1 acc\ntability1 & in=m$ public decisionmak+4 7#d7 ,congress has hi/orically recogniz$ ,/>s & ,/ripes z an indep5d5t j\rnali/ic organization s]v+ memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces & _! families ov]seas4 7#e7 ,/>s & ,/ripes provides unique & su/a9$ cov]age ( issues affect+ s]vicememb] & vet]ans' quality ( life1 includ+ h\s+1 heal? c>e1 pay & b5efits1 family read9ess1 tra9+ conditions1 & ! long-t]m impacts ( milit>y s]vice4 7#f7 ,su* report+ elevates conc]ns & exp]i5ces t may o!rwise receive limit$ att5tion1 enabl+ policymak]s & ! public to bett] und]/& ! liv$ realities ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces & _! families4 7#g7 ,indep5d5t w> report+ & cov]age ( milit>y op]ations demon/rate transp>5cy & acc\ntability to ! ,am]ican public reg>d+ ! human1 /rategic1 & f9ancial co/s ( arm$ conflict4 7#h7 ,transp>5t report+ on milit>y op]ations & conflicts /r5g!ns public tru/ by ensur+ t decisions made 9 ! "n ( national security are subject to in=m$ public aw>5ess & debate4 7#i7 ,ma9ta9+ a cle> sep>ation betwe5 ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se public affairs activities & ,/>s & ,/ripes editorial op]ations is necess>y to pres]ve confid5ce among s]vicememb]s & milit>y families 9 ! accuracy & indep5d5ce ( report+ provid$ by ,/>s & ,/ripes4 7#aj7 ,! ability ( def5se j\rnali/s to op]ate )\t c5sor%ip1 undue influ5ce1 or retaliation is ess5tial to ma9ta9+ cr$ibility1 accuracy1 & public tru/4 7#aa7 ,protect+ press fre$om )9 ! def5se sector /r5g!ns national security by promot+ acc\ntability1 id5tify+ ineffici5cies or misconduct1 & ensur+ in=m$ debate on def5se policy4 7#ab7 ,memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se civilian employees1 & _! families /ation$ ov]seas1 includ+ 9 combat zones & o!r remote locations1 (t5 rely ^u ,/>s & ,/ripes z a prim>y s\rce ( indep5d5t ,engli%-language news & in=mation4 7#ac7 ,memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se civilian employees1 & _! families op]ate 9 in=mation environm5ts t are frequ5t t>gets ( =eign adv]s>y influ5ce op]ations1 includ+ dis9=mation1 propag&a1 & coord9at$ inau!ntic behavior4 7#ad7 ,indep5d5t ov]sight & int]nal editorial review me*anisms1 includ+ ! ,/>s & ,/ripes ,ombudsman1 support acc\ntability & j\rnali/ic integrity4 7#ae7 ,congressional ov]sight is necess>y to ensure t ,/>s & ,/ripes is n subject$ to c5sor%ip1 ideological influ5ce1 or political direction4 #c4 ,indep5d5ce ( ,/>s & ,/ripes 7a7 ,purpose ,! purpose ( ?is section is to codify ! requirem5ts relat$ to ! editorial indep5d5ce ( ,/>s & ,/ripes provid$ = 9 section #d4b ( ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se ,directive 7,,dodd7 #eabb4aa1 dat$ ,octob] #aa1 #aiic1 & section #bdf4d7;b7 ( title #cb1 ,code ( ,f$]al ,regulations4 7b7 ,editorial indep5d5ce requirem5t 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,def5se %all ensure t-- 7,a7 editorial policies & practices ( ,/>s & ,/ripes are 9 accordance ) j\rnali/ic /&>ds gov]n+ ,unit$ ,/ates news m$ia ( ! highe/ quality1 ) emphasis on matt]s ( int]e/ to ! ,/>s & ,/ripes read]%ip2 7,b7 ,/>s & ,/ripes' editorial op]ations are indep5d5t ( ! milit>y *a9 ( comm&1 milit>y public affairs activities1 or o!r ext]nal influ5ces1 & )\t c5sor%ip or propag&a2 7,c7 ! ,/>s & ,/ripes publi%] rema9s a civilian gov]nm5t employee ) indep5d5t pr(essional news m$ia exp]i5ce1 :o manages & controls ! day-to-day bus9ess & f9ancial1 op]ational1 & adm9i/rative activities1 & provides editorial ov]sight ( ,/>s & ,/ripes2 7,d7 ,/>s & ,/ripes' report]s ) access to ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se in/allations are au?oriz$ to cov] ev5ts or activities op5 to ^? ) in/allation access1 ev5 ?\gh comm]cial news m$ia may n h ! same unescort$ access2 7,e7 ,/>s & ,/ripes is a digital-fir/ news organization1 b is also publi%$ 9 a pr9t newspap] edition at a frequ5cy & di/ribution det]m9$ by ! publi%] to be/ s]ve its read]%ip2 & 7,f7 except z provid$ 9 p>agraph 7#c71 ,/>s & ,/ripes provides a free fl[ ( news & in=mation to its read]%ip )\t news managem5t or c5sor%ip f ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se or ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4 7#b7 ,prohibition on )hold+ ( unfavorable news ,! calculat$ )hold+ f publication 9 ,/>s & ,/ripes ( news unfavorable to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 ! milit>y s]vices1 or ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t is prohibit$4 7#c7 ,exceptions 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+ ! requirem5t "u p>agraph 7#a71 ,/>s & ,/ripes %all n publi% orig9al /aff-produc$ news /ories bas$ ^u classifi$ in=mation or publi% in=mation t cle>ly endang]s ! lives ( ,unit$ ,/ates p]sonnel or w\ld adv]sely affect national security4 7,b7 ,limitation ,! exceptions "u subp>agraph 7,a7 may n be con/ru$ to p]mit ! calculat$ )hold+ ( news unfavorable to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 ! milit>y s]vices1 or ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t4 ,any security risk in=mation %all n be )held )\t concurr5ce f bo? ! ,/>s & ,/ripes publi%] & ! relevant combatant comm&]4 7#d7 ,/>s & ,/ripes p]sonnel ,! exclusion ( civilian c&idates = consid]ation = (fic]1 j\rnali/1 or o!r ,/>s & ,/ripes /aff positions is prohibit$4 7c7 ,news contract+ ,/>s & ,/ripes %all n be prohibit$ f pur*as+1 contract+ =1 or publi%+ news /ories1 features1 syndicat$ columns1 comic /rips1 & editorial c>toons f comm]cial news m$ia s]vices or s\rces4