,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #ebhh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,augu/ #f1 #bjbf,mr4   
,s*atz 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,mrs4   
,%ahe51 ,mr4 ,oss(f1 ,mr4 ,van ,holl51  
,ms4 ,duckwor?1 ,mr4 ,ka9e1 ,mr4        
,blum5?al1 ,ms4 ,w>r51 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4
 ,book]1 ,mr4 ,wyd51 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 &    
,ms4 ,ros57 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i*
 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee  
on ,arm$ ,s]vices  ,a ,,bill  ,to re/ore
 press access to ! ,p5tagon1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,protect+ ,p5tagon ,press  
,access ,act4  #b4 ,purpose ,! purposes 
( ?is ,act are-- 7#a7 to promote        
accurate & indep5d5t report+ ab\t !     
def5se policy & milit>y s]vices ( !     
,unit$ ,/ates by re/or+ to cr$5tial$    
j\rnali/s access to ! ,p5tagon t        
successive adm9i/rations p]mitt$ until  
#bjbe2 &  7#b7 to remove unreasonable   
re/rictions on cr$5tial$ j\rnali/s      
impos$ by ,secret>y ( ,def5se ,pet]     
,hegse?1 includ+ re/rictions impos$ by !

 ,may #bc1 #bjbe1 ,secret>y ( ,def5se   
,memor&um titl$ ,updat$ ,physical       
,control ,measures = ,press_/,m$ia      
,access ,)9 ! ,p5tagon & ! ,octob] #f1  
#bjbe1 ,secret>y ( ,def5se ,memor&um    
titl$ ,implem5tation ( ,new ,m$ia       
,9-brief4  #c4 ,f9d+s ,congress makes ! 
foll[+ f9d+s3 7#a7 ,! ,f\nd]s ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates en%r9$ fre$om ( ! press 9 !     
,fir/ ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates because !y recogniz$ t    
democracy requires a free & vibrant     
press capable ( uncov]+ & dissem9at+ ! k
 necess>y = citiz5s to hold ! gov]nm5t  
to acc\nt4  7#b7 ,indep5d5t j\rnali/s 7 
invit$ to "w f inside ! ,p5tagon be=e ! 
build+ op5$ dur+ ,_w ,w> ,,ii because   
,secret>y ( ,w> ,h5ry ,/imson und]/ood !
 ne$ = accurate report+ on ! national   
security ef=ts ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates &      
recogniz$ ! value to bo? ! public &     
lead]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces 9 provid+        
report]s close proximity to key s\rces (
 in=mation4  7#c7 ,s9ce ! f\nd+ ( !     
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 cr$5tial$ j\rnali/s

 h be5 all[$ to access unsecur$ areas ( 
! ,p5tagon to conduct ?or\gh1 reliable1 
& timely report+4  7#d7 ,f ! e>lie/ days
 ( ! ,p5tagon1 ! ,dep>tm5t has also     
provid$ cr$5tial$ j\rnali/s ) d$icat$   
physical space1 op5+ a comb9$ ,national 
,def5se press room 9 #aidh & provid+    
cubicles1 desks1 telephone l9es1 & o!r  
tools = report]s to "w f inside !       
build+4  7#e7 ,9 #aigb1 ,secret>y (     
,def5se ,melv9 ,laird1 "u ,presid5t     
,ri*>d ,nixon1 designat$ ! ,p5tagon     
press space z ! ,correspond5ts'         
,corridor1 & said1 ,we "h at ! ,dep>tm5t
 ( ,def5se firmly believe ! gov]nm5t & !
 press are int]lock+ p>ts ( our nation's
 con/itutional sy/em ( *ecks & balances4
 ,:5 civilian & milit>y memb]s ( ?is    
dep>tm5t take ! oa? to support !        
,con/itution ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 t also1 
( c\rse1 includes ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t44    
7#f7 ,rob]t ,sims1 ,assi/ant ,secret>y (
 ,def5se = ,public ,affairs = ,presid5t 
,ronald ,reagan1 endors$ ! view (       
,secret>y ,laird & expla9$ t effective  

report+ requires access beyond press    
brief+s because ! ability to quickly get
 ! views ( s5ior (ficials ) significant 
policy in=mation promotes ! accuracy &  
quality ( report+ f ! ,p5tagon4  7#g7   
,ov] ! c\rse ( _m decades1 ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,def5se _h dilig5tly work$ to pres]ve !
 access ( report]s to ! ,p5tagon1 ev5   
dur+ extraord9>y circum/ances1 includ+  
by ensur+ report]s 7 able to return to !
 ,p5tagon )9 h\rs ( ! attacks (         
,septemb] #aa1 #bjja1 & by ma9ta9+      
access = report]s ?r\gh\t ! ,,covid-#ai 
p&emic4  7#h7 ,9 a policy impos$ by     
,secret>y ,hegse? 9 #bjbe1 ! ,dep>tm5t1 
= ! fir/ "t1 re/rict$ cr$5tial$         
j\rnali/s f actively solicit+ unau?oriz$
 in=mation or engag+ 9 activity !       
,dep>tm5t consid]s unpr(essional4  7#i7 
,9 #bjbf1 ! ,dep>tm5t ann\nc$ a new     
policy t w\ld require j\rnali/s to "w 9 
an annex facility outside ! ,p5tagon1   
r$esignat$ ! ,p5tagon ,press ,(fice z a 
secure space1 & requir$ report]s = !    
fir/ "t to h a milit>y escort :5 pres5t 

any:]e )9 ! ,p5tagon4  7#aj7 ,secret>y  
,hegse? id5tifi$ no new security risk or
 misconduct t requir$ su* a policy4     
7#aa7 ,at ! same "t1 ! ,dep>tm5t has    
dra/ically curtail$ =mal live on-cam]a  
press brief+s ) cr$5tial$ j\rnali/s4    
#d4 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (    
,congress t-- 7#a7 a press ^: ability to
 inve/igate & publi% is ov]ly con/ra9$  
by gov]nm5t regulation is nei!r free nor
 vibrant2  7#b7 ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s h 
a "r to bett] und]/& ! policies1        
programs1 & op]ations be+ pursu$ by !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se1 ! objectives ( !   
lead]s ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 ! effectiv5ess (  
su* lead]%ip1 & h[ ! ,dep>tm5t employs &
 deploys p]sonnel & sp5ds ! tax doll>s (
 citiz5s2  7#c7 press access to !       
,p5tagon in=ms & s]ves ! public int]e/s 
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b72  7#d7         
reliable1 indep5d5t1 & compreh5sive     
report+ on ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se-- 7,a7 
has l$ to policy & program *anges t h   
directly s]v$ ! national int]e/ &       
improv$ ! quality ( life & s]vice =     

memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces2  7,b7 promotes !
 broad public und]/&+ & support ( !     
,arm$ ,=ces ne$$ to atta9 ! national    
security objectives ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 &
  7,c7 requires in=mation beyond (ficial
 gov]nm5t brief+s & mat]ials1 includ+   
in=mation facilitat$ by ! ability (     
report]s to "w & ga!r news inside !     
,p5tagon2 &  7#e7 press access to !     
,p5tagon is ess5tial = mean+ful ov]sight
 & enables report+ t in=ms ,congress 9  
c>ry+ out its legislative au?ority1     
includ+ by surfac+ in=mation t s]ves z !
 basis = inve/igative inquiries1        
reports1 he>+s1 & legislation4  #e4     
,re/or+ ,p5tagon press access ,n lat]   
?an #cj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( 
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se %all--  
7#a7 re/ore to ! press access to areas (
 ! ,p5tagon t 7 accessible to           
appropriately cr$5tial$ j\rnali/s on    
,may #bb1 #bjbe1 includ+ !              
,correspond5ts' ,corridor & o!r         
designat$ press work+ spaces2  7#b7     
re/ore to appropriately cr$5tial$       

j\rnali/s unescort$ access to areas ( ! 
,p5tagon t 7 accessible )\t an escort on
 ,may #bb1 #bjbe2  7#c7 require !       
,secret>y to ensure ! integrity ( !     
process to issue to report]s a ,p5tagon 
,facilities ,alt]native ,cr$5tial1      
includ+ by-- 7,a7 designat+ ! ,p5tagon  
,=ce ,protection ,ag5cy z responsible = 
! security review2  7,b7 ensur+ t !     
security review describ$ 9 subp>agraph  
7,a7 is conduct$ by c>e] (ficials )\t   
unnecess>y delays1 political influ5ce1  
or o!r influ5ce by ! ,(fice ( ,public   
,affairs ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se2 &     
7,c7 requir+ t ! security review        
describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a7 is timely1  
det]m9ative1 n subject to rev]sal by or 
at ! direction ( political appo9tees1 & 
n subject to agreem5t ) any policy t    
seeks to re/rict ,fir/ ,am5dm5t         
activities2 &  7#d7 prohibit any *anges 
to press access at ! ,p5tagon1 includ+ !
 designation ( press "w spaces1 access  
areas1 & press cr$5tials1 )\t prior     
consultation ) ! ,committee on ,arm$    

,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on   
,arm$ ,s]vices ( ! ,h\se (              
,repres5tatives4