U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) recently announced the Global Press Freedom Act, designed to promote freedom of the press and the protection of journalists worldwide.
The legislation aims to direct the U.S. State Department to establish an ambassador-at-large for press freedom and plans to train foreign service officers on how to help promote media independence and protect foreign journalists, according to Schatz's website.
"Unfortunately, freedom of the press remains under attack. My Global Press Freedom Act with Sen. Todd Young reasserts our commitment to a free press at home and abroad and empowers the State Department to engage with these issues diplomatically on the world stage," Schatz said in an Oct. 8 tweet.
In Schatz's press release, data from Reporters Without Borders’ 2020 World Press Freedom Index showed that 32 journalists were murdered for their work just in the last year. Through the Global Press Freedom Act, journalists both domestically and abroad will have a right to journalistic freedom across the board.
"Freedom of the press is essential to democracy, good governance and holding those in power accountable. This principle was enshrined in our founding documents for that reason. Because our values do not stop at our border, I am proud of this new proposal that will empower our diplomats to support a free press around the globe,” Young said, according to Schatz's website.