Fallen Journalists Memorial Act of 2019

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act of 2019. I am proud to be introducing this bill with my long-time friend and colleague, the junior Senator from Ohio (Mr. Portman).

The purpose of the bill is to authorize the Fallen Journalists Memorial (FJM) Foundation to establish a commemorative work--a memorial--in the District of Columbia or its environs honoring journalists, photographers, and broadcasters killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The bill directs the Federal government to make eligible Federal land available for the memorial.

The bill explicitly prohibits the use of Federal funds to design or construct the memorial, and stipulates that the memorial must be designed and built in compliance with existing federal standards for commemorative works. Furthermore, the FJM Foundation must provide the funding necessary for the National Park Service or General Services Administration to maintain the memorial. The bill conforms to the structure of other similar bills.

Across the National Capital Region, we have monuments and memorials to honor those who have helped make our Nation and our democracy stronger since its founding days. Currently missing from that honor roll, however, are journalists who have sacrificed everything to gather facts, ask questions, and report the news in the spirit of the free, open, and transparent societies and governments that Americans--and all people--deserve.

Why do we need this memorial? Well, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists:

Worldwide, at least 1,337 journalists have been killed in the line of duty since 1992;

each year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned, and tortured;

the majority of the journalists killed are murdered in direct relation to their work as journalists; and

in 9 out of 10 cases, the killers of journalists go free.

When we think of casualties, we tend to think of war correspondents on the front lines. in battle. Intrepid reporters and photographers and cameramen and women put themselves in harm's way, and many have been killed and wounded. But then we have cases like the Saudi Government's savage dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Consulate in Turkey last October. That was a state-sanctioned killing. And here at home, barely 30 miles from here, we had the horrific shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis that left five people dead and two wounded. The attack at the Gazette offices occurred one year ago this Friday, on June 28th. So it is fitting that we are introducing the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act today to remember and honor the Gazette victims, Jamal Khashoggi, and all other journalists who have been killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The Fallen Journalists Memorial will be a visible symbol and reminder of what is at stake and the price people have paid.

We Americans have certain rights and responsibilities granted to us through the Constitution, which established the rule of law in this country. Freedom of the press is one of those most basic rights and it is central to our way of life. This precious freedom has often been under attack, figuratively speaking, since our Nation's founding.

Today, attacks on the American media have become more frequent and more literal, spurred on by dangerous rhetoric that is creating an ``open season'' on denigrating and harassing the media for doing its job--asking questions that need to be asked, investigating the stories that need to be uncovered, and bringing needed transparency to the halls of power.

One year ago this Friday, a 38-year-old man who had a long-standing spurious grudge against the Capital Gazette newspaper, made good on his sworn threats. He entered the newspaper offices, headed to the newsroom, and by the time he was done, he had shot and killed five employees of this community newspaper and wounded two others.

The Capital Gazette is the local paper of record in Annapolis. It is one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in the U.S. It traces its roots back to the Maryland Gazette, which began publishing in 1727 and The Capital, which dates to 1884.

This loss of life is personal to so many in Annapolis and around our State. You need to understand that the Capital Gazette is as much a part of the fabric of Annapolis as the State government that it covers better than anyone in the business.

On that day one year ago, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office all responded to the first 9-1-1 call within two minutes, rushing into the offices and into the newsroom to apprehend the gunman and prevent further bloodshed, according to Anne Arundel Police Chief Timothy Altomare.

State and Federal law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (A TF), and many others agencies quickly had personnel there to support local officials in their efforts to clear the building and meticulously investigate the scene.

I want to thank, again, all law enforcement officers and other first responders--from the individuals who rushed into the newsroom not knowing what danger they might encounter to those helping get others to safety; from those gathering evidence to ensure nothing was lost in the bustle or chaos of the moment to those diverting traffic so that people could be evacuated and investigators could do their jobs in safety.

The swift law enforcement response undoubtedly saved lives but not before the gunman managed to kill five people. Among them were Gerald Fischman, 61, who was an editor with more than 25 years of service with the Capital Gazette admired at the newspaper and throughout the community for his brilliant mind and writing.

Most often, it was his voice and his insightfulness that came through on the editorial pages of the Capital Gazette. Rick Hutzell, the Capital Gazette's editor, described Fischman as ``someone whose life was committed to protecting our community by telling hard truths.''

Rob Hiaasen, 59, was a columnist, editor, teacher, and storyteller and brought compassion and humor to his community-focused reporting. Rob was a coach and a mentor to many. According to former Baltimore Sun columnist Susan Reimer, he was ``so happy working with young journalists . . . He wanted to create a newsroom where everyone was growing.''

John McNamara, 56, was a skilled writer and avid sports fan and combined these passions in his 24-year career as a sports reporter at the Capital Gazette. Former Capital Gazette sports editor Gerry Jackson, said of McNamara, or ``Mac,'' as he went by, ``He could write. He could edit. He could design pages. He was just a jack of all trades and a fantastic person.''

Rebecca Smith, 34, was a newly-hired sales assistant known for her kindness, compassion, and love for her family. A friend of her fiance described ``Becca'' as ``the absolute most beautiful person'' with ``the biggest heart'' and called her death ``a great loss to this world.''

Wendi Winters, 65, was a talented writer who built her career as a public relations professional and journalist. She was well-known for her profound reporting on the lives and achievements of people within the community. She was a ``proud Navy Mom''--and daughter.

As we learned the details of the shooting from the survivors, it became clear that Wendi saved lives during the attack. She confronted the gunman and distracted him by throwing things at him--whatever she could find within reach. As the paper noted: ``Wendi died protecting her friends, but also in defense of her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died protecting freedom of the press.''

My heartfelt condolences and prayers continue to go out to the victims and their families. The surviving staff members also deserve our prayers and praise for their resilience and dedication to their mission as journalists and respect for their fallen colleagues. During and after the attack, staff continued to report by tweet, sharing information to those outside, taking photos and documenting information as they would other crime scenes. Despite their grief, shock, anger and mourning, the surviving staff--with help from their sister publication the Baltimore Sun, Capital Gazette alumni, and other reporters who wanted to lend a hand to fellow journalists--put out a paper the following morning and they have done so every day since. This is grace under pressure.

Fittingly, the editorial page the day after the shooting was purposefully left blank, but for the few words: ``Today, we are speechless. This page is intentionally left blank to commemorate the victims of Thursday's shootings at our office.'' The staff promised that on Saturday, the page would ``return to its steady purpose of offering our readers informed opinion about the world around them, that they might be better citizens.''

I want to repeat one quote from the Capital Gazette editorial page that bears repeating: ``Wendi died protecting her friends, but also in defense of her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died protecting freedom of the press.'' Wendi Winters and her colleagues died protecting freedom of the press.

Here in the United States, the Capital Gazette shooting was not an isolated incident; other journalists have been vulnerable to attack or reprisal for their work:

a freelance photojournalist was killed in the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center;

in October 2001, a photo editor with the Sun newspaper in Boca Raton, Florida, died from inhaling anthrax, a substance that was mailed to a number of journalists across the United States;

in August 2007, a masked gunman shot and killed the editor-in-chief of

the Oakland Post, a prominent African-American newspaper; and

in August 2015, a reporter and cameraman for television station WDBJ7 were shot dead during a live broadcast in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia.

At least 59 journalists have been murdered or killed in the United States while reporting, while covering a military conflict, or simply because of their status as a journalist.

While Annapolis and most of the Nation rallied in support of the survivors of the Capital Gazette shooting, the paper reported receiving new death threats and emails celebrating the attack. This is not right in America or anywhere else.

Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of being violently attacked while doing their job--both figuratively and literally. The right of journalists to report the news is nothing less than the right of all of us to know, to understand what is happening around us and to us. Media freedom and media pluralism are essential for the expression of, or ensuring respect for, other fundamental freedoms and safeguarding democracy, the rule of law, and a system of checks and balances.

Every one of us in this body--Democrats and Republicans--has sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. We bear the solemn responsibility of defending freedom of the press. It is time for us to redouble our efforts both here at home and abroad. We must lead by example. The very foundation and legitimacy of our democratic republic are at stake. One way to start is by memorializing those brave men and women who have died or been killed, as the New York Times' Adolph S. Ochs put it in 1896, ``to give the news impartially, without fear or favor, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved.''

Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act of 2019. I am proud to be introducing this bill with my long-time friend and colleague, the junior Senator from Ohio (Mr. Portman).

The purpose of the bill is to authorize the Fallen Journalists Memorial (FJM) Foundation to establish a commemorative work--a memorial--in the District of Columbia or its environs honoring journalists, photographers, and broadcasters killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The bill directs the Federal government to make eligible Federal land available for the memorial.

The bill explicitly prohibits the use of Federal funds to design or construct the memorial, and stipulates that the memorial must be designed and built in compliance with existing federal standards for commemorative works. Furthermore, the FJM Foundation must provide the funding necessary for the National Park Service or General Services Administration to maintain the memorial. The bill conforms to the structure of other similar bills.

Across the National Capital Region, we have monuments and memorials to honor those who have helped make our Nation and our democracy stronger since its founding days. Currently missing from that honor roll, however, are journalists who have sacrificed everything to gather facts, ask questions, and report the news in the spirit of the free, open, and transparent societies and governments that Americans--and all people--deserve.

Why do we need this memorial? Well, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists:

Worldwide, at least 1,337 journalists have been killed in the line of duty since 1992;

each year, hundreds of journalists are attacked, imprisoned, and tortured;

the majority of the journalists killed are murdered in direct relation to their work as journalists; and

in 9 out of 10 cases, the killers of journalists go free.

When we think of casualties, we tend to think of war correspondents on the front lines. in battle. Intrepid reporters and photographers and cameramen and women put themselves in harm's way, and many have been killed and wounded. But then we have cases like the Saudi Government's savage dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Consulate in Turkey last October. That was a state-sanctioned killing. And here at home, barely 30 miles from here, we had the horrific shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis that left five people dead and two wounded. The attack at the Gazette offices occurred one year ago this Friday, on June 28th. So it is fitting that we are introducing the Fallen Journalists Memorial Act today to remember and honor the Gazette victims, Jamal Khashoggi, and all other journalists who have been killed in the line of duty, defending freedom of the press. The Fallen Journalists Memorial will be a visible symbol and reminder of what is at stake and the price people have paid.

We Americans have certain rights and responsibilities granted to us through the Constitution, which established the rule of law in this country. Freedom of the press is one of those most basic rights and it is central to our way of life. This precious freedom has often been under attack, figuratively speaking, since our Nation's founding.

Today, attacks on the American media have become more frequent and more literal, spurred on by dangerous rhetoric that is creating an ``open season'' on denigrating and harassing the media for doing its job--asking questions that need to be asked, investigating the stories that need to be uncovered, and bringing needed transparency to the halls of power.

One year ago this Friday, a 38-year-old man who had a long-standing spurious grudge against the Capital Gazette newspaper, made good on his sworn threats. He entered the newspaper offices, headed to the newsroom, and by the time he was done, he had shot and killed five employees of this community newspaper and wounded two others.

The Capital Gazette is the local paper of record in Annapolis. It is one of the oldest continuously published newspapers in the U.S. It traces its roots back to the Maryland Gazette, which began publishing in 1727 and The Capital, which dates to 1884.

This loss of life is personal to so many in Annapolis and around our State. You need to understand that the Capital Gazette is as much a part of the fabric of Annapolis as the State government that it covers better than anyone in the business.

On that day one year ago, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Sheriff's Office all responded to the first 9-1-1 call within two minutes, rushing into the offices and into the newsroom to apprehend the gunman and prevent further bloodshed, according to Anne Arundel Police Chief Timothy Altomare.

State and Federal law enforcement, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (A TF), and many others agencies quickly had personnel there to support local officials in their efforts to clear the building and meticulously investigate the scene.

I want to thank, again, all law enforcement officers and other first responders--from the individuals who rushed into the newsroom not knowing what danger they might encounter to those helping get others to safety; from those gathering evidence to ensure nothing was lost in the bustle or chaos of the moment to those diverting traffic so that people could be evacuated and investigators could do their jobs in safety.

The swift law enforcement response undoubtedly saved lives but not before the gunman managed to kill five people. Among them were Gerald Fischman, 61, who was an editor with more than 25 years of service with the Capital Gazette admired at the newspaper and throughout the community for his brilliant mind and writing.

Most often, it was his voice and his insightfulness that came through on the editorial pages of the Capital Gazette. Rick Hutzell, the Capital Gazette's editor, described Fischman as ``someone whose life was committed to protecting our community by telling hard truths.''

Rob Hiaasen, 59, was a columnist, editor, teacher, and storyteller and brought compassion and humor to his community-focused reporting. Rob was a coach and a mentor to many. According to former Baltimore Sun columnist Susan Reimer, he was ``so happy working with young journalists . . . He wanted to create a newsroom where everyone was growing.''

John McNamara, 56, was a skilled writer and avid sports fan and combined these passions in his 24-year career as a sports reporter at the Capital Gazette. Former Capital Gazette sports editor Gerry Jackson, said of McNamara, or ``Mac,'' as he went by, ``He could write. He could edit. He could design pages. He was just a jack of all trades and a fantastic person.''

Rebecca Smith, 34, was a newly-hired sales assistant known for her kindness, compassion, and love for her family. A friend of her fiance described ``Becca'' as ``the absolute most beautiful person'' with ``the biggest heart'' and called her death ``a great loss to this world.''

Wendi Winters, 65, was a talented writer who built her career as a public relations professional and journalist. She was well-known for her profound reporting on the lives and achievements of people within the community. She was a ``proud Navy Mom''--and daughter.

As we learned the details of the shooting from the survivors, it became clear that Wendi saved lives during the attack. She confronted the gunman and distracted him by throwing things at him--whatever she could find within reach. As the paper noted: ``Wendi died protecting her friends, but also in defense of her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died protecting freedom of the press.''

My heartfelt condolences and prayers continue to go out to the victims and their families. The surviving staff members also deserve our prayers and praise for their resilience and dedication to their mission as journalists and respect for their fallen colleagues. During and after the attack, staff continued to report by tweet, sharing information to those outside, taking photos and documenting information as they would other crime scenes. Despite their grief, shock, anger and mourning, the surviving staff--with help from their sister publication the Baltimore Sun, Capital Gazette alumni, and other reporters who wanted to lend a hand to fellow journalists--put out a paper the following morning and they have done so every day since. This is grace under pressure.

Fittingly, the editorial page the day after the shooting was purposefully left blank, but for the few words: ``Today, we are speechless. This page is intentionally left blank to commemorate the victims of Thursday's shootings at our office.'' The staff promised that on Saturday, the page would ``return to its steady purpose of offering our readers informed opinion about the world around them, that they might be better citizens.''

I want to repeat one quote from the Capital Gazette editorial page that bears repeating: ``Wendi died protecting her friends, but also in defense of her newsroom from a murderous assault. Wendi died protecting freedom of the press.'' Wendi Winters and her colleagues died protecting freedom of the press.

Here in the United States, the Capital Gazette shooting was not an isolated incident; other journalists have been vulnerable to attack or reprisal for their work:

a freelance photojournalist was killed in the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center;

in October 2001, a photo editor with the Sun newspaper in Boca Raton, Florida, died from inhaling anthrax, a substance that was mailed to a number of journalists across the United States;

in August 2007, a masked gunman shot and killed the editor-in-chief of

the Oakland Post, a prominent African-American newspaper; and

in August 2015, a reporter and cameraman for television station WDBJ7 were shot dead during a live broadcast in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia.

At least 59 journalists have been murdered or killed in the United States while reporting, while covering a military conflict, or simply because of their status as a journalist.

While Annapolis and most of the Nation rallied in support of the survivors of the Capital Gazette shooting, the paper reported receiving new death threats and emails celebrating the attack. This is not right in America or anywhere else.

Journalists, like all Americans, should be free from the fear of being violently attacked while doing their job--both figuratively and literally. The right of journalists to report the news is nothing less than the right of all of us to know, to understand what is happening around us and to us. Media freedom and media pluralism are essential for the expression of, or ensuring respect for, other fundamental freedoms and safeguarding democracy, the rule of law, and a system of checks and balances.

Every one of us in this body--Democrats and Republicans--has sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. We bear the solemn responsibility of defending freedom of the press. It is time for us to redouble our efforts both here at home and abroad. We must lead by example. The very foundation and legitimacy of our democratic republic are at stake. One way to start is by memorializing those brave men and women who have died or been killed, as the New York Times' Adolph S. Ochs put it in 1896, ``to give the news impartially, without fear or favor, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved.''

Mr. President, I come to the floor today to discuss the Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act, which I was proud to reintroduce today with several of my Senate colleagues. I also want to thank Congresswoman Matsui, who introduced the bill in the House.

Our legislation recognizes and builds on the progress started by two gender

equity champions: Patsy Mink of Hawaii and Louise Slaughter of New York.

Patsy Mink, the first Asian American woman and woman of color to serve in Congress, was a pioneer and a strong champion for gender equity in education as one of the principal authors of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter's commitment to public service and fierce advocacy for women's equality and empowerment helped strengthen educational opportunities for all Americans.

The Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) would honor their legacies by providing more resources for K-12 schools, colleges and universities, States, school districts, and others to fully implement Title IX, also known as the ``Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act,'' which has transformed the educational landscape in our country by reaffirming the fundamental principal that sex-based discrimination has no place in our nation's schools.

Since its enactment, Title IX has opened countless doors for women and girls, and created important opportunities for students across the country--whether in the classroom, on the playing field, or in the boardroom. But barriers still exist, and more work remains to make sure all students have access to safe learning environments free from bias and discrimination. We need to work to make sure schools treat students equally with regard to athletic participation opportunities, athletic scholarships, and the benefits and services provided to athletic teams.

We need to work to improve gender equity in career and technical education, in higher education, and in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields while strengthening the STEM pipeline. We need to address sexual harassment and assault in our nation's schools.

We need to address discrimination based on pregnancy or parenting status by providing better accommodations and increased support for pregnant and parenting students, because currently only half of teenage mothers earn their high school diplomas before they turn 22 years old, and nearly one-in-three young mothers never get their diplomas or GEDs, which is unacceptable.

And, at a time when nearly nine-in-ten LGBTQ students reported being harassed or assaulted based on a personal characteristic, we need to address discrimination based on stereotypes of actual or perceived sex--including sexual orientation and gender identity.

GEEA provides important resources to continue this work--not only to protect the progress we have made, but also to build on that progress and create more opportunities for students.

By improving and strengthening Title IX, we uphold the great work of champions like Patsy Mink and Louise Slaughter, who fought to make sure no students are denied equal access to educational opportunities or have to worry about whether they are safe on campus. We must remain vigilant in this endeavor.

I thank my colleagues for joining me in reintroducing this important legislation as we continue our work to advance Title IX and to ensure equal access to educational opportunities for all.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, today I am joined by my colleagues Senator Joni Ernst, Congressman Rob Bishop, and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to introduce the bipartisan Recreation Not Red Tape (RNR) Act. In Oregon and nationwide, the outdoor recreation economy is growing. Nationally, outdoor recreation generates $887 billion in annual consumer spending and 7.6 million American jobs. As those numbers keep rising, communities across the country are benefiting from growing American interest in enjoying the great outdoors. Our bill will help grow the economic potential of the outdoor recreation economy by opening access, reducing red tape, and updating Federal recreation guidelines.

Unfortunately, getting outside often requires permits, parking passes and camping fees that are important to maintaining public lands, but too often involve confusing, complicated and lengthy processes to obtain. This bill removes barriers to outdoor recreation, making it easier for visitors from near and far to get outdoors and enjoy America's treasures. By streamlining paths for more people to get outdoors, the Recreation Not Red Tape Act will encourage outdoor recreation opportunities, giving communities an economic boost.

The RNR Act includes provisions from Senator Heinrich's Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act. The bill improves the Federal outdoor recreation permitting process by eliminating duplicative and bureaucratic reviews, requiring time limits for processing permit applications, reducing fees, and simplifying multi-jurisdictional trips. The bill also ensures recreation permits are available for online purchases.

The RNR Act encourages all military branches to include information about outdoor recreation opportunities as part of the basic services provided to service members and veterans, and encourages all military branches to allow active-duty service members to engage in outdoor recreation or environmental stewardship activities without taking away their hard-earned leave.

For the first time, the RNR Act directs Federal land management agencies to enhance recreation opportunities when making land and water management decisions. The RNR Act ensures Federal land managers have and maintain recreation access goals. Importantly, the RNR Act highlights the recreational values of public lands across the county and encourages more National Recreation Area designations in the future by creating a system of National Recreation Areas to manage recreation lands in uniform guidelines.

Additionally, the RNR Act encourages volunteer opportunities to help agencies carry out public lands maintenance projects, such as trail maintenance on Federal lands. The bill establishes a pilot program to create uniform interagency trail management standards for trails that cross agency jurisdictional boundaries.