Federal shield-law bill moves closer to a floor vote in the Senate

Legislation that seeks to protect reporters from revealing their sources has taken another step toward a full vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to send the federal shield bill to the floor, reports The Associated Press. The debate over the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007 has pitted media outlets and their supporters against the Bush administration and others who fear such a law would endanger national security.

A similar proposal is in the House, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she would bring it to a vote this year. "This is fundamental to our democracy and fundamental to the security of our country," she said in a speech to the AP Managing Editors meetign in Washington.

More than 50 news outlets support the bill, as does the Society of Professional Journalists, which issued a statement endorsing the legislation. “Ultimately, a shield protects the public and the free flow of information that is essential to holding government, corporations, institutions and individuals accountable for their actions," said outgoing SPJ President Christine Tatum.