# 119-hr-10188: Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act

119-hr-10188, Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-24).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10188
- As of: 2026-09-24
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10188
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-08-31
- Sponsor: Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-24

## Summary

**Restore and protect credentialed press access to the Pentagon.** This bill would require the Secretary of Defense to restore inside-Pentagon access for credentialed journalists, undo recent restrictions, and prevent unilateral changes to access without consulting Congress. - Journalists: Credentialed reporters would be able to work inside the Pentagon again rather than being forced to use an outside annex. The bill targets rules that required military escorts and redesignated the press office as a secure space. - Public and oversight: It would promote independent reporting to help the public and Congress understand defense policy and spending and to support accountability. - Department of Defense: The Secretary would have a fixed timeframe to restore and preserve access and would need to consult Congress before making major access changes.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE), 2026-08-31T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Restore and Protect Pentagon Press Access: benefit, low. If you are an appropriately credentialed journalist, the bill would require the Secretary of Defense to restore, within 30 days of enactment, access to Pentagon areas you could reach on May 22, 2025. This includes the Correspondents' Corridor and other designated press working spaces. It would also…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-10188 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10188)

## Related
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-2086: Rights for the TSA Workforce Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2086)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10188 (as of 2026-09-24).