# 119-hr-3203: Journalist Protection Act

119-hr-3203, Journalist Protection Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14] (D-CA); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3203
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-3203
- Congress: 119
- Title: Journalist Protection Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-05-05
- Sponsor: Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Creates a federal crime that protects journalists from assault while gathering news.** The bill would add a new federal offense that defines who counts as a journalist and what counts as newsgathering. It makes it illegal to cause bodily injury or serious bodily injury to someone known or reasonably known to be a journalist while they are gathering news or with the intent to intimidate or impede reporting. Penalties would be up to 3 years for bodily injury and up to 6 years for serious bodily injury, and jurisdiction covers conduct that affects interstate or foreign commerce.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-05-05T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Federal penalties for assaulting journalists: benefit, low. This bill would make assaulting a journalist a federal crime when the act is in or affects interstate or foreign commerce. A journalist would include employees, contractors, or agents who gather and report news through newspapers, websites, TV, radio, books, or films. Newsgathering would include ga…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-8870: BUILD America 250 Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-10421: Transforming Education for the Future Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-3203 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3203)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-8870: BUILD America 250 Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8870)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-10421: Transforming Education for the Future Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10421)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3203 (as of 2026-04-21).