# 119-hr-7930: Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2026

119-hr-7930, Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7930
- 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-7930
- Congress: 119
- Title: Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-03-12
- Sponsor: Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**This bill would raise the mens rea in core Espionage Act offenses to **"specific intent"**, narrow who may be prosecuted, and create a public‑interest whistleblower defense that lets defendants explain their purpose.** - People who disclose wrongdoing, gross mismanagement, waste, abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety could assert an affirmative public‑interest defense when charged under the amended Espionage Act. Defendants would also be allowed to testify about their purpose for disclosures. - The bill defines who counts as a "covered person" by requiring official access to classified material, a nondisclosure agreement, and authorization from the President or a designated agency head. It also sets a specific definition for "foreign agent" tied to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act rules with limited exclusions. - For several 18 U.S.C. provisions the government would have to prove a defendant acted with specific intent to injure the United States or advantage a foreign nation. That higher intent standard and the new definitions narrow criminal liability for handling classified information.

## Cosponsors (7)

- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2026-03-27T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Protections for cleared employees and whistleblowers: benefit, medium. If enacted, this bill would narrow who can be charged under core espionage rules and raise the mental state prosecutors must prove for people with classified access. It would define a "covered person" as someone with official classified access, a signed nondisclosure agreement, and authorization by…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act
- 119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act
- 119-hr-4457: Housing Is a Human Right Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-7930 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7930)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3069)
- [119-hr-4457: Housing Is a Human Right Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4457)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7930 (as of 2026-04-21).