New Bill Would Lift Ban on Journalists Photographing Returning Military Dead
August 15, 2008Human Rights
A new bill would require the Department of Defense to "grant journalists access to ceremonies honoring fallen military personnel."
Introduced by Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) last month, the bill has six co-sponsors and won the endorsement of the National Press Photographers Association this week. The bill states:
The Secretary of Defense shall grant access to accredited members of the media at military commemoration ceremonies and memorial services conducted by the Armed Forces for members of the Armed Forces who have died on active duty and when the remains of members of the Armed Forces arrive at military installations in the United States.The current Defense policy, which was updated in 2003, states that there shall be no "media coverage of" the returning war dead.
