{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2908", "Bacon, Jacobs Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Press Access at the Pentagon", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NE", "Don Bacon", "B001298", "bacon.house.gov", "bacon", "https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02) and Sara Jacobs (CA-51) today introduced bipartisan legislation to restore and protect press access at the Pentagon, reversing months of Secretary Hegseth\u2019s efforts to restrict independent reporting.\n\n\u201cA free press makes our country better, and the new Pentagon media restrictions are not wise. I was stationed at the Pentagon twice and saw firsthand that credentialed reporters had access to hallways, cafeterias and designated press areas, not offices or classified areas with sensitive national security information. I\u2019m joining Rep. Jacobs on this bipartisan legislation to restore reasonable press access, protect an independent credentialing process and ensure future changes receive appropriate congressional oversight,\u201d said Rep. Bacon.\n\n\u201cMuzzling the Pentagon\u2019s independent press corps blinds Congress and the American people to what\u2019s happening in our name and with our money. Asking our military leaders tough questions and holding them accountable \u2013 especially during times of conflict \u2013 is a basic, but critical part of our democracy. Without transparency, the American people can\u2019t trust they\u2019re getting the truth, not propaganda, or that the military is following the rule of law. Our bipartisan bill will help restore press access at the Pentagon, so we can maintain transparency, accountability, and oversight,\u201d said Rep. Sara Jacobs.\n\nThe legislation would:\n\nRestore press access to areas of the Pentagon that were accessible prior to the 2025 restrictions, including the \u201cCorrespondents\u2019 Corridor\u201d\n\nRenew unescorted press access to areas of the Pentagon that were accessible without an escort prior to the 2025 restrictions\n\nRequire the Secretary to ensure the integrity of the process to issue to reporters a Pentagon credential, ensuring the security review process is conducted by career officials in the Pentagon Force Protection Agency without unnecessary delays or political influence\n\nProhibit any changes to press access at the Pentagon, including the designation of press workspaces, access areas, and press credentials, without prior congressional consultation", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://bacon.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2908"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6808820180594921, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}