U.S. Congress legislation · 119th Congress
HB10188: Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act
Status: In committee, August 31, 2026
To restore press access to the Pentagon, and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To restore press access to the Pentagon, and for other purposes.
From the introduced text, August 31, 2026:
A BILL To restore press access to the Pentagon, and for other purposes. SECTION 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act . SECTION 2. Purpose The purposes of this Act are-- (1) to promote accurate and independent reporting about the defense policy and military services of the United States by restoring to credentialed journalists access to the Pentagon that successive administrations permitted until 2025; and (2) to remove unreasonable restrictions on credentialed journalists imposed by Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth, including restrictions imposed by the May 23, 2025, Secretary of Defense Memorandum titled Updated Physical Control Measures for Press/Media Access Within the Pentagon and the October 6, 2025, Secretary of Defense Memorandum titled Implementation of New Media In-brief . SECTION 3. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) The Founders of the United States enshrined freedom of the press in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States because they recognized that democracy requires a free and vibrant press capable of uncovering and disseminating the knowledge necessary for citizens to hold the government to account. (2) Independent journalists were invited to work from inside the Pentagon before the building opened during World War II because Secretary of War Henry Stimson understood the need for accurate reporting on the national security …
Sponsors
- Sara Jacobs (D, HD-CA-51) · primary sponsor
- Don Bacon (R, HD-NE-2)
Latest actions
- : Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- : Introduced in House
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Common questions
- What is HB10188?
- HB10188 is a bill in Congress (119th Congress): Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act.
- What does HB10188 do?
- In its own words: To restore press access to the Pentagon, and for other purposes.
- What is the status of HB10188?
- In committee as of August 31, 2026. Latest action: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services. (August 31, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB10188?
- Sara Jacobs (D, HD-CA-51), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB10188?
- On the Congress website: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10188
Source: official Congress record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.