If you can’t do it right the first time, or second then try, try, try again. And that is what Patrick Leahy ios doing as he has put the reporters shield, in the form of the Free Flow of Information Act, back on the agenda of the Senate Judiciary Committee for the third week in a row.
The committee will try again Thursday, 10/1/09 at 9:30 AM, when it will also consider several judicial nominations and a handful of other bills.
The day before, Wednesday 9/30/09, it will hold a hearing also of interest to journalists, called “Advancing Freedom of Information in the New Era of Responsibility.” No pure play broadcasters are on the witness list, but the Associated Press’s Tom Curley is sitting on the second of two panels. That session kicks off at 10AM.
RBR-TVBR observation: This Committee shares quite a few members with the Senate Finance Committee, which has an issue before it that has taken precedence over Leahy’s agenda – and it may be the same story again this week.
The Finance Committee has been hung up on the ultra-contentious health care issue. Many believe the Republican’s primary strategy is to play for time, and that is not helping Leahy get a quorum.
Last week Leahy expressed his frustration over the situation last week and said he may look at finding a time for Judiciary to meet that does not conflict with the Finance schedule. If he does, the shield bill is likely to pass easily.
