On December 10, 2009, the US Senate Judiciary Committee voted 14-5 to approve legislation that would protect journalists' abilities to shield sources in federal court proceedings. Under the Free Flow of Information Act, the federal government would not be able compel a journalist to produce protected documents or sources unless the government shows it has exhausted other means of obtaining the information, that the information sought is vital to the resolution of the case, and that compelling the production of the document or source is in the public interest. The legislation has not yet been passed by the full Senate.



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