Will the Senate finally move to protect small and independent journalists?

Forty-nine states have press-shield laws that allow journalists to resist government lawyers who would compel them to reveal their sources and notes. The federal government, however, has no such law.

What came to light in a recent House hearing was the human cost of leaving reporters vulnerable to legal harassment by government. This represents an especially grave threat to independent journalists and small outlets.

To be sure, the cases that make news involve big media outlets.