Boucher, Pence Back Senate Version of Shield Bill

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Rep Mike Pence (R-IN) Friday praised the Senate Judiciary Committee for approving a compromise version of the shield law bill. The two are long-time backers of the legislation, which provides a qualified protection for journalists and their sources from being compelled to give up information to the government. They helped push through a version that has already passed in the House. But, before anyone breaks out the champagne, what they were praising was the vote to substitute a compromise version of the bill, not to pass the bill out of committee. Republicans still have problems with that compromise, which they say was between parties already backing a bill--Democrats, journalists, the Obama administration--but not with them.