WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional negotiators have agreed to bar
government agencies for one year from issuing video news releases that
do not clearly identify themselves as the source, Democratic Sen.
Robert Byrd said on Tuesday.
Senate and House negotiators agreed to include the measure in an
emergency spending bill banning the use of taxpayer dollars for
producing the releases, which often resemble news segments, unless they
include a written or audible notice.
"It is simply not right for administration departments and agencies to
try to snooker the American people, producing propaganda and passing it
off as legitimate news," the West Virginia lawmaker said in a statement.
Democratic Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Frank Lautenberg of
New Jersey have introduced legislation to make the restriction
permanent.
The Bush administration and congressional Democrats have been at war
over the use of video news releases by government agencies. President
Bush has said the onus is on broadcasters to identify the source of
information.
Democrats and the Government Accountability Office, the investigative
arm of Congress, have complained that some of the releases that did not
include identification resembled covert propaganda.
A Bush administration representative was not immediately available for comment.
The House of Representatives will likely to pass the overall $82
billion spending bill this week and the Senate is expected to move next
week.
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