Washington DC - Senator Tom Cotton on Tuesday blocked a press freedom bill that would protect journalists from being forced to reveal their sources to the government.

The Arkansas Republican refused to pass the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act by unanimous consent, as requested by Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon.

The legislation, already approved in the House, would prevent the federal government from forcing journalists to divulge their sources and other materials, with exceptions for information concerning acts of terrorism or threats of imminent violence.

"The PRESS Act would undermine our national security and turn liberal reporters into a protected class. No American citizen should be afforded the privileges provided in this bill, least of all the media," Cotton claimed on X.

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"The press badge doesn’t make you better than the rest of America or put you above the law," he said on the Senate floor.

Last month, President-elect Donald Trump told Republicans to "KILL" the PRESS Act.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday urged his Republican colleagues to "not get in the way."

"This bill would protect journalists against overreaching government surveillance," the New York Democrat wrote on X. "It would ensure reporters can’t be legally required to disclose sources or research files or hand over data held by phone and internet companies."

It was the second time Cotton has stymied the PRESS Act, having first blocked a vote on the bill back in December 2022.