The U.S. Senate Daily Press Gallery, along with the House Daily Press Gallery, the House and Senate Periodical Press Galleries, the House and Senate radio and Television Galleries, and the Senate Photographers’ Gallery, are the four media galleries of the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

. The Senate Daily Press Gallery is located in the Senate wing of the

United States Capitol The United States Capitol, often called The Capitol or the Capitol Building, is the seat of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, which is formally known as the United States Congress. It is located on Capitol Hill ...

. The gallery staff assist correspondents generally and maintain their access to Senate proceedings. The gallery includes the press seats that overlook the Senate floor and the surrounding offices where reporters work. Gallery staff track floor action, tally votes, and coordinate coverage of Senate news conferences and hearings. Journalists operating out of the Press Gallery help members communicate with the public, and provide the public with the ability to observe elected officials throughout the legislative process. In the earliest Congresses, few official documents were kept, so news reports often provided the most comprehensive record of congressional proceedings, even for members themselves. The House and Senate established formal press galleries in 1877. The Senate Daily Press Gallery operates under Rule XXXIII of the

Standing Rules of the United States Senate The Standing Rules of the Senate are the parliamentary procedures adopted by the United States Senate that govern its procedure. The Senate's power to establish rules derives from Article One, Section5 of the United States Constitution: "Each ...

. Under these rules, the Speaker of the House and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration maintain final authority over all the press galleries.Eckman, Sarah J. (2017). ''Congressional News Media and the House and Senate Press'' (Report No. 7-5700). Congressional Research Service. pp. 4.

History

In the early years relatively few newspapers covered Congress, and those that did depended on subsidies from political parties, who, in return for their patronage, provided favorable coverage of the respective party. The advent of

Penny Press Penny press newspapers were cheap, Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid-style newspapers mass-produced in the United States from the 1830s onwards. Mass production of inexpensive newspapers became possible following the shift from hand-crafted t ...

in the 1830s disrupted this system, as it relied on sales rather than patronage from a political party for the support of newspapers. The Whigs made sweeping gains in the 1840 elections, winning the presidency and a majority in Congress. James Gordon Bennett, owner of the Democratic ''

New York Herald The ''New York Herald'' was a large-distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between 1835 and 1924. At that point it was acquired by its smaller rival the ''New-York Tribune'' to form the '' New York Herald Tribune''. His ...

'', had lobbied to win his reporters access to the Senate floor, but

Senate President Pro Tempore A president pro tempore or speaker pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer. The phrase '' pro tempore'' is Latin "for the time being ...

Samuel Southard was not keen on rewarding reporters from the opposition newspaper. Incensed, Bennett turned to a sympathetic

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...

who placated Bennett by establishing the Senate’s first “Reporters’ gallery”, on July 8, 1841. Two desks were reserved for each of the Washington daily newspapers, and one was assigned to each out-of-town paper that applied. Before the establishment of the reporters’ gallery, reporters who were not granted floor privileges were forced to find a seat in the general gallery with the public, where it could be difficult to hear floor proceedings. In 1877, the House and Senate created a committee of correspondents to oversee press gallery membership and administration. The

Official Congressional Directory The ''Official Congressional Directory'' (also known as ''Congressional Directory'') is the official directory of the United States Congress, prepared by the Joint Committee on Printing (JCP) and published by the United States Government Print ...

published a list of 86 correspondents granted access in 1880. Galleries are now separated into daily printed press, periodical press, radio and television press, and press photographers, each with their own correspondents’ committees. In 2008, the gallery underwent a full-scale renovation which widened aisles, added new desks and modernized the office.

Current operations

Today, the congressional press galleries provide services both for journalists and for Members of Congress. Each press gallery is typically responsible for credentialing journalists for the chamber it represents. The galleries also maintain Capitol workspace for correspondents, and coordinate coverage for news conferences, hearings, and other congressional events. Additionally, they distribute press releases; provide the press with information on floor proceedings, upcoming rules, amendments, and legislation; provide information on committee hearings, witness testimony, and mark-ups; and deliver messages or facilitate Member communications with journalists.Eckman, Sarah J. (2017). ''Congressional News Media and the House and Senate Press'' (Report No. 7-5700). Congressional Research Service. pp. 7. The House and Senate press galleries take on additional roles during presidential elections, overseeing arrangements and credentialing for daily press at the national political conventions and presidential inaugurations. The professional staff who operate the galleries report to the Senate Sergeant at Arms and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

Accreditation

The Senate gallery handles accreditation for daily newspapers, wire services and electronic news organizations that cover both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Applicants are vetted by The Standing Committee of Correspondents. This committee is composed of five journalists who are elected to two-year terms by the other members of the gallery. This system helps preserve the independence of the press corps by insulating it from congressional influence. It also maintains journalistic integrity, as the rules agreed upon by the gallery members reflect commonly held professional norms and standards of the news industry. Correspondents’ committee members must remain employed as journalists. In order to gain membership in the Daily Press Gallery, applicants must be “bona fide correspondents of repute in their profession”. They must be full-time, paid correspondents of recognized news organizations in a position that requires on-site access to Senate and House members and staff. Additionally, applicants must reside in the Washington, D.C. area, and “must not be engaged in any lobbying or paid advocacy, advertising, publicity or promotion work for any individual, political party, corporation, organization, or agency of the U.S. government.” Although the Standing Committee of Correspondents is responsible for accreditation decisions, the Senate press gallery office acts as a liaison between the committee and the journalists, processing applications, supporting materials, or fees submitted by journalists.

References

{{Reflist category:United States Senate 1877 establishments in Washington, D.C. Press galleries