represented the statehouse. she was an attorney but later turned to academia, teaching english and writing at lasalle university. congresswoman chrissy houlihan now represents the sixth district. she's the fworm eformer preside nonprofit organization that promotes early childhood literacy. she served three years in the u.s. air force. republican dan meuser was elected to represent the 9th district. he was the head of the state's tax office. prior to that, he was an executive in his family's company that manufacturers scooters and other home medical equipment. pennsylvania's 13th district elected representative john joyce in his first bid for public office. he's a medical doctor who has run a dermatology practice with his wife since 1991. and congressman gye reschenthaler now represents the 14th district, he was previously a state senator and before that

a district judge in state imagine timagisterial court. earlier he served as an torn in the u.s. navy. new congress, new leaders. watch it all on c-span. >> members of congress and "washington post" publisher fred ryan took part in an event marking 100 days since the death of journalist khashoggi. he was killed inside a saudi consulate in istanbul by people with close ties to the saudi governmen government. >> i can't stress enough how we met. he was hired as the editor and i visited him again on april 7, 2003 as american and coalition troops were occupying baghdad. jamal was the only saudi i net favor of the war. he thought that america could do for the arab what is they could not do for themselves which was

to bring dem citi the region. he lasted i think three months at the newspaper the first time. one of the reasons he was fired is that he published a cartoon of a cleric wearing a suicide vest and instead of dynamite in the pockets there was fatwas. imagine doing that in saudi arabia at that time. he came back and was hired again and that lasted three years. it lasted all of 11 hours. he was forbid on the right or comment on television or even to tweet so in september, 2017, he fled saudi arabia. the circle of freedom was narrowing quick ly it was only

two months later this wave of arrests began with hundreds of businessmen and reformers and clerics. fortunately jamal found a home in washington at the "washington post" and he wrote "i have left my home, my family and my job. i am raising my voice, i can speak when so many cannot. we now have to speak for him. we don't know where his body is us we know where his spirit is, it is here. it is with people who care about human right and freedom. it's with the families of the 53 journalists killed last year and their friends.

it's with all of us who care about these things and we have to thank jamal for awakening our own spirits to universal values so we thank him and other fellow journalists who lost their lives and honor them for their sacrifice so i ask if you would take a moment of silence to remember them. thank you very much. i have the pleasure of introducing my friend mark warner who has been very supportive of this and i think he represents some of the interest s th interests that we've gotten in congressn't from both sides of the chamber about the danger

journalists face today. senator, if you would speak for a moment. >> thank you, lawrence, thank you for your efforts to remember mr. khashoggi. also the enormous amount of truth you brought to your journalism in all its various activities. there's a famous line that says the only security of all of us is a free press. now that was written by the only virginian i know that writes better than don bier, that was thomas jefferson. and jefferson made those comments over 200 years ago and in many ways the gentleman we honor today, jamal khashoggi, lived those words and died for

those words and i think the best way that we can recommit ourselves to his memory and to that notion of security being intimately intertwined with the free press is to make sure that we all step up and do our part regardless of whether we served in -- on the press side of the ledger or whether we serve on the other side as policymakers and i think that challenge is perhaps greater today than it's ever been in our lifetime, not only because of what we see around the world but i think it's fair to say and, frankly a bipartisan fashion that there has never been a time before in american history where we have not had an american president who also stands for those values. but today we don't have those

kinds of statements coming out of this white house. those when we see these tragedies, we don't have a strong statement from an administration reaffirming the rights of a free press, both domestic and on an international basis so it's up to all of us whether as journalists or policymakers to take to heart those words of thomas jefferson of over 200 years ago. to take to heart the exact nepal that jamal khashoggi live both in his tenure as a journalist in saudi arabia and in his time here in the united states where not only did he work with the "washington post" but lived in virginia. so we honor his memory. 100 days ago from the disappearance we should all

commit to the notion that as much as possible never again. it's my honor to bring forward someone who lives this, works this throughout his career. someone i have had the honor of knowing for multiple decades who in his current duty as publisher of the "washington post" makes sure that we have that news in a free and open and complete way, my friend fred ryan. fred? [ applause ] >> thank you, senator warner and to chairman schiff, co-chair chabot. on behalf of the "washington post," appreciate the opportunity to be part of this special tribute today jamal's death has touched "washington post" colleagues deeply yet this story isn't about the murder of one innocent journalist. jamal's killing is part of an escalating attack against press

freedom being waged by tyrants around the world. and that's why we can't just let jamal's story fade away. his assassination in many ways cybill a redline, a threshold where those who believe in human rights and free speech must stand firm against those who would stuff them out. the brutality of jamal's murder, the extensive saudi efforts to cover it up and our government's apparent willingness to seven these repeated lies have shocked the collective conscience of freedom-loving people around the world. how we respond to jamal's killing demonstrate house committed we are to a fundamental american value, support for a free press both here at home and abroad, americans rely on independent journalists around the world, especially those working in closed societies where facts are

hard to come by. to cut through the propaganda and bring us the truth. our political leaders need full and detailed information in order to make crucial decision about america's national security. american business leaders need insights in order to make wise financial investments and american voters need to know which countries are friends command are foes so they can evaluate our foreign policy and hold our elected officials accountable. having such information is fundamental to our freedom and any policy by any government that silences reporters and restricts access to this information is an attack on our country and everything we stand for. the world is watching carefully to see how america will respond to this challenge and we should not allow the size of a tyrant's checkbook to blind us as to the importance of standing up for americas values. [ applause ]

congress can demand full and immediate transparency into the circumstances of jamal's killing. you can and we hope will hold the perpetrators of jamal's killers to account. his killers and those who seek to emulate them most hear from the united states and the civilized world that if you jail, torture or murder a journalist, there will be serious consequences. thank you to the leadership that you are all providing to protect these values that are so fundamental to our freedom. thank you. [ applause ] >> thank you, fred, those were very stirring words. appreciate that. i'm going to invite representative steve chabot who is the co-chair of the committee of the congressional caucus of the freedom of the press.

>> thank you for being here and as we all know, today marks the 100th day of the murder of joke and i want to thank my fellow co-chair of the house freedom of the press caucus adam schiff who will be speaking here briefly. and now that his party is in the majority would have been speaking before me were he here but everything has turned around in the house now but i want to thank all of you for being here today and taking this moment to remember jamal's life and legacy and his impact on journalism. he was an independent voice who tirelessly urged greater openness and reform no matter what the cost and as we all know know it ultimately cost him his life. as co-chair of the bipartisan

house freedom of the press caucus it's my commitment and responsibility to support journalists who put their own well-being and even their lives at risk to accurately report the facts. include advancing press freedom across the globe promotes and safeguards democracy. unfortunately not everyone value this is freedom or recognizes its importance. too often press people are is under attack and people around the world denied access to fully independent journalism and vigorous public debate. in fact, since 1992, more than 1300 journalists have been killed across the globe and over 250 are currently imprisoned around the globe according to reports. such numbers should shock the conscience of the world that thirsts for and needs to have full access to the truth. with the death of jamal and the

ongoing purse cushiersecution os journalists around the world, real freedom of the press remains threatened. today as we remember jamal khashoggi and his legacy we commemorate his sacrifice for truth, human dignity and freedom. may he long be remembered. thank you. [ applause ] >> you know, i've reflected as we are listening to this, i don't think i could have written my book "the looming tower" and the climate of persecution that there is towards journalists today. it was a different era. things have really changed and to go to a different chamber i would like to invite senator amy klobuchar to come join us now. [ applause ] >> well, thank you so much, larry and i'm here as the daughter of a journalist. my dad is a long time journalist

and he was there at the heyday of journalism writing for the minneapolis paper, covering everything from the 1968 conventions to mafia funerals to the vikings' four losses in the super bowl but we won't go there. it makes me see this from a different lens. that's why i'm a member of the ju judiciary committee and have given a number of speeches on the freedom of press and how important it is to stand up for journalists. as we know, the facts here for khashoggi are so sad. he walked into that consulate just trying to get the papers so he could marry the person that he loved and he was heinously murdered. and what did he do? that deserved that crime? he had the awe das taety to disagrdisa gr

disagree -- audacity to disagree with the government. he described himself as an independent journalist using his pen for the good of his country. he simply desired freedom for the people of his country. last year he wrote a column for the "washington post" describing seeing some of his friends arrested and he struggled with what he should do, he said. at first he said nothing, he didn't want to lose his job or his freedom. he worried about his family and then he said i made a different choice now. when asked why he didn't keep his mouth shut and stay safe, he said we saudis deserve better. so he died standing up for his principles. since minnesota wasn't around with the founders of the country like mark warner's virginia, i will also quote thomas jefferson who wurns wrote that the first objective of our democracy should be to leave open all avenues to truth and the most effective way of doing it is through the freedom of the press. that's a journal it's job -- to

be right and to do right for the beam. so we must hold anyone who is accountable for this death responsible because for me it's more than just his death. it sends a message to the rest of the world, to all authoritarian regimes who are watching what happens here is that you don't just do this to journalists. although thousands of people in prison just doing their jobs or worse yet, killed. it's up to us to preserve his legacy it's a legacy that lifts up his democratic values. his daughters probably set it best, and i quote, this is no eulogy for that would confer a state of closure. rather this is a promise his light will never fade, that his legacy will be preserved within us. that is our job in congress not only for what's going on around

the world but what's going on in our own country. so thank you very much for honoring anymore this way. we honor him with our work. thank you. [ applause ] >> i'm especially pleased to introduced a dam

in a bipartisan way, in a bicameral way, not only to remember jamal khashoggi but to act upon the concern that we have the murder of khashoggi is an atrocity and an affront to humanity and the days after his disappearance members of congress, both sides of the aisle, both sides of congress demanded information and dedicated ourselves to holding the perpetrators accountable. i know our distinguished chairman of the intelligence committee, ranking member of the intelligence committee on the senate side, mr. chabot, other members, senator van hollen, i know you've been acknowledge bud

i thank you for using your voices in a why when there were some in our country saying it was a commercial interest that should override our values and how we speak out and act upon those values. we're grateful to leaders on both sides of the islaisle, ada schiff and steve chabot and also lawrence right and karen attia and i'm pleased jennifer is here. i've known her since she was a little girl. so proud of her. i'm eager to welcome here to the capitol. so it's 100 days since jamal khashoggi's murder. we mourn that loss and pray for his family and commit ourselves to action. we must honor our moral responsibility to safeguard the lives and liberties of journalists at home and abroad

and if we decide commercial interests should override the statements we make and the actions we take, then we must admit we have lost all moral authority to talk about any atrocities anywhere any time, we must carry on jamal khashoggi's mission to defend the free press, our strongest bulwark of injustice, inequity and oppression. the free press of all of our freedoms, the freedom of the press is the guardian of the gate of our democracy. whatever other violations the government or others may exert, if the press can talk about it freak exists. so an assault on jamal khashoggi was an assault on our democratic principles and our democracy,

really and we in america have to stand up very strongly so the rest of the world sees that regardless of any commercial transactions, whatever they may be, or even strategic location is not a license to kill. [ applause ] it's quite an emotional time for us because of the fact that it took place. the nature of the atrocity outside the circle of civilized human behavior and the target, not just an individual, but a principle of freedom. thank you for keeping the flame and we won't forget and we'll come together as long as it takes until there's justice and though the message is very clear

to the world that in this country the united states of america, our first amendment. >> thank you madam speaker and i want to help lawrence for bringing us together. we're deeply in your debt. i want to thank others who helped inspire and organize this event to mark the 100th day since jamal khashoggi's murder. i also want to welcome -- and lawrence may have already, the publisher of the "washington post," fred ryan. i'm grateful to my colleagues. i know others of my colleagues

will be joining us, lloyd dog get who was involved in helping pull this together. we were just at the briefing by secretary steve mnuchin. unlike you, i never had the opportunity to meet jamal khashoggi but i read and admired his columns in the "washington post." what happened to jamal is horrific and barbaric and we continue to learn more about how barbaric his murder was but just will never forget what we have come to learn of his final moments on this earth. we'll also never forget what he stood for and devoted the last years of his life to and that is what this event is about. his final article for the "washington post" published after his death and titled "what the arab world needs most is free expression" is a passionate plea for freedom of the press and independent media. he called far platform for arab voices that is in his words

isolated from the influence of nationalist governments spreading hate through propaganda to provide an alternative to the false narrative he is feared were dominating the public consciousness. he contended only through truly independent media can ordinary supreme the information and perspective to improve their lives and demand change. his hopes for the arab world are applicable anywhere freedom of thought is under attack and where independent journalists fear for their lives. the reality is those conditions exist around the globe. in 2006, i founded the international freedom of the press caucus with a congressman from indiana, a backbencher named mike pence. i'm proud of the work our caucus has done over the past decade to raise awareness and lend support to journalists who are harassed, arrested, assaulted or worse for doing their jobs. we carried on the caucus over the years and steve chabot has been an outstanding partner.

we worked with the organizations here tonight but i'm sorry to say that despite our concerted efforts in congress monoall of the nonprofits, when we look around the world it's hard not to conclude trends are getting worse not better. jamal was not the only journalist in 2018 who was targeted and killed as a result of his work. sadly he's one of 53 journalists who paid the ultimate price. many more have gone to prison and remain there. some cases many have heard of like the burmese journalist jailed for reporting on the atrocities against the roing but many other cases, most other cases are largely unknown each imprison system a blow against imprisonment.cases are largely imprison system a blow against imprisonment. i fear autocracy and corruption

are on the rise and where the ideals of freedom, democracy and human rights are brought to heel. we won't stand idly by, not when jamal khashoggi is lured to ruthless death, not when journalists in mexico are shot in the streets, not when an american journalist is believed and hld hostage in syria for six years. jamal's life was snuffed out but his voice carries on and it's incumbent on us to carry on his work, expose those who fred falsehoods and support freedom of the press. lawrence, i'll turn it back to you. [ applause ] >> i have a home boy from texas, will hurd, representing the half of the border with mexico and he's been the one person holding

back the tide on the wall by himself and now he is here in washington so i'm sure the holes are unplugged but if representative will hurd will speak for a moment. >> why am i here? because y'all are important. the press is important. why am i here. because it's personal. y'all have helped me throughout my entire life. i spent almost decade as an undercover officer in the cia. i was in tricky spots, y'all's work has helped me get up to speed. y'all's work kept me safe and there's often times i thought i was sneaking into some place and you'd see a journalist there sipping a tea or having a beer. [ laughter ] so i realized the difficult of places that y'all have put yourself in i've made my opinions on mr. khashoggi very clear, fred was kind to publish those but i will tell you this,

this has spur add conversation in southwest texas. most people in southwest texas have a hard time saying his name. a lot of people have said to me why is this important? it is causing people to remember why our press is so important. and i think that's why we have to keep jamal's might and what has happened at the forefront of so many of our constituents. the united states must unequivocally support international press freedoms and we have a responsibility as leaders of this country to stand with those who are exercising their basic rights. i'm glad to join this fight with my friends adam and steve and the speaker because this can't continue and to think that in the 21st century 600 people, 600 journalists have been killed for doing their work. we have to stop this and i'm glad to continue this conversation in my neck of the

woods. [ applause ] >> thanks, will. i invite senator chris van holle hollen. >> thank you, i want to thank members of who part of the caucus and to all of you here who are fierce protectors of freedom of the press and first amendment and to gather here to remember the brutal murder 100 days ago of jamal khashoggi who sacrificed his life in pursuit of telling the truth and as fred ryan said, we are here to also remember the other 53 journalists who gave their life

in pursuit of the truth, including five individuals on that list from the state of maryland who worked in annapolis, maryland, for the capital gazette and were gunned down by an individual who did not like their reporting about him and we must remember not only those who have died but those who are locked up for telling the truth and speaking out in their countries. and i think we have to recognize the fact that the united states has historically with both democratic and republican presidents stood up for freedom of the press, stood up for the rule of law, skood up for democracy, stood up for human rights and it's a reality when you have leaders at the highest levels 60 the american

government saying things like the press is the enemy of the people. or talking constantly about the fact that the press is just fake news, that that tests the strength of our institutions right here in the united states. but i am pleased to see here in the united states people in this room, members of congress and others are there to stand up for the first amendment and the freedom of the press and while we are stressed here and challenged, i have faith that here in our country we will succeed in preserving that freedom of the press, but the reality is that the absence of a strong voice and freedom of the press in the white house puts in danger journalists around the world, copy cats, authoritarian leaders around the world who

quote the i can presentation fake news and enemy of the people and use that as an excuse to lock up journalists in their country. as freedom house president mike abramowitz has said, bipartisan organization, quote, when u.s. leaders step back from promoting democracy and press freedom, journalists beyond american shores feel the chill, they feel it when they get brutally murdered and they feel it when they get locked up so we have to stand strong, we have to stand up for what this country has always stood for which is a beacon for freedom of the press and the ability to tell the truth and speak truth to power and the way we have to do that 100 days after the brutal murder of jamal is to demand justice for jamal. [ applause ]

because if regimes or dictators or anybody around the world thinks they can literally get away with murder with impunity it will put every other journalist around the world in graver danger so i'm hopeful that this congress, the senate and the house on a bipartisan basis, democrats and republicans will come together and send a very strong message to the regime in saudi arabia that we will not stand by and tolerate it. we will demand accountability in every way we can and that should send a message to authoritarian dictators around the world that we as the united states congress will continue to uphold our belief in the freedom of the press as an essential protection for democracy, the rule of law and human rights not just here but around the world. thank you.

[ applause [ applause ] >> i would like to invite jackie spear to give us a few words. thank you for coming. >> i want to thank adam and steve and all those who have come here to speak. i want to also extend my deepest sympathy s sympathies to the family, the friends, the colleagues of jamal khashoggi who lost a family member, a friend, a colleague at work. this action is important and we must take action in the congress

to speak truth to power. jamal's sacrifice is one that cannot go the annals of this congress. it was despicable and yet the condemnation of that act by the congress of the united states or the president of the united states has yet to take place. >> it's really our responsibility to make sure that jamal and all of these others who have been killed in 2018 are remembered for having spoken truth to pow er. >> as reporters without border general secretary said, political leaders who fuel loathing for reporters bear heavy responsibility because they undermine the concept of public debate based on facts instead of propaganda.

to dispute the legitimacy of journalism today is to play with extremely dangerous political fire the fire may be metaphorical but the consequences are just as deadly as a raging inferno. according to the committee to protect journalist's 2018 report, at least 251 journalists are imprisoned worldwide today. are bewe speaking up loud enough about that? in egypt, they have jailed at least 25. in china, 47, in saudi arabia 16. in turkey 68, the most in the world. that's why congress must speak out. that's why i will join my colleagues in making sure we do. as walter cronkite said, freedom of the press is not just

important to democracy, it is democracy. thank you. [ applause ] >> i've got several congressmen from my hometown of austin, since gerrymandering we're blessed with five. so lloyd dogget is a long time friend and he's been wounded i can see but thank you for making the trek over here. >> thank you very much. one of our colleagues i think who is not present today may have in an apparent attempt to really defend the disgraceful reaction to this khashoggi murder has hit a central truth when he said, quote, many countries murder journalists and when those murderers are torture

or imprisonment or r ignored, whether they're directed by a supposed ally or an obvious adversary, whether by a crown prince or the kremlin or the burmese military or an ayatollah or an egyptian dictator or some tyrant who purports to be a left winger or any other third-rate thug, each time our government turns its face away and ignores and offers excuses and claims pragmatism is more important than freedom of expression, the world becomes a little less safe for journalists and, indeed, it becomes a little less safe for the rest of us who rely on their insight and who share an unusual preference, those of us who share that preference to live in a world that is fact-based, everybody though that seems to be going out of vogue in some quarters. when a house colleague has been

lauded for assaulting a journalist on our own soil, the special urgency of this moment literally strikes home. let's never forget that this one murder nor the perpetrators who continue at this very moment to continue killing innocents in yemen, i want to thank you larry and all of the others who encouraged this memorial. i believe our lasting memorial to khashoggi and all of those who risk their own personal safety and liberty to report the truth must be for us to never let their suffering go unnoticed and to reject rewards for those

who repress them regardless of whether they're friend or foe because we understand the freedom of the press is not a frill there that we can sacrifice but a value that is fundamental to both our security and personal liberty. thank you [applause] >> i want to invite representative malinowski. >> thank you, a few months before the murder of jamal khashoggi, i met him. he talked about the loss of america's moral voice in the world and in the arab world in particular. we talk ed about what that migh

mean for the courageous democracy activist from saudi arabia to egypt to bahrain who would once count on america at least to try to restrain their regimes from i was not worried about jamaal, he was here. he was supposed to be faced and that's why the crime committed against him has galvanized us more than almost any other in recent memory. we know that bad things happen to good people in dictatorships all over the world, some of their names are here before us. but, when dictatorships reach out beyond their borders to kidnap or kill journalists

who've taken refuge in the free world, that is not normal. as a country that's given refuge to thousands of jamal khashoggi's over the years we have an overriding moral and national security imperative in making sure it never becomes normal. anything less than full justice in this case will guarantee that it does become normal. that means that the author of the crime, the man who ordered it must be held accountable. if we decide that he's too powerful for that our relationship with his country is too important to speak the truth and he owns us and then saudi arabia owns us and that is not acceptable to me as a member of congress. with the global magna skee ask, we've given all the

administration the tools it needs to do what is right. to say to saudi arabia that while you may choose your own leaders you might wish to consider the consequences of giving the keys to your kingdom for the next 50 years to someone who will be forever tainted by this crime. that is a message that i believe that america's broader interest in saudi arabia in the middle east also rs to send after the chaos that this man has caused from yemen to carter to lebanon to his entire neighborhood. if the administration would do what is right, congress i can and i think congress will. we can and we should wipe the smug face and the smug smile of impunity of mohammed ben selin's face and restore proper balance to our relationship with saudi arabia.

if speaker pelosi is right and the administration chooses to place commercial interests over human rights and our traditional commitment to values around the world this body, the house in particular should be the conscience of america and should show the world that the heart and soul of our country has not changed. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> representative brian fitzpatrick please. >> thank you. >> thank you everyone. in the united states were blessed to have many, many of the service professions, schoolteachers, scientists, members of the military and law enforcement, elected officials and journalists i can tell you that in my 14 years as an fbi agent i could say to you about 40 cases instigated and filed

to successful completion based on the dedicated work of investigative journalist that resulted in justice being served and victims rights being stored because of the efforts of journalists. not many people realize that about their profession. i think the lesson to be learned here and hopefully the message reverberating throughout congress as we remember jamaal 100 days later, is that silence is not okay. it's not okay. because, every time we lost a sister or brother it was an attack on all. when gabby gifford and steve scalise was attacked it was an attack on all. when a fellow journalist who was defending the first amendment, the constitution, the united states of america, keeping elected officials honest in finding cures for diseases, engaging in work that

resulted in documentaries that changes hearts and souls and lives forever, an attack on one is an attack on all. although you may not hear very often, thank you for the work you do and for your patriotism and for defending the united states of america that we left. god bless you guys. [ applause ] >> thank you for that very meaningful statement. another one of our congressmen, my friend, mike mccall. >> thank you. i think you are my constituent, i'm not sure but i want to thank you for inviting me here today. i'm proud to be a cosponsor, as most people know, larry wrote

-- the wall was up back then. i'd like to say i brought the wall down between the intelligence and criminal side of the house, and made a difference in the future of counterterrorism. in the definitive book on terrorism, i'm proud to call you my friend and all journalist my friend. in a free and open press it so important. the killing of jamaal 100 days ago was shocking and gruesome and the briefing we received is unheard-of and we've all read the details. my condolences to the family and friends, larry and i talked a lot about the complexities of saudi arabia. i know are not supposed to get into saudi specifically here but they've been an ally at times and sometimes the hijackers came out like they did

, but there is a geopolitical relationship and we saw some promising signs moving forward and then we saw like the decision to allow women to drive i thought was very significant. but, this gruesome killing was a major setback in our foreign- policy and changes still need to be made. there is a human rights report he moved to the united states because he feared he would be arrested in the united states because of his writing. his political writings about pro- democracy in a face restrictions in his home country . as he saw that, he saw the united states as a beacon of freedom and opportunity and he moved here. >> we share the responsibility

of working together to spread the freedom throughout the world . we will continue to stand up for the rights of journalists all around the world, to peacefully work to hold government accountable. there are members from across the aisle on both sides who support this cause. we support the state, the press, without the press there is no transparency, without the press, the truth will come out. we may disagree on a range of issues but we are united in promoting the right to disagree for others around the world. the kind of gathering we have today is not possible in many countries. but it is possible here in the united states. we will continue to work together to ensure that others around the world have freedom of expression and protection of

the media so that they can write and discuss as we do every day here in the united states has a new ranking member on foreign affairs and steve is on that committee as well, there are many on the other side of the aisle that we stand committed to protect the rights of the press and journalists across the world. let us use this time to remember jamaal he was a dear friend of larry's and i know, we talked and texted and i know how it hurt in striking your heart and soul to the core of this gruesome and barbaric act. let us again remember him as well as all the other journalists around the world

been imprisoned and needlessly silenced. thank you for having me. [ applause ] >> i would like to invite sheila jackson lee if she would join us >> thank you larry, jamaal is just one more martyr to many, one more voice, one more new story, one more message of freedom, martyred how life lost and voice silenced. i want to honor him and thank you again for allowing us to come tip represent the international phase by looking at those in the room the value

of the press, and free speech. the first amendment is uniquely that of our constitution, the western world has similar commitments to the freedom of speech, it allows us even in this place to have discourse and disagreements but walk away and live to speak for our constituents on another day. jamaal had the world as his constituents and had oppressed in his last voice, what the world needs most is free expression to be a resounding sound all over the world. this is a stark reminder, remember those who died, bring the news

to the world what we do without light, what we do without news and information, jamaal went for a happy moment in that counselor office to be tied with his fiancie for a happy life. he belong to us and the washington post. stood for benevolence in the freedom of this nation, as we welcome him with the resident could be protect it and whose voice could be heard. so, i join you in the commitment and the horrific tragedy that has befallen his family and his loss in silence voice. but the jubilee in celebration is that we will never be silenced will join you in support to ensure that his

voice through us, will not only be heard but will be resounding and clamoring and it will be a drumbeat that is unending. to all those throughout the world who lost their life, may they rest in peace that may we not live in peace until there is peace thanks to the insecurity for the voices of freedom and journalists around the world. [ applause ] . >> we have three remaining speakers from different press organizations and i'd first like to invite jennifer egan, nancy pelosi's favorite writer. [ applause ] >> i knew her when she was just

a mom of five . >> my name is jennifer egan and i'm president of pan-american. as an organization of writers and journalists dedicated to celebrating and protecting this written expression, we grieve for our murdered colleague and his loved ones. 100 days ago, jamaal khashoggi was assassinated for writing on his commentary that pinpointed abuses and cruelty of the system in saudi arabia, a country he loved and had great hope for he was killed for being a professional journalist a writer who was widely read. as a novelist and journalist myself who works with fellow writers worldwide, jamaal khashoggi's murder felt like an assault in our family. >> we at penn america are grateful to members of congress for holding saudi arabia responsible for the killing and refusing to do business with the man who engineered this.

you hope to ensure that his slaughter, facts that would strain credulity even in a work of fiction, cannot erase his life and work. jamal khashoggi explained in one of his posts columns, i can speak when so many cannot. i want you to know that saudi arabia has not always been as it is now, we deserve better. >> we can best honor his life, work and ultimate >> prize by insisting upon our rate to speak the truth and by protecting those who speak it. in america and abroad, if we do this in his memory, his voice will endure, despite the government's depraved attempt to silence him. thank you. [ applause ]

>> margo is here from borders without borders, high margo . >> thank you to all the members of congress have taken the time to be here today. and to cohost this wonderful event and those who made it so impactful. i'm so impressed there are people standing in the room because there aren't enough seat for all who've come to a jamaal. and the director for reporters without borders, the international nonprofit organization defending journalists and freedom of the press worldwide. i want to thank you all for taking the time today to protect journalists. with these buttons that we've handed out that many of you are wearing, they are not just for

this event this afternoon. we sincerely hope that you will continue to wear them tomorrow and the day after and so on since journalists, bloggers and media workers are under threat every day. by wearing this button you are recognizing the risk they take in pursuit of the truth, the self-censorship many have been forced to practice and the sacrifices too many have already made . >> by wearing this button, can help shed life on the wrong we must write want to make sure that the sacrifices paid have not been in vain. thank you so much. [ applause ] >> from the committee to protect journalists sherry?

>> thank you for coming here today. you can consider me -- i am an egyptian activist, members of congress here in the senate have talked to the case here when egypt tried to extradite me, to send me back to egypt because of my life's work. i'm thankful personally for a lot of the people in congress and the state department and the white house have helped to make sure that i'm safe and able to talk to you today, but i also want to use this and those who've paid the price not just those imprisoned but those killed by airstrike, by the

u.s. government and the saudi coalition in yemen. it's been more than 1000 days killed in an airstrike. one of seven journalists killed in the same way as we honor hundred day memory, we want to make sure that the seven journalists killings are not supported morally or materially. thank you very much. [ applause ] . >> would been joined by the chairman of the house committee who will be our last speaker, if you have a moment .

>> i could say last but not least but i have to tell you my experience of being in this office a long time, when you're the last person you make it quick. >> i want to thank all my colleagues in the journalists who were with us and i want to thank pete from all over the world who are protecting journalism and freedom of the press every day i know there are people here who will new jamal khashoggi and worked with him and i want to convey my deepest sense of these -- sympathies. needs to be accountability for his murder. his loved ones deserve justice and we lawmakers have an obligation to push that justice. you also have the obligation of being champions of free press in all countries around the globe. america's role in the world,

cannot just be about advancing strategic and material interests. it's essential in the core of our foreign policy. democracy, human rights, the rule of law, things that make governments more transparent and responsive, make us more inclusive and prosperous and build stronger friends and partners for our own country. is nothing that shines a light on corruption better than the free press. there is nothing that reveals the play of the press and marginalized populations better than the free press. the free press possesses the greatest tool to drive progress and change and that tool is the truth. that is why journalists and journalism can be such dangerous work. when journalists seek the truth

they become the targets of those who reject the values. in far too many places around the world, journalists harass, detain archer jailed and killed for doing their jobs. so protecting journalists and advancing free and open press to be a priority. it is for me and i want you to know it will be, as the motto goes, be a part of this important work. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> i want to thank all the speakers who have spoken today. in closing, i thought i would say some about remembering the

man we are honoring today. he's a muslim. he's an arab he is a saudi and yet the most precious thing to him was freedom, freedom of the press in particular, but he was fighting for freedom. what this tells us is this is a universal value, it's not something just american but he loved america because it embodied freedom and i think it's incumbent on us to cherish our country is much as he did and to show that we support him in his fight to bring freedom to his own people will. thank you all for coming. [ applause ]

the senate confirmation hearings for william barnes to be the next attorney general begin it 9:30 am eastern on tuesday. trump nominated mr. barnes to replace jeff sessions. >>