Whereas the Capital Gazette traces its history to 1727 and is one of the oldest newspapers published in the United States; Whereas the Capital Gazette opposed the Stamp Act, a law that helped to precipitate the American Revolution; Whereas the Capital Gazette is a sister publication to the Baltimore Sun and maintains a reputation as a trusted and well-respected newspaper outlet that informs and uplifts communities in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, and Kent Island, Maryland; Whereas journalism is a cornerstone of the democratic society of the United States; Whereas local news outlets, including the Capital Gazette— (1) are focused on delivering truthful and thorough reporting, local investigation, and community advocacy; and (2) are unfettered by individuals or groups who seek to damage journalistic integrity by demonizing the media, spreading disinformation, and harassing and intimidating dedicated journalists; Whereas Thomas Jefferson said: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”; Whereas, on the afternoon of June 28, 2018, a 38-year-old gunman entered the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, with a shotgun and smoke grenades and killed 5 employees; Whereas after the Circuit Court of Prince George's County, Maryland, dismissed a spurious defamation lawsuit filed by the gunman against the Capital Gazette in 2011, the gunman held a grudge against the newspaper and harassed and threatened the staff of the newspaper and other local news outlets and local public officials; Whereas during the attack, staff inside the building remained committed to their journalistic duty and continued to report by tweeting and sharing information while their lives were in danger