Senate Puts $10 Million Bounty on Journalist Murderers

The Senate Friday unanimously passed a bill that would provide up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the murder of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, who were murdered by ISIS terrorists.

"One way we can honor the memories of James Foley and Steven Sotloff is to bring their evil murderers to justice, which this measure will help do,” said Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)—Sotloff was from Florida.

"I hope the House approves this at the earliest possible opportunity so that the President can sign it into law," he added. "It’s important that we send a powerful message to the Foley and Sotloff families, to the American people and to the world that the United States will work tirelessly to ensure that the deaths of these beloved journalists does not go unpunished.”

The bill modifies the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program to offer the specific reward.

That program, launched in 1984, has paid $125 million to over 80 people who provided "actionable information" on terrorists and terrorism.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.