Foxx wants to ban press from Speaker’s Lobby off House floor

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) floated a proposal Wednesday that would ban press from the Speaker’s Lobby near the House floor.

In an interview with 535 Media , Foxx was asked by journalist Paul Kane if there were any ideas she heard on Member’s Day that she shared with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his staff that the party has to “move into.”

“You might not like this one, but had a lot of support, was to not allow the press in the Speaker’s Lobby,” the lawmaker said. “People are very irritated about the press being right off the floor, so there was a lot of sentiment on behalf of that.”

Named for the portraits of past House Speakers lining its walls, the Speaker’s Lobby has traditionally been a place where lawmakers, staff and journalists have gathered during floor votes. It has also served as a place where messages can be sent to members on the House floor.

The hallway, located on the south side of the House chamber, was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic except for lawmakers and staff.

It reopened in 2021, and was the site where Ashli Babbit, a Jan. 6 rioter, was fatally shot while trying to interrupt Congress from ratifying the election results.

Foxx’s remarks follow Trump administration moves to enact new restrictions on reporters covering the Pentagon — including new credentialing rules, barring reporters from the press office and escorts throughout the building

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued last year that reporter restrictions were necessary to quash unauthorized leaks of classified information and safeguard national security.

The Protecting Pentagon Press Access Act was introduced in August to reverse Hegseth’s restrictions and restore journalists’ access within the Pentagon.