Washington - The U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to approve the Free Flow of Information Act, which would shield bloggers who derive "financial gain or livelihood" from their efforts from having to identify confidential sources, CNET News.com reported.

"Today, we are reclaiming one of the most fundamental principles enshrined by the founding fathers in the First Amendment of the Constitution," Committee chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said before the vote.

The bill was sponsored by Reps. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.), and co-sponsored by 69 others, but also found opposition on both sides of the aisle, on issues such as the relative ease for bloggers to set up advertising sales and take advantage of the proposed law, and national security concerns.

The bill's sponsors said they would work with opponents to perhaps change the definition of who exactly will be covered by the law before it goes for a vote before the full House.

A Senate version of the bill has yet to be considered.

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2r967j (Rep. Boucher statement)

http://tinyurl.com/3239mv (CNET)