Hawai'i Congressman Neil Abercrombie was the only Democrat in the U.S. House to vote against a bill that would protect the confidentiality of reporters' sources in most federal court cases.

Yesterday's vote was 398-21, with Abercrombie joining 20 Republicans in opposition to the measure. It was supported by Hawai'i Rep. Mazie Hirono, 221 other Democrats and 176 Republicans.

Abercrombie spokesman Dave Helfert said the lawmaker opposed the bill because it would violate the First Amendment.

"He believes, and he states, that the Constitution says that Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of the press," Helfert said. "Therefore, Congress has no regulatory authority of any kind over freedom of the press, either to give it — to give protection — or take away."

Helfert said Abercrombie introduced a similar bill for Hawai'i when he was a state lawmaker in the mid-1970s, but changed his mind.