HR5704-119

What This Bill Does

This bill repeals the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013, which had allowed the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to distribute its foreign-targeted media content domestically within the United States. The bill reinstates strict prohibitions on using federal funds to influence American public opinion and bans domestic distribution of USAGM programming like Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and other government-funded foreign broadcasting.

Who Benefits and How

• American citizens concerned about government propaganda benefit by restoring a legal firewall between foreign-targeted government messaging and domestic audiences, preventing the federal government from using taxpayer-funded media operations to shape domestic public opinion.
• Transparency advocates and journalists benefit from new archival requirements that make government-produced foreign media materials accessible through the National Archives after 20 years, with clear labeling identifying the source agency, target country, and purpose.
• Congress retains oversight access to these materials for official functions.

Who Bears the Burden and How

• U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and its component networks (Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, etc.) face new restrictions on how they can distribute content domestically and must limit social media use to official State Department or USAGM platforms for foreign dissemination.
• The National Archives takes on new responsibilities as custodian of all USAGM-produced materials, must develop regulations for public access, and must manage a fee system for material releases.
• State Department and USAGM staff face clearer restrictions on domestic outreach, though they may still provide factual information about operations and respond to public inquiries.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits any funds appropriated to the State Department or USAGM from being used to influence public opinion in the United States
• Bans domestic distribution of USAGM program materials except for Congressional oversight
• Restricts USAGM's use of social media to only official government platforms for foreign dissemination
• Requires all foreign-targeted materials to be archived and made publicly accessible after 20 years
• Mandates that archived materials carry permanent identifiers showing the producing agency, target region, and program purpose
• Preserves exceptions for educational/cultural exchange programs and allows USAGM employees to respond to public inquiries about operations