United States International Communications Reform Act of 2015
Latest action · May 21, 2015 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMay 14, 2015
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
United States International Communications Reform Act of 2015
Revises U.S. international broadcasting and communications structures, missions, and objectives.
Requires U.S. international broadcasting to incorporate specified standards.
Establishes the United States International Communications Agency (USICA), consisting of the Voice of America (VOA) and the offices of the International Broadcasting Bureau.
Directs USICA and the Freedom News Network (FNN) to ensure that U.S. international broadcasting is conducted only to countries and regions that: (1) lack democratic rule and domestic media that provides accurate news, and (2) would benefit U.S. national security.
Expresses the sense of Congress that VOA: (1) has been an indispensable element of U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy efforts, and (2) would benefit from a recalibration of federal international broadcasting agencies and resources.
Requires VOA to adhere to specified principles and carry out specified duties and responsibilities.
Requires Radio Marti and Television Marti, which constitute the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, to: (1) continue programming and content production consistent with their mission under the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act and the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act, and (2) continue to exist within VOA.
Requires USICA and FNN to consult with the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Defense, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in order to assess international developments.
Repeals the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994.
Expresses the sense of Congress that RFE/RL, Incorporated, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Incorporated share a common mission with distinct geographic foci, and should therefore be merged into a single organization with distinct marketing brands to provide news and related programming and content in countries where free media are not established.
Consolidates RFE/RL Incorporated, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Incorporated into FNN to carry out all international broadcasting activities supported by the U.S. government. Retains the brand names of the individual grantees.
Specifies FNN standards and principles, including consistency with broad U.S. foreign policy objectives.
Directs USICA and FNN to establish procedures to vet and monitor employees for affiliations to terrorist organizations, foreign governments to protect against espionage, sabotage, foreign propaganda messaging, and other subversive activities.
Cosponsors 15
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from May 14, 2015 to Jun 9, 2015, with 13 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-NJ | Albio Sires | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| D-CA | Brad Sherman | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-NJ | Christopher H. Smith | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-CA | Dana Rohrabacher | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| D-NY | Eliot L. Engel | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| D-VA | Gerald E. Connolly | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-FL | Ileana Ros-Lehtinen | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-SC | Jeff Duncan | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-AZ | Matt Salmon | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-OH | Steve Chabot | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| R-TX | Ted Poe | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| D-FL | Theodore E. Deutch | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| D-MA | William R. Keating | Original | May 14, 2015 |
| D-CA | Alan S. Lowenthal | May 20, 2015 | |
| R-MN | Erik Paulsen | Jun 9, 2015 |
Actions 4
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 21, 2015Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- May 21, 2015Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- May 14, 2015Introduced in House
- May 14, 2015Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Africa
- Broadcasting Board of Governors
- Caribbean area
- Congressional oversight
- Cuba
- Department of State
- Espionage and treason
- Executive agency funding and structure
- Federal officials
- Government buildings, facilities, and property
- Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
- Government studies and investigations
- Human rights
- International Affairs
- International exchange and broadcasting
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Latin America
- News media and reporting
- Political movements and philosophies
- Religion
- Sound recording
- Tax-exempt organizations
- Television and film
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 14, 2015Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.