Open Technology Fund Authorization Act
Latest action · May 21, 2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
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 21, 2020
- Passed SenateNot reached
- Passed HouseNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Open Technology Fund Authorization Act
This bill authorizes the existing Open Technology Fund (OTF) as an independent grantee within the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
The OTF is an independent nonprofit organization within the purview of the USAGM that supports the development of internet freedom technologies that create ways to counter censorship efforts.
As an independent grantee authorized by this bill, the OTF shall seek to advance freedom of the press and unrestricted internet access in repressive environments through functions such as
- researching, developing, implementing, and maintaining secure communications tools and technologies that circumvent censorship techniques used to limit or block access to the internet;
- advancing internet freedom by supporting private and public sector efforts to provide secure and uncensored access to the internet; and
- developing, acquiring, and distributing internet freedom technologies and techniques to fully enable the creation and distribution of digital content between and to all users and audiences.
To advance freedom of the press and unrestricted internet access, the OTF shall use methods that include
- supporting fully open-source tools, code, and components that are as secure, transparent, and accessible as possible;
- supporting technologies that undergo comprehensive security audits; and
- establishing safeguards to mitigate the use of supported technologies for illicit purposes.
The Department of State must report on the effectiveness of the OTF and the extent to which U.S. interests are being served by its work, and the Government Accountability Office shall have access to all information pertaining to financial transactions as may be necessary to facilitate an audit.
Cosponsors 3
Members who signed on, in the order they did. All signed on May 21, 2020.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-FL | Rick Scott | Original | May 21, 2020 |
| D-NJ | Robert Menendez | Original | May 21, 2020 |
| D-OR | Ron Wyden | Original | May 21, 2020 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- May 21, 2020Introduced in Senate
- May 21, 2020Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 4049 | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 | Related bill | Aug 7, 2020 |
| HR 6621 | Open Technology Fund Authorization Act | Related bill | Apr 24, 2020 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Accounting and auditing
- Advanced technology and technological innovations
- Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies
- Business records
- Computer security and identity theft
- Computers and information technology
- Congressional oversight
- Digital media
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Foreign aid and international relief
- Human rights
- International Affairs
- International exchange and broadcasting
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- News media and reporting
- Research administration and funding
- Research and development
- Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- May 21, 2020Introduced in Senate
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.