(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on June 22, 2010. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) public access to accurate information is imperative for promoting government accountability and the protection of human rights; (2) Radio Free Asia (RFA) provides a vital voice to people in Asia; (3) some of the governments in Asia spend millions of dollars each year to jam RFA; and (4) Congress should provide additional and permanent funding for RFA.
Amends the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 to make permanent the authority of the Broadcasting Board of Governors to make grants to operate RFA.
[111th Congress Public Law 202]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 124 STAT. 1373]]
Public Law 111-202
111th Congress
An Act
To permanently authorize Radio Free Asia, and for other
purposes. <<NOTE: July 13, 2010 - [S. 3104]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 22 USC 6208 note.>> FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Radio Free Asia (referred to in this Act as ``RFA'')--
(A) was authorized under section 309 of the United
States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C.
6208);
(B) was incorporated as a private, non-profit
corporation in March 1996 in the hope that its
operations would soon be obviated by the global
advancement of democracy; and
(C) is headquartered in Washington, DC, with
additional offices in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Phnom Penh,
Seoul, Ankara, and Taipei.
(2) RFA broadcasts serve as substitutes for indigenous free
media in regions lacking free media outlets.
(3) The mission of RFA is ``to provide accurate and timely
news and information to Asian countries whose governments
prohibit access to a free press'' in order to enable informed
decisionmaking by the people within Asia.
(4) RFA provides daily broadcasts of news, commentary,
analysis, and cultural programming to Asian countries in several
languages, including--
(A) 12 hours per day in Mandarin;
(B) 8 hours per day in 3 Tibetan dialects, Uke,
Kham, and Amdo;
(C) 4 hours per day in Korean and Burmese;
(D) 2 hours per day in Cantonese, Vietnamese,
Laotian, Khmer (Cambodian), and Uyghur; and
(E) 1\1/2\ hours per week in Wu (local Shanghai
dialect).
(5) The governments of the countries targeted for these
broadcasts have consistently denied and blocked attempts at
Medium Wave and FM transmissions into their countries, forcing
RFA to rely on Shortwave broadcasts and the Internet.
(6) RFA has provided continuous online news to its Asian
audiences since 2004, although some countries--
(A) routinely and aggressively block RFA's website;
(B) monitor access to RFA's website; and
(C) discourage online users by making it illegal to
access RFA's website.
[[Page 124 STAT. 1374]]
(7) Despite these attempts, RFA has successfully managed to
reach its online audiences through proxies, cutting-edge
software, and active republication and repostings by its
audience.
(8) RFA also provides forums for local opinions and
experiences through message boards, podcasts, web logs (blogs),
cell phone-distributed newscasts, and new media, including
Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and YouTube.
(9) Freedom House has documented that freedom of the press
is in decline in nearly every region of the world, particularly
in Asia, where none of the countries served by RFA have
increased their freedom of the press during the past 5 years.
(10) In fiscal year 2010, RFA is operating on a $37,000,000
budget, less than $400,000 of which is available to fund
Internet censorship circumvention.
(11) Congress currently provides grant funding for RFA's
operations on a fiscal year basis.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE SENATE.
It is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) public access to timely, uncensored, and accurate
information is imperative for promoting government
accountability and the protection of human rights;
(2) Radio Free Asia provides a vital voice to people in
Asia;
(3) some of the governments in Asia spend millions of
dollars each year to jam RFA's shortwave, block its Internet
sites;
(4) Congress should provide additional funding to RFA and
the other entities overseen by the Broadcasting Board of
Governors for--
(A) Internet censorship circumvention; and
(B) enhancement of their cyber security efforts; and
(5) permanently authorizing funding for Radio Free Asia
would--
(A) reflect the concern that media censorship and
press restrictions in the countries served by RFA have
increased since RFA was established; and
(B) send a powerful signal of our Nation's support
for free press in Asia and throughout the world.
SEC. 3. PERMANENT AUTHORIZATION FOR RADIO FREE ASIA.
Section 309 of the United States International Broadcasting Act of
1994 (22 U.S.C. 6208) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``, and shall further
specify that funds to carry out the activities of Radio Free
Asia may not be available after September 30, 2010'';
(2) by striking subsection (f);
(3) by redesignating subsections (g) and (h) as subsection
(f) and (g), respectively; and
(4) in subsection (f), as redesignated--
(A) by striking ``The Board'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) Notification.--The Board'';
(B) by striking ``before entering'' and inserting
the following: ``before--
``(A) entering'';
(C) by striking ``Radio Free Asia.'' and inserting
the following: ``Radio Free Asia; or
[[Page 124 STAT. 1375]]
``(B) entering into any agreements in regard to the
utilization of Radio Free Asia transmitters, equipment,
or other resources that will significantly reduce the
broadcasting activities of Radio Free Asia.'';
(D) by striking ``The Chairman'' and inserting the
following:
``(2) Consultation.--The Chairman''; and
(E) by inserting ``or Radio Free Asia broadcasting
activities'' before the period at the end.
Approved July 13, 2010.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 3104:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SENATE REPORTS: No. 111-214 (Comm. on Foreign Relations).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 156 (2010):
June 25, considered and passed Senate.
June 30, considered and passed House.
<all>
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Kerry with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 111-214.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 439.
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S5462-5463; text as passed in Senate: CR S5463)
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5462-5463; text as passed in Senate: CR S5463)
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Received in the House.
Held at the desk.
Ms. Watson moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5275-5277)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 3104.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5275)
Enacted as Public Law 111-202
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On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5275)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Cleared for White House.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Became Public Law No: 111-202.
Became Public Law No: 111-202.