I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5729 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 13, 2010 Mr. Thornberry (for himself, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Langevin, Ms. Giffords, Mr. Rehberg, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Boren, and Mr. Rohrabacher) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To modernize authorities to fight and win the war of ideas against violent extremist ideologies over the internet and other mediums of information, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the The Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2010.

2.

Dissemination abroad of information about the United States

(a)

United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948

Title V of the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1461 et seq.) is amended— (1)in the title heading, by striking abroad; and (2)by amending section 501 to read as follows:

501.The Secretary is authorized to provide for the preparation and dissemination of information intended primarily for foreign audiences abroad about the United States, including about its people, its history, and the Federal Government’s policies, through press, publications, radio, motion pictures, the internet, and other information media, and through information centers and instructors.

. (b)

Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987

Section 208 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 (22 U.S.C. 1461–1a) is amended to read as follows:

208.

Clarification on domestic distribution of program material

(a)No funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State shall be used for the purpose of influencing public opinion or propagandizing in the United States. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit or delay the Department from responding to inquiries about its operations, policies, programs, or program material, or making such available to members of the media, public, or Congress. (b)No provision of this section shall be construed or interpreted to prohibit the Department of State to engage in any medium of information on a presumption that a United States domestic audience may be exposed to program material. Such material shall be available within the United States and disseminated pursuant to sections 502 and 1005 of the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1462 and 1437). (c)The provisions of this section shall apply only to the Department of State and to no other department or agency of the Federal Government.

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