[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7942 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7942

   To establish the Open Translation Center, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 11, 2024

  Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mr. Gallagher) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To establish the Open Translation Center, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Open Translation Center Act of 
2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The success of United States foreign policy depends on 
        the ability to accurately perceive and understand other 
        countries' foreign and domestic policies.
            (2) Open source materials published by the People's 
        Republic of China and other nations offer a uniquely valuable 
        window into the politics, policy, ideology, intentions, and 
        activities of those countries.
            (3) A lack of foreign language speakers greatly hinders 
        United States policymakers, journalists, academics, students, 
        and others' ability to understand the People's Republic of 
        China and other nations and governments.
            (4) During the Cold War, the Foreign Broadcast Information 
        Service provided translations and open source analysis that 
        nourished generations of diplomats, journalists, academics, 
        students, and others.
            (5) Today, a public translation and analysis organization 
        is needed to support the development of United States foreign 
        policy and to enrich public understanding.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a federally funded research and development 
center to be known as the ``Open Translation Center'' (referred to in 
this section as ``OTC'').

SEC. 4. INCORPORATION.

    (a) In General.--OTC shall be--
            (1) administered as a separate entity by an organization 
        managing a federally funded research and development center on 
        the date of the enactment of this Act; or
            (2) incorporated as a nonprofit membership corporation.
    (b) Board.--OTC shall be headed by a board that consists of five 
members to be appointed as follows:
            (1) Two members shall be appointed by the Secretary of 
        State.
            (2) Two members shall be appointed by the Director of 
        National Intelligence.
            (3) One member shall be appointed by the Register of 
        Copyrights.
    (c) Term; Qualifications.--
            (1) In general.--Each member appointed to the board of OTC 
        in accordance with subsection (b) shall serve for a term of 3 
        years, and may be re-appointed to consecutive terms.
            (2) Initial term.--Notwithstanding subsection (c), the 
        initial term of one the two members first appointed by the 
        Secretary of State in accordance with subsection (b) and one of 
        the two members first so appointed by the Director of National 
        Intelligence shall be 2 years.
            (3) Qualifications.--Members of the board shall be 
        appointed from among individuals with expertise in translation, 
        publishing, domestic and international copyright law, media, 
        foreign languages, area studies, or international relations, 
        and shall make all decisions independently from the United 
        States Government. No member of the board may be an employee or 
        official of the United States during the term served by such 
        member.
    (d) Chair.--The Chair of the board of OTC shall be elected from 
among the members of the board.

SEC. 5. PURPOSE AND MISSION.

    The purpose and mission of OTC is the following:
            (1) The translation, analysis, and public dissemination of 
        foreign language government and other documents from designated 
        countries, for the purposes of enhancing the understanding of 
        such countries' governments, governing organizations, 
        militaries, economies, and cultures.
            (2) To provide proper context and explanations of 
        translated foreign-language material to enhance the ability of 
        consumers to understand the meaning and significance of such 
        translated material.
            (3) To strive to make as much translated foreign-language 
        material publicly available as possible, and to provide 
        summaries of important foreign-language material that cannot be 
        made public.
            (4) To train and develop exceptional analysts and linguists 
        with specialization regarding designated countries.

SEC. 6. DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--In furtherance of the purpose and mission 
specified in section 5, OTC shall--
            (1) translate into the English language documents and 
        information from designated countries;
            (2) provide analyses, summaries, and important context for 
        material translated pursuant to paragraph (1), and other 
        untranslated material, including--
                    (A) biographical sketches and information on 
                important leaders;
                    (B) descriptions and background on political 
                processes, important bodies, companies, economic 
                systems, and military weapons systems and doctrines;
                    (C) definitions and analysis of important concepts 
                and phrases;
                    (D) information regarding changes over time in the 
                policies and intentions of governments, militaries, and 
                governing organizations; and
                    (E) other issues that are of significance for 
                understanding designated countries;
            (3) cooperate with other relevant Federal agencies 
        regarding any effort consistent with such purpose and mission;
            (4) make available on a publicly accessible website--
                    (A) all analyses and summaries created pursuant to 
                subsection (a)(2); and
                    (B) except for any material that OTC determines not 
                to make available pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(F), all 
                translated materials under subsection (a); and
            (5) with respect to translated materials that OTC 
        determines not to make available pursuant to subsection 
        (b)(1)(F)--
                    (A) to the extent possible, provide such materials 
                free of charge to all United States Government 
                employees, Members of Congress, and congressional 
                staff, as well as to organizations and individuals who 
                have relevant contracts or grants with the United 
                States Government or any part thereof; or
                    (B) as appropriate, provide summaries and analyses 
                of such materials to the persons described in 
                subparagraph (A).
    (b) Methodology.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out this section and section 
        5, OTC shall--
                    (A) establish the capabilities to acquire, retain, 
                train, and develop exceptional analytical and 
                linguistic expertise in designated countries and 
                designated languages;
                    (B) use software, programs, artificial 
                intelligence, and other technologies to ensure timely 
                translations;
                    (C) seek input from technical, regional, and 
                subject matter experts from a wide range of relevant 
                disciplines, to review, provide feedback, and evaluate 
                translations and analyses;
                    (D) maximize cooperation with the public and 
                private sectors in the United States, including Federal 
                agencies, as well as with United States allies and 
                partners, to maximize efficiencies, acquire source 
                materials, and eliminate duplication of efforts;
                    (E) select materials, such as the materials 
                described in paragraph (2), to translate and analyze on 
                the basis of--
                            (i) the significance of the material for 
                        United States policymakers as well as for 
                        journalists, academics, and the general public; 
                        and
                            (ii) the ability of such material to 
                        enhance the understanding of the politics, 
                        policies, intentions, ideologies, militaries, 
                        businesses, technologies, science, or cultures 
                        of designated countries; and
                    (F) in selecting material to translate under 
                subparagraph (E) and in making material available under 
                subsection (a)(4), consider whether the translation or 
                dissemination of such material would be consistent with 
                domestic and international commitments on copyright, 
                including title 17, United States Code.
            (2) Examples of materials to be translated.--The materials 
        described in this paragraph are the following materials from a 
        designated country:
                    (A) Official and unofficial government, governing 
                organization, and military documents and reports.
                    (B) Speeches of relevant government, political, 
                governing organization, and military officials.
                    (C) Official and semiofficial government, governing 
                organization, and military journals.
                    (D) News articles and commentary from government, 
                governing organization, or other quasi-official 
                sources.
                    (E) Documents and other information by state-owned 
                businesses and entities.
                    (F) Other information, including internet and 
                social media posts.
    (c) Copyrights.--
            (1) Translations deemed government works.--A work prepared 
        by an employee or contractor of the OTC for the purpose of the 
        dissemination of such work by OTC shall be deemed a work of the 
        United States Government under section 105(a) of title 17, 
        United States Code.
            (2) No less favorable treatment.--In accordance with the 
        Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property 
        Rights of the World Trade Organization, the Berne Convention 
        for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, other World 
        Intellectual Property Organization regulations and treaties, 
        and other relevant international treaties and agreements, OTC 
        shall treat foreign material no less favorably than national 
        materials are treated for purpose of copyrights.
    (d) Limitation.--OTC may not publish any translation until such 
translation has been reviewed and approved for accuracy by OTC.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION.

    (a) In General.--In carrying out the duties described in section 6, 
OTC may consult and cooperate with--
            (1) relevant Federal agencies and grantees of the U.S. 
        Agency for Global Media, regarding any effort consistent with 
        the purposes of this Act, including--
                    (A) collecting source material;
                    (B) avoiding duplication of effort;
                    (C) details of employees; and
                    (D) training; and
            (2) other relevant stakeholders, including--
                    (A) nonprofit research institutes;
                    (B) institutions of higher education; and
                    (C) media organizations.
    (b) Foreign Governments.--OTC is authorized to consult and 
cooperate with any foreign government beginning on the date that is 14 
days after--
            (1) the Secretary of State certifies that it is in the 
        national interest for OTC to cooperate and consult with that 
        foreign government; and
            (2) the Secretary of State provides to the relevant 
        congressional committees such certification.

SEC. 8. SPONSORSHIP.

    (a) Sponsors.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall be the 
        primary sponsor of OTC.
            (2) Agreements.--The Secretary of State may enter into 
        agreements with other relevant Federal agencies to provide 
        additional sponsors of OTC.
            (3) Notification.--The Secretary of State shall notify the 
        relevant congressional committees of any additional sponsors 
        for OTC not later than 15 days after entering into an agreement 
        under paragraph (2).
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of State should enter into a sponsorship agreement pursuant 
to subsection (a)(2) with the Director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency.
    (c) Agreement.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall seek to 
        enter into a sponsoring agreement with respect to OTC that 
        requires OTC to carry out the duties described in sections 5 
        and 6.
            (2) Consistency with requirements prescribed by 
        administrator for federal procurement policy.--The 
        Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy shall prescribe 
        general requirements for the sponsoring agreement entered into 
        under paragraph (1).

SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``governing organization'' means any national 
        body separate from a foreign government that maintains ultimate 
        control over such government, including political parties that 
        exercise functions normally reserved for governments.
            (2) The term ``designated countries'' means--
                    (A) the People's Republic of China; and
                    (B) other countries as determined by the board 
                established under section 4(b), in consultation with 
                the Secretary of State.
            (3) The term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
            (4) The term ``designated languages'' means--
                    (A) languages identified as critical languages by 
                the Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship 
                Program; and
                    (B) other languages as determined by the board 
                established pursuant to section 4, in consultation with 
                the Secretary of State.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for OTC--
            (1) $85,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028; 
        and
            (3) such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year 
        thereafter.
                                 <all>