[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 49 (Thursday, March 27, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1834-S1835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO UKRAINE AND NEIGHBORING 
                                REGIONS

  Mr. KING. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
immediate consideration of S. 2183, introduced earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2183) entitled ``United States International 
     Programming to Ukraine and Neighboring Regions.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the Senate has been asked to take up and 
pass by unanimous consent House legislation on U.S. international 
programming to Ukraine and neighboring regions. This House bill directs 
the Broadcasting Board of Governors to increase programming in the 
Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Ukrainian, Balkan, 
Russian, and Tatar language services, and authorizes up to an 
additional $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2014 for this purpose.
  We all support Ukraine's democracy and territorial integrity, and 
want to provide credible news and information to people in Ukraine 
whose access to uncensored information has been blocked by the Russian 
Government. I intend to ensure that current programming for Ukraine, 
Russia, and neighboring regions is not reduced in fiscal year 2014. But 
I want to remind Senators, as well as Members of the House of 
Representatives, that the Congress already enacted the fiscal year 2014 
funding level for U.S. international broadcasting to Ukraine and other 
regions of the world.
  The House bill we are adopting today does not appropriate additional 
funds. Nor does it provide offsets for the cost of additional 
broadcasting to Ukraine, Russia or the other regions specified. As 
drafted it is an unfunded mandate, which as a practical matter has no 
effect unless we are to reduce broadcasting to other critical countries 
or regions, such as Burma and Tibet, which I doubt Senators of either 
party would support.
  Consequently, this bill should be interpreted as authorizing funds to 
be appropriated for the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio 
Liberty to Ukraine and neighboring countries, consistent with the role 
of the House authorizing committee from which it originated. As 
Chairman of the Department of State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee 
that funds international broadcasting programs, I will work with the 
Broadcasting Board of Governors to ensure that additional funds are 
appropriated for these language services in fiscal year 2015 to enable 
them to sustain and strengthen critical broadcasts and programming to 
Ukraine, Russia, and neighboring regions.
  Mr. KING. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2183) was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, 
was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2183

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

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS.

       (a) Congress finds and declares the following:
       (1) The Russian Government has deliberately blocked the 
     Ukrainian people's access to uncensored sources of 
     information and has provided alternative news and information 
     that is both inaccurate and inflammatory;
       (2) United States international programming exists to 
     advance the United States interests and values by presenting 
     accurate and comprehensive news and information, which is the 
     foundation for democratic governance;
       (3) The opinions and views of the Ukrainian people, 
     especially those people located in the eastern regions and 
     Crimea, are not being accurately represented in Russian 
     dominated mass media;
       (4) Russian forces have seized more than five television 
     stations in Crimea and taken over transmissions, switching to 
     a 24/7 Russian propaganda format; this increase in 
     programming augments the already robust pro-Russian 
     programming to Ukraine;
       (5) United States international programming has the 
     potential to combat this anti-democratic propaganda.
       (b) Programming.--Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), 
     Incorporated, and the Voice of America service to Ukraine and 
     neighboring regions shall--
       (1) provide news and information that is accessible, 
     credible, and accurate;
       (2) emphasize investigative and analytical journalism to 
     highlight inconsistencies and misinformation provided by 
     Russian or pro-Russian media outlets;
       (3) prioritize programming to areas where access to 
     uncensored sources of information is limited or non-existent, 
     especially populations serviced by Russian supported media 
     outlets;
       (4) increase the number of reporters and organizational 
     presence in eastern Ukraine, especially in Crimea;
       (5) promote democratic processes, respect for human rights, 
     freedom of the press, and territorial sovereignty; and
       (6) take necessary preparatory steps to continue and 
     increase programming and content that promotes democracy and 
     government transparency in Russia.
       (c) Programming Surge.--RFE/RL, Incorporated, and Voice of 
     America programming to Ukraine and neighboring regions 
     shall--
       (1) prioritize programming to eastern Ukraine, including 
     Crimea, and Moldova, and to ethnic and linguistic Russian 
     populations, as well as to Tatar minorities;
       (2) prioritize news and information that directly 
     contributes to the target audiences' understanding of 
     political and economic developments in Ukraine and Moldova, 
     including countering misinformation that may originate from 
     other news outlets, especially Russian supported news 
     outlets;
       (3) provide programming content 24 hours a day, seven days 
     a week to target populations, using all available and 
     effective distribution outlets, including--
       (A) at least 8 weekly hours of total original television 
     and video content in Ukrainian, Russian, and Tatar languages, 
     not inclusive of live video streaming coverage of breaking 
     news, to be distributed on satellite, digital, and through 
     regional television affiliates by the Voice of America; and
       (B) at least 14 weekly hours the total audio content in 
     Ukrainian, Russian, and Tatar languages to be distributed on 
     satellite, digital, and through regional radio affiliates of 
     RFE/RL, Incorporated;

[[Page S1835]]

       (4) expand the use, audience, and audience engagement of 
     mobile news and multimedia platforms by RFE/RL, Incorporated, 
     and the Voice of America, including through Internet-based 
     social networking platforms; and
       (5) partner with private sector broadcasters and affiliates 
     to seek and start co-production for new, original content, 
     when possible, to increase distribution.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated for fiscal year 2014, in addition to funds 
     otherwise made available for such purposes, up to $10,000,000 
     to carry out programming in the Ukrainian, Balkan, Russian, 
     and Tatar language services of RFE/RL, Incorporated, and the 
     Voice of America, for the purpose of bolstering existing 
     United States programming to the people of Ukraine and 
     neighboring regions, and increasing programming capacity and 
     jamming circumvention technology to overcome any disruptions 
     to service.
       (e) Report.--Not later than 15 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Broadcasting Board of Governors 
     shall submit to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committees on Foreign Relations and Appropriations of the 
     Senate a detailed report on plans to increase broadcasts 
     pursuant to subsections (a) and (b).

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