[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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