[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3607-S3608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6485. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Tillis) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle E of title XII, add the following:
SEC. 1270A. GRANTS TO UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA
BROADCASTERS.
Section 305 of the United States International Broadcasting
Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6204) is amended by adding at the end
the following:
``(d) Grants Required.--
``(1) In general.--Pursuant to the authority under
subsection (a)(5), the Chief Executive Officer shall award
annual grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free
Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks to enable
such entities to carry out the purposes specified in this
Act.
``(2) Grant agreements.--Grants required under paragraph
(1) shall be awarded pursuant to grant agreements between the
Chief Executive Officer and the respective entities that--
``(A) require grant funds to be used for activities that
the Boards of Directors of such entities determine are
consistent with their respective bylaws and the purposes
specified in this Act and other Acts of Congress;
``(B) require such entities to comply with the requirements
of this Act and other Acts of Congress; and
``(C) do not require such entities to comply with
requirements other than those specified in this Act and other
Acts of Congress.
``(3) Source of funds.--Grants required under paragraph (1)
shall be made with funds appropriated or allocated for each
of the entities referred to in such paragraph under the
headings `International Broadcasting Operations' and
`Broadcasting Capital Improvements' or any successor accounts
appropriated for such purposes.
``(4) Use of funds.--Grant funds awarded under paragraph
(1) may be used by the entities referred to in such paragraph
purposes specified in this Act.
``(5) Inapplicability of other limitations.--Any otherwise
applicable limitations on the purposes for which funds
appropriated may be used shall not apply to grant funds
awarded to the entities referred to in paragraph (1).
``(6) Timely disbursement of appropriations.--Not later
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of the relevant
appropriations Act, the Chief Executive Officer shall execute
grant agreements, obligate and disburse in full the amounts
appropriated by Congress for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,
Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks.
``(7) Congressional notification.--
``(A) Defined term.--In this paragraph, the term `major
grant modification' means any action that materially alters
the amount, duration, scope, terms, conditions, governance
structure, personnel authorities, or operational independence
of a grantee.
``(B) In general.--Not later than 90 days after any
proposed major grant modification under this subsection, the
Chief Executive Officer shall submit a report identifying
such proposed major grant modification and containing a list
of the proposed changes to the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate,
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
``(C) Contents.--Each report required under subparagraph
(B) shall include--
``(i) a detailed accounting of the proposed major grant
modifications;
``(ii) a rationale for each of the proposed major grant
modifications; and
``(iii) an explanation of how proposed changes will not
interfere with the broadcasters' professional independence
and integrity.
``(D) Limitation.--No proposed major grant modification may
take effect before the date that is 90 days after the
submission of the report required under subparagraph (B).
``(8) Limitation on major grant modifications.--In addition
to the other requirements under this Act, the Chief Executive
Officer may not withhold funding, materially reduce funding,
or materially condition a grant required under this
subsection without first submitting a written determination,
with relevant supporting documentation, to the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives that the recipient of
such grant has materially violated a provision of this Act or
a provision of any other Act of Congress.
``(9) Limitation on grant terminations.--In addition to the
other requirements under this Act, the Chief Executive
Officer may not terminate or suspend a grant required under
this subsection without--
``(A) the approval of 2/3 of the members of the
International Broadcasting Advisory Board; and
``(B) the prior submission of a written determination, with
relevant supportive evidence, to the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs
of the House of Representatives demonstrating that the
recipient of such grant has materially violated a provision
of this Act or a provision of another Act of Congress.
``(10) Private fundraising.--Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting
Networks may
[[Page S3608]]
each accept funds from non-Federal sources if such funds are
vetted and approved by the grantee's Board of Directors.''.
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