#aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#bahc  ,,an ,,act  ,united ,states      
international programming to ,ukraine   
and neighboring regions4  #a4 ,,findings
 ,,and ,,declarations  7a7 ,congress    
finds and declares the following3  7#a7 
,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 inflammatory2  7#b7
 ,united ,states international          
programming exists to advance the       
,united ,states interests and values by 
presenting accurate and comprehensive   
news and information1 which is the      
foundation for democratic governance2   
7#c7 ,the opinions and views of the     
,ukrainian people1 especially those     
people located in the eastern regions   
and ,crimea1 are not being accurately   
represented in ,russian dominated mass  
media2  7#d7 ,russian forces have seized
 more than five television stations in  

,crimea and taken over transmissions1   
switching to a #bd_/g ,russian          
propaganda format2 this increase in     
programming augments the already robust 
pro-,russian programming to ,ukraine2   
7#e7 ,united ,states international      
programming has the potential to combat 
this anti-democratic propaganda4  7b7   
,programming ,radio ,free               
,europe_/,radio ,liberty 7,,rfe_/,,rl71 
,incorporated1 and the ,voice of        
,america service to ,ukraine and        
neighboring regions shall-- 7#a7 provide
 news and information that is           
accessible1 credible1 and accurate2     
7#b7 emphasize investigative and        
analytical journalism to highlight      
inconsistencies and misinformation      
provided by ,russian or pro-,russian    
media outlets2  7#c7 prioritize         
programming to areas where access to    
uncensored sources of information is    
limited or non-existent1 especially     
populations serviced by ,russian        
supported media outlets2  7#d7 increase 

the number of reporters and             
organizational presence in eastern      
,ukraine1 especially in ,crimea2  7#e7  
promote democratic processes1 respect   
for human rights1 freedom of the press1 
and territorial sovereignty2 and  7#f7  
take necessary preparatory steps to     
continue and increase programming and   
content that promotes democracy and     
government transparency in ,russia4  7c7
 ,programming surge ,,rfe_/,,rl1        
,incorporated1 and ,voice of ,america   
programming to ,ukraine and neighboring 
regions shall-- 7#a7 prioritize         
programming to eastern ,ukraine1        
including ,crimea1 and ,moldova1 and to 
ethnic and linguistic ,russian          
populations1 as well as to ,tatar       
minorities2  7#b7 prioritize news and   
information that directly contributes to
 the target audiences' understanding of 
political and economic developments in  
,ukraine and ,moldova1 including        
countering misinformation that may      
originate from other news outlets1      

especially ,russian supported news      
outlets2  7#c7 provide programming      
content #bd hours a day1 seven days a   
week to target populations1 using all   
available and effective distribution    
outlets1 including-- 7,a7 at least #h   
weekly hours of total original          
television and video content in         
,ukrainian1 ,russian1 and ,tatar        
languages1 not inclusive of live video  
streaming coverage of breaking news1 to 
be distributed on satellite1 digital1   
and through regional television         
affiliates by the ,voice of ,america2   
and  7,b7 at least #ad weekly hours the 
total audio content in ,ukrainian1      
,russian1 and ,tatar languages to be    
distributed on satellite1 digital1 and  
through regional radio affiliates of    
,,rfe_/,,rl1 ,incorporated2  7#d7 expand
 the use1 audience1 and audience        
engagement of mobile news and multimedia
 platforms by ,,rfe_/,,rl1              
,incorporated1 and the ,voice of        
,america1 including through             

,internet-based social networking       
platforms2 and  7#e7 partner with       
private sector broadcasters and         
affiliates to seek and start            
co-production for new1 original content1
 when possible1 to increase             
distribution4  7d7 ,authorization of    
appropriations ,there is authorized to  
be appropriated for fiscal year #bjad1  
in addition to funds otherwise made     
available for such purposes1 up to      
#aj1jjj1jjj to carry out programming in 
the ,ukrainian1 ,balkan1 ,russian1 and  
,tatar language services of ,,rfe_/,,rl1
 ,incorporated1 and the ,voice of       
,america1 for the purpose of bolstering 
existing ,united ,states programming to 
the people of ,ukraine and neighboring  
regions1 and increasing programming     
capacity and jamming circumvention      
technology to overcome any disruptions  
to service4  7e7 ,report ,not later than
 #ae days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 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 7a7  
and 7b74  ,passed the ,senate ,march    
#bg1 #bjad4  ,secretary