,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #ejd #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cijj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,february #bd1 #bjbf,mr4 ,mc,cormick 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,mr4 ,curtis1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,mr4 ,schiff1 ,ms4 ,collins1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mrs4 ,capito1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,mr4 ,sullivan1 ,mr4 ,fetterman1 ,mr4 ,justice1 ,mr4 ,warnock1 ,mr4 ,cornyn1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 and ,mr4 ,kaine7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,july #bg1 #bjbf,reported by ,mr4 ,risch1 with an amendment,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to promote human rights1 internet freedom and accountability in ,iran1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,iran ,human ,rights1 ,internet ,freedom1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,findings2 statement of policy 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,for nearly five decades1 the people of ,iran have endured brutal repression under the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran1 a regime that denies basic human rights1 silences dissidents1 and responds to peaceful protest with violence4 7#b7 ,the people of ,iran have repeatedly and courageously taken to the streets to demand economic opportunity1 human rights1 dignity1 and freedom4 7#c7 ,during the #bjbf protests1 the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran responded with brutality by reportedly killing tens of thousands of people and wounding thousands more1 arresting tens of thousands1 and restricting internet access and telephone lines4 7#d7 ,the people of ,iran are protesting the ,iranian regime's economic mismanagement1 corruption1 internal suppression1 and unjust executions4 7#e7 ,access to free expression1 open information1 and uncensored communication are fundamental human rights and critical to the survival of the ,iranian protestors4 7#f7 ,thanks in part to ,united ,states-funded efforts to support human rights and open internet access1 the ,iranian people are consistently found to be one of the most pro-,american populations in the ,middle ,east4 7#g7 ,the inspiring #bjbb ,women1 ,life1 ,freedom protests demanded an end to the ,islamic ,republic and its violence1 particularly against ,iranian women and ethnic minorities4 7#h7 ,the barbaric so-called morality police and other arms of state suppression have a lengthy history of repressing the ,iranian people's fundamental freedoms4 7#i7 ,the ,iranian regime has engaged in systematic efforts to intimidate1 harass1 detain1 and harm political dissidents1 activists1 and journalists both within ,iran and beyond its borders4 7#aj7 ,the people of ,iran deserve the right to dignity1 democracy1 and self-determination and to be free from the brutality of the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran4 7b7 ,statement of policy ,it shall be the policy of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 to recognize the right of the ,iranian people to freely determine1 through free and fair elections1 the future leadership of their country2 7#b7 to facilitate the immediate expansion of unrestricted internet access and civilian lines of communication across ,iran2 7#c7 to support the internationally recognized human rights of ,iranians and ,united ,states programs to assist ,iranian civil society1 including in their credible documentation1 reporting1 and accountability efforts of abuses in ,iran2 7#d7 to fully enforce sanctions against regime violators of internationally recognized human rights and their family members1 including any family members and associates in the ,united ,states that continue to directly or indirectly provide support to the regime2 and 7#e7 to work in coordination with its allies to consider appropriate measures to deter further lethal violence against protesters4 #c4 ,improved coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom in ,iran 7a7 ,duties of the ,secretary of ,state ,the ,secretary of ,state shall be the ,federal official with the primary responsibility for-- 7#a7 promoting widespread internet freedom in ,iran and expanding access to information for ,iranian citizens2 7#b7 coordinating all efforts carried out by ,federal departments and agencies that relate to digital freedom initiatives in ,iran2 and 7#c7 serving as the principal official responsible for updating and carrying out the strategy required under section #dad of the ,iran ,threat ,reduction and ,syria ,human ,rights ,act of #bjab 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged74 7b7 ,updates to comprehensive strategy ,to promote internet freedom and access to information in ,iran 7#a7 ,updates ,section #dad of the ,iran ,threat ,reduction and ,syria ,human ,rights ,act of #bjab 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged7 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking ,not later than and inserting 7,a7 ,initial strategy4--,not later than2 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#aa7 and 7#ab7 as paragraphs 7#ad7 and 7#ae71 respectively2 7,c7 by inserting after paragraph 7#aj7 the following new paragraphs3 7#aa7 evaluate the use of virtual private networks and direct-to-cell satellite technologies by civil society and internationally recognized human rights activists in ,iran and develop strategies for increasing the accessibility of such networks and technologies2 7#ab7 work with the ,department of the ,treasury and the ,department of ,commerce to ensure enforcement of sanctions does not impede companies providing to ,iranian civilians the technology and other tools necessary to access the open internet2 7#ac7 assess the ability of the ,iranian regime to cut off all access to the internet and develop a strategy to circumvent internet blackouts for ,iranian civil society2 2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end of the following new subsection3 7b7 ,updates ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 the ,secretary of ,commerce1 and the heads of other ,federal departments and agencies as appropriate1 shall review the strategy under subsection 7a7 on an ongoing basis and update the strategy as appropriate1 taking into account the results of such review4 4 7#b7 ,submission of first updates 7,a7 ,submission ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall-- 7i7 review and update the strategy pursuant to section #dad7;b7 of the ,iran ,threat ,reduction and ,syria ,human ,rights ,act of #bjab 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged71 as added by paragraph 7#a72 and 7ii7 submit such updated strategy to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,b7 ,form ,the strategy under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be submitted in an unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 #d4 ,internet freedom and censorship circumvention 7a7 ,internet freedom report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of the ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,federal ,communications ,commission and the ,department of the ,treasury1 shall prepare and submit to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a report that updates and supplements the report required under section #eabd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7,public ,law #aah-aei74 7#b7 ,additional matters to be included ,updates to the strategy required in section #eabd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a7 shall also include the following3 7,a7 ,an assessment of the feasibility of using direct-to-cell wireless communications technologies to expand internet access for the people of ,iran1 including technical1 regulatory1 and security considerations4 7,b7 ,an analysis of how drone-based platforms1 signal-jamming technologies1 and related countermeasures could impact the feasibility1 security1 economics1 and resilience of such direct-to-cell wireless communications4 7,c7 ,a survey of terrestrial and non-terrestrial telecommunications service providers currently active in ,iran1 including-- 7i7 whether such providers are state-owned or state-controlled2 7ii7 the extent of foreign participation or investment in such providers2 7iii7 the implications of such ownership and control for communications freedom and censorship2 and 7iv7 any other relevant information to assess the opportunities and risks associated with terrestrial and non-terrestrial communications technologies in ,iran4 7#c7 ,form ,the report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7b7 ,extension and increase of authorization for ,iran ,internet ,freedom ,grant ,program ,section #eabd7;b77#e77;,a7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a7b77#e77;,a77 is amended by inserting and not less than #bj1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjcj after #ae1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbe and #bjbf4 7c7 ,development of internet access technologies 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,department of ,state1 in coordination with the ,department of ,defense1 the ,united ,states ,agency for ,global ,media1 and other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 shall form a joint working group 7referred to as the ,working ,group7 to support the development of low-cost1 easily scalable1 and rapidly deployable technologies to counter internet shutdowns or limitations on network access abroad1 particularly those imposed by adversary countries1 to enable populations to overcome such restrictions4 7#b7 ,objectives ,in carrying out the responsibilities under subsection 7a71 the ,working ,group shall prioritize the following objectives3 7,a7 ,identifying and supporting the development of technologies capable of overcoming internet blackouts and network disruptions imposed by an adversary country and facilitating internet and network access1 including-- 7i7 low-earth orbit satellite internet infrastructure2 7ii7 mesh networking solutions2 and 7iii7 portable and deployable communication systems4 7,b7 ,virtual private networks 7commonly known as ,v,p,ns71 including-- 7i7 collaborating with industry1 academia1 and relevant stakeholders to accelerate the research1 development1 and deployment of such technologies2 7ii7 conducting pilot programs and field experiments to test the effectiveness and scalability of developed solutions in real-world settings2 and 7iii7 providing technical assistance and resources to partner organizations1 governments1 and nongovernmental entities engaged in efforts to expand internet access4 7,c7 ,identifying and evaluating off-the-shelf technologies that could be rapidly procured and deployed to address internet access challenges in targeted regions4 7#c7 ,collaboration with the ,federal ,acquisition ,institute ,the ,working ,group shall collaborate with the ,federal ,acquisition ,institute to leverage expertise in acquisition processes and practices related to carrying out the objectives under paragraph 7#b7 with the aim of-- 7,a7 integrating best practices in defense acquisition into the research1 development1 and deployment processes of technologies developed by the ,working ,group to facilitate internet access2 7,b7 ensuring that technologies developed by the ,working ,group align with acquisition priorities and strategies of the ,department of ,state and the ,department of ,defense2 7,c7 providing training and educational opportunities for the ,working ,group on acquisition principles1 regulations1 and procedures1 with a focus on technology development for countering censorship and related restrictions2 7,d7 fostering dialogue and exchange of knowledge between acquisition professionals and innovation specialists to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of defense technology acquisition related to internet access technologies2 and 7,e7 collaborating on the development of acquisition strategies that prioritize the rapid acquisition and deployment of technologies aimed at countering censorship and restrictions on internet access4 7#d7 ,reporting ,the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,secretary of ,defense and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,global ,media1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report detailing the progress1 challenges1 and outcomes of the efforts undertaken pursuant to this section4 7#e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year #bjbg through #bjcj to carry out the activities described in this subsection4 7#f7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this subsection1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 #e4 ,identification of individuals supporting human rights violations 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after receiving a written request from the chairman or ranking member of any of the appropriate congressional committees regarding whether a foreign person has engaged in the conduct described in subsection 7b71 the ,president shall-- 7#a7 determine whether the foreign person has engaged in such conduct2 and 7#b7 submit to such chairman or ranking minority member a written justification detailing whether the ,president imposed the sanctions described in subsection 7c7 with respect to such person4 7b7 ,conduct described ,the conduct described in this subsection is knowingly providing material support for the ,iranian regime's abuses of internationally recognized human rights1 censorship1 or repression of the ,iranian people1 including-- 7#a7 selling1 supplying1 or transferring censorship technology1 surveillance tools1 or internet shutdown capabilities2 7#b7 any conduct sanctionable under part #efb of title #ca1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7,iranian ,human ,rights ,abuses ,sanctions ,regulations72 or 7#c7 any conduct sanctionable under the ,global ,magnitsky ,human ,rights ,accountability ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #ajaja et seq474 7c7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,house of ,representatives4 #f4 ,strategy on ,iran broadcasting and human rights assistance 7a7 ,strategy required 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in coordination with the ,chief ,executive ,officer of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,global ,media1 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to expand and enhance ,united ,states and international broadcasting efforts and ,united ,states programs to support the protection and promotion of internationally recognized human rights in ,iran4 7#b7 ,elements of the strategy ,the strategy required under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a comprehensive review and assessment of current ,united ,states ,government and international broadcasting efforts targeted at ,iran1 including ,voice of ,america ,persian ,service1 ,radio ,farda1 and other relevant programs1 including their reach1 effectiveness1 and vulnerabilities to ,iranian regime censorship1 as well as ,united ,states ,government efforts to support internationally recognized human rights and democratic civil society1 including efforts to assist in the credible documentation of abuses of internationally recognized human rights2 7,b7 specific plans and initiatives to ensure the ,iranian people have reliable access to accurate1 uncensored1 and unbiased news coverage1 including through satellite broadcasting1 digital circumvention tools1 shortwave radio1 and emerging technologies2 7,c7 programs to support independent ,iranian journalists1 media outlets1 and citizen journalists1 including grants for equipment1 training1 secure communication platforms1 and capacity-building for ,persian and other local language media2 7,d7 programs to support and train ,iranian civil society2 7,e7 coordination mechanisms with international partners1 the private sector1 and diaspora communities to amplify credible independent media2 7,f7 annual performance metrics and benchmarks for audience reach1 content impact1 and program outcomes2 and 7,g7 a multi-year budget and resource requirements plan to implement the strategy4 7#c7 ,form ,the strategy required in subsection 7a7 shall be transmitted in an unclassified form and may contain a classified annex4 7b7 ,,gao report on ,near ,east ,regional ,democracy 7,,nerd7 expenditures 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report examining ,federal expenditures under the ,near ,east ,regional ,democracy 7,,nerd7 account over fiscal years #bjbd and #bjbe4 7#b7 ,matters included ,the report shall include-- 7,a7 a detailed accounting of all ,,nerd funds obligated and expended for ,iran-related programs1 including broadcasting1 media support1 civil society assistance1 and human rights initiatives2 7,b7 an assessment of the processes used for grant allocation1 contractor oversight1 vetting of recipients1 and measuring program outcomes2 7,c7 an evaluation of the effectiveness of such programs in advancing ,united ,states policy objectives1 including expanding information access and supporting independent media within ,iran2 and 7,d7 recommendations for improving transparency1 accountability1 and impact measurement4 7c7 ,form ,the strategy and the ,,gao report required under this section shall each be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7d7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 #g4 ,cybersecurity capacity for civil society in ,iran 7a7 ,training and tools ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall establish programs-- 7#a7 to deliver remote or in-person cybersecurity training to journalists1 defenders of internationally recognized human rights1 and civil-society actors in ,iran2 7#b7 to furnish vetted open-source or commercially available digital-safety tools1 including ,,vpn services and end-to-end encrypted messaging applications2 and 7#c7 to provide multilingual educational materials that warn ,iranian users about regime-controlled applications and phishing campaigns4 7b7 ,reporting and evaluation 7#a7 ,quarterly metrics ,the ,secretary of ,state shall track and1 on a quarterly basis1 make available to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives aggregate metrics on the number of trainees1 incident-response cases1 and unique users of supported digital safety tools4 7#b7 ,independent evaluation ,not later than #c years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program carried out under this section4 7c7 ,savings clause ,nothing in this section may be construed to supersede or limit existing authority under section #djd of the ,iran ,threat ,reduction and ,syria ,human ,rights ,act of #bjab 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged7 or any other provision of law related to internet freedom programming in ,iran4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years #bjbg through #bjcj to carry out the activities described in this section4 #h4 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act may be construed as authorizing the use of military force4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,iran ,human ,rights1 ,internet ,freedom1 and ,accountability ,act of #bjbf4 #b4 ,findings2 statement of policy 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,for nearly five decades1 the people of ,iran have endured brutal repression under the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran1 a regime that denies basic human rights1 silences dissidents1 and responds to peaceful protest with violence4 7#b7 ,the people of ,iran have repeatedly and courageously taken to the streets to demand economic opportunity1 human rights1 dignity1 and freedom4 7#c7 ,during the #bjbf protests1 the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran responded with brutality by reportedly killing tens of thousands of people and wounding thousands more1 arresting tens of thousands1 and restricting internet access and telephone lines4 7#d7 ,the people of ,iran are protesting the ,iranian regime's economic mismanagement1 corruption1 internal suppression1 and unjust executions4 7#e7 ,free expression1 open information1 and uncensored communication are fundamental human rights and critical to the survival of the ,iranian protestors4 7#f7 ,thanks in part to ,united ,states-funded efforts to support human rights and open internet access1 the ,iranian people are consistently found to be one of the most pro-,american populations in the ,middle ,east4 7#g7 ,the inspiring #bjbb ,women1 ,life1 ,freedom protests demanded an end to the ,islamic ,republic and its violence1 particularly against ,iranian women and ethnic minorities4 7#h7 ,the barbaric so-called morality police and other arms of state suppression have a lengthy history of repressing the ,iranian people's fundamental freedoms4 7#i7 ,the ,iranian regime has engaged in systematic efforts to intimidate1 harass1 detain1 and harm political dissidents1 activists1 and journalists both within ,iran and beyond its borders4 7#aj7 ,the people of ,iran deserve the right to dignity1 democracy1 and self-determination and to be free from the brutality of the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran4 7b7 ,statement of policy ,it shall be the policy of the ,united ,states-- 7#a7 to recognize the ,iranian people's right to self-determination2 7#b7 to facilitate the immediate expansion of open1 uncensored internet access and civilian lines of communication for the people of ,iran to communicate domestically and with the outside world2 7#c7 to support the internationally recognized human rights of ,iranians and programs to assist ,iranian civil society1 including in their credible documentation1 reporting1 and accountability efforts of abuses in ,iran2 7#d7 to fully enforce sanctions against regime violators of internationally recognized human rights and their family members2 and 7#e7 to work in coordination with its allies and partners to deter the regime's violence against the ,iranian people4 #c4 ,improved coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom in ,iran 7a7 ,duties of the ,secretary of ,state ,the ,secretary of ,state is authorized to be the ,federal official with the primary responsibility for-- 7#a7 promoting widespread internet freedom in ,iran and expanding open access to independent and impartial information for ,iranian citizens2 7#b7 coordinating all efforts carried out by ,federal departments and agencies that relate the objectives outlined in paragraph 7#a72 and 7#c7 serving as the principal official responsible for updating and carrying out the strategy required under section #eabd7;a7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a74 7b7 ,updates to comprehensive strategy to promote internet freedom and access to information in ,iran 7#a7 ,updates ,section #eabd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a77#b71 by striking subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,g7 and inserting the following new subparagraphs3 7,a7 ,an evaluation of the use of virtual private networks1 centralized networks1 peer-to-peer technologies1 and other emerging circumvention tools by civil society and internationally recognized human rights activists in ,iran and strategies for increasing open access to such networks and technologies1 prioritizing tools with demonstrated effectiveness1 scalability1 and acceptable user security risks in the ,iran context4 7,b7 ,an assessment of ,united ,states ,government efforts to cultivate and expand viable alternatives to virtual private networks1 peer to peer technology1 and other emerging circumvention tools4 7,c7 ,a breakdown of any limitations or restrictions facing the development or deployment of ,united ,states ,government sponsored virtual private networks1 peer to peer technology1 or other emerging circumvention tools to support internet freedom in ,iran4 7,d7 ,an assessment of the ability of the ,government of ,iran to cut off all access to the global internet in ,iran1 including the primary tools and technology through which they may be able to do so4 2 7,b7 by redesignating subsection 7b7 as subsection 7c72 and 7,c7 by inserting after subsection 7a7 the following new subsection3 7b7 ,updates ,the ,secretary of ,state and the heads of other ,federal departments and agencies as appropriate1 shall review the strategy under subsection 7a7 on an ongoing basis and update the strategy as appropriate1 taking into account the results of such review4 4 7#b7 ,submission of first updates 7,a7 ,submission ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall-- 7i7 review and update the strategy pursuant to section #eabd7;a7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a71 as amended by paragraph 7#a72 and 7ii7 submit such updated strategy to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives4 7,b7 ,form ,the strategy under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be submitted in an unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7#c7 ,additional update ,section #dad of the ,iran ,threat ,reduction and ,syria ,human ,rights ,act of #bjab 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged7 is amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#aa7 and 7#ab7 as paragraphs 7#ab7 and 7#ac71 respectively2 and 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#aj7 the following new paragraph3 7#aa7 work with the relevant ,federal departments and agencies to ensure enforcement of sanctions does not impede companies providing to ,iranian civilians the technology and other tools necessary to access the open internet2 4 #d4 ,internet freedom and censorship circumvention 7a7 ,internet freedom report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of the ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,federal ,communications ,commission and the ,department of the ,treasury1 shall prepare and submit to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives a report that updates and supplements the report required under section #eabd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7,public ,law #aah-aei74 7#b7 ,additional matters to be included ,updates to the strategy required in section #eabd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a7 shall also include the following3 7,a7 ,an assessment of the feasibility of using direct-to-cell wireless communications technologies to expand internet access for the people of ,iran1 including technical1 regulatory1 and security considerations4 7,b7 ,an analysis of how drone-based platforms1 signal-jamming technologies1 and related countermeasures could impact the feasibility1 security1 economics1 and resilience of such direct-to-cell wireless communications4 7,c7 ,a survey of terrestrial and non-terrestrial telecommunications service providers currently active in ,iran1 including-- 7i7 whether such providers are state-owned or state-controlled2 7ii7 the extent of foreign participation or investment in such providers2 7iii7 the implications of such ownership and control for communications freedom and censorship2 and 7iv7 any other relevant information to assess the opportunities and risks associated with terrestrial and non-terrestrial communications technologies in ,iran4 7#c7 ,form ,the report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7b7 ,extension and increase of authorization for ,iran ,internet ,freedom ,grant ,program ,section #eabd7;c77#e77;,a7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a7c77#e77;,a771 as redesignated by section #c7;b77#a77;,b71 is amended by striking each of fiscal years #bjbe and #bjbf and inserting each fiscal year through fiscal year #bjcj4 7c7 ,development of internet access technologies 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,department of ,state1 in coordination with the ,department of ,defense and other relevant ,federal departments and agencies1 is authorized to utilize existing interagency coordination mechanisms to the maximum extent practicable1 to support the development of low-cost1 easily scalable1 and rapidly deployable technologies to counter internet shutdowns or limitations on network access in ,iran to enable populations to overcome such restrictions4 7#b7 ,objectives ,in carrying out the responsibilities under subsection 7a71 the ,department should prioritize the following objectives3 7,a7 ,identifying and supporting the development of technologies capable of overcoming internet blackouts and network disruptions imposed by the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran and facilitating open1 uncensored internet and network access1 which could include1 among other things-- 7i7 mesh networking solutions2 and 7ii7 portable and deployable communication systems4 7,b7 ,expanding access to and the effectiveness virtual private networks 7commonly known as ,v,p,ns 71 including by-- 7i7 collaborating with industry1 academia1 and relevant stakeholders to accelerate the research1 development1 and deployment of such technologies2 7ii7 conducting pilot programs and field experiments to test the effectiveness and scalability of developed solutions in real-world settings2 and 7iii7 providing technical assistance and resources to partner organizations1 governments1 and nongovernmental entities engaged in efforts to expand uncensored internet access4 7,c7 ,identifying and evaluating off-the-shelf technologies that could be rapidly procured and deployed to address internet access challenges in targeted regions4 7,d7 ,ensuring that any technology supported under this subsection is assessed for user safety1 detectability by hostile governments1 cybersecurity vulnerabilities1 data protection1 supply-chain risks1 sanctions and export-control compliance1 and risk of diversion to the ,government of ,iran1 the ,islamic ,revolutionary ,guard ,corps1 or sanctioned persons or entities4 7#c7 ,collaboration ,the ,department should collaborate with relevant ,federal agencies to leverage expertise in acquisition processes and practices related to carrying out the objectives under paragraph 7#b7 with the aim of-- 7,a7 integrating best practices in acquisition into the research1 development1 and deployment processes of technologies to facilitate open1 uncensored internet access2 7,b7 providing training and educational opportunities on acquisition principles1 regulations1 and procedures1 with a focus on technology development for countering censorship and related restrictions2 7,c7 fostering dialogue and exchange of knowledge between acquisition professionals and innovation specialists to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of acquisition related to internet access technologies2 7,d7 collaborating on the development of acquisition strategies that prioritize the rapid acquisition and deployment of technologies aimed at countering censorship and restrictions on internet access2 and 7,e7 ensuring that strategies aimed at the rapid acquisition and deployment of such technologies account for the specific challenges presented by the country context1 including logistical barriers to large-scale technology distribution and security risks to civilians using the technologies4 7#d7 ,reporting ,the ,secretary of ,state shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report detailing the progress1 challenges1 and outcomes of the efforts undertaken pursuant to this section4 7#e7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this subsection1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 #e4 ,strategy on human rights assistance 7a7 ,strategy required 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to expand and enhance ,united ,states programs to support the protection and promotion of internationally recognized human rights in ,iran4 7#b7 ,elements of the strategy ,the strategy required under subsection 7a7 shall include-- 7,a7 ,united ,states ,government efforts to support internationally recognized human rights and democratic civil society1 including efforts to assist in the credible documentation of abuses of internationally recognized human rights2 7,b7 specific plans and initiatives to ensure the ,iranian people have reliable access to accurate1 uncensored1 and unbiased news coverage1 including through digital circumvention tools1 shortwave radio1 and emerging technologies2 7,c7 programs to support independent ,iranian journalists1 media outlets1 and citizen journalists1 including grants for equipment1 training1 secure communication platforms1 and capacity-building for ,persian and other local language media2 7,d7 programs to support and train ,iranian civil society2 7,e7 coordination mechanisms with international partners1 the private sector1 and diaspora communities to amplify credible independent media2 7,f7 annual performance metrics and benchmarks for audience reach1 content impact1 and program outcomes2 and 7,g7 a multi-year budget and resource requirements plan to implement the strategy4 7#c7 ,form ,the strategy required in subsection 7a7 shall be transmitted in an unclassified form and may contain a classified annex4 7b7 ,,gao report on ,near ,east ,regional ,democracy 7,,nerd7 expenditures 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report examining ,federal expenditures under the ,near ,east ,regional ,democracy 7,,nerd7 account over fiscal years #bjbd and #bjbe4 7#b7 ,matters included ,the report shall include-- 7,a7 a detailed accounting of all ,,nerd funds obligated and expended for ,iran-related programs1 including broadcasting1 media support1 civil society assistance1 and human rights initiatives2 7,b7 an assessment of the processes used for grant allocation1 contractor oversight1 vetting of recipients1 and measuring program outcomes2 7,c7 an evaluation of the effectiveness of such programs in advancing ,united ,states policy objectives1 including expanding information access and supporting independent media within ,iran2 and 7,d7 recommendations for improving transparency1 accountability1 and impact measurement4 7#c7 ,protection of sensitive information ,the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall ensure that the report required under this subsection does not publicly disclose personally identifiable information1 implementing-partner identities1 sub-grantee identities1 operational details1 cybersecurity methods1 secure communications channels1 or other information that the ,secretary of ,state determines could endanger individuals1 compromise ongoing programs1 or undermine the national security interests of the ,united ,states4 ,such information may be provided in a classified annex or otherwise protected consistent with applicable law4 7c7 ,form ,the strategy and the ,,gao report required under this section shall each be submitted in unclassified form1 but may include a classified annex4 7d7 ,appropriate congressional committees defined ,in this section1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4 #f4 ,cybersecurity capacity for civil society in ,iran 7a7 ,training and tools ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state should establish programs-- 7#a7 to deliver remote or in-person cybersecurity training to journalists1 defenders of internationally recognized human rights1 and civil-society actors in ,iran2 7#b7 to furnish vetted open-source or commercially available digital-safety tools1 including prioritizing ,,vpn services and other software-based solutions that minimize physical detection risks1 including end-to-end encrypted messaging applications2 and 7#c7 to provide multilingual educational materials that warn ,iranian users about regime-controlled applications and phishing campaigns4 7b7 ,reporting and evaluation 7#a7 ,metrics ,the ,secretary of ,state shall track and make available to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives1 in classified form or otherwise protected form as appropriate1 aggregate metrics on the number of trainees1 incident-response cases1 and unique users of supported digital safety tools4 ,such metrics shall be aggregated and reported biannually in a manner that protects user safety1 operational security1 implementing partners and the integrity of supported tools and platforms4 7#b7 ,independent evaluation ,not later than #c years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program carried out under this section4 7c7 ,savings clause ,nothing in this section may be construed to supersede or limit existing authority under section #djd of the ,iran ,threat ,reduction and ,syria ,human ,rights ,act of #bjab 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged7 or any other provision of law related to internet freedom programming in ,iran4 7d7 ,coordination with existing programs ,in carrying out this section1 the ,secretary of ,state shall coordinate with and build upon existing ,iran internet freedom programs1 including those established under section #eabd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbe 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #hged;a71 to avoid duplication and maximize effectiveness4 #g4 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act may be construed as authorizing the use of military force4 #h4 ,sanctions and export control savings clause ,nothing in this ,act may be construed to authorize any transaction prohibited by the ,international ,emergency ,economic ,powers ,act1 the ,iranian ,transactions and ,sanctions ,regulations1 the ,export ,control ,reform ,act of #bjah1 the ,export ,administration ,regulations1 or any other applicable sanctions or export-control authority1 except pursuant to a general or specific license1 regulatory authorization or other authorization issued by the relevant agency4 #i4 ,derivation of funds ,amounts made available to carry out this ,act shall be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available to the ,department of ,state4 ,july #bg1 #bjbf,reported with an amendment