Bill Summary
The proposed legislation, titled the "Charlie Kirk Act," aims to clarify and amend existing policies regarding the dissemination of information prepared by the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and its associated networks. The key points of the act include:
1. **General Authorization for International Dissemination**: The act reaffirms the authority of the USAGM CEO to prepare and distribute information about the United States abroad through various media. However, it restricts the dissemination of this information within the United States and its territories, allowing it to be accessed only at the Department of State by specific groups such as the press, scholars, and Congress members.
2. **Domestic Availability After a Delay**: The act establishes a timeline for the release of USAGM materials domestically, allowing materials disseminated abroad to be made available for domestic distribution 12 years after their initial release or preparation, if they were never disseminated abroad.
3. **Responsibilities of the Archivist**: The Archivist of the United States is designated as the custodian of the materials released for domestic distribution. The Archivist will set regulations to ensure that individuals requesting access to these materials have the necessary rights, licenses, and have paid appropriate fees to cover costs.
4. **Restrictions on Domestic Activities**: The act reinforces existing restrictions on using appropriated funds by USAGM to influence public opinion within the U.S. and prohibits the distribution of its program materials domestically, with certain exceptions.
Overall, the Charlie Kirk Act seeks to balance the international dissemination of information about the U.S. while maintaining strict controls on its domestic distribution, thereby ensuring that USAGM's activities are aligned with U.S. policy objectives.
Possible Impacts
The "Charlie Kirk Act," as outlined in the provided text, could affect people in the following ways:
1. **Limited Access to Information**: Individuals in the United States may have restricted access to certain information disseminated by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Since the act states that materials prepared for foreign audiences cannot be distributed domestically, this could hinder public knowledge about U.S. policies, programs, and international viewpoints. As a result, citizens may not receive comprehensive information that could be relevant to their understanding of U.S. foreign relations or international affairs.
2. **Potential Impact on Research and Scholarship**: Researchers, scholars, and students who rely on access to international materials for their studies may face barriers. While the act allows for limited examination of this material by certain groups (like students and scholars) at the Department of State, the specific restrictions could complicate access to valuable resources or data, thereby affecting academic research and discourse on U.S. policies and global issues.
3. **Increased Bureaucracy and Fees for Access**: The act requires that the Archivist of the United States administer the domestic distribution of certain USAGM materials, which may involve regulations and fees. This bureaucratic process could deter individuals or organizations (like educational institutions or media outlets) from seeking access to these materials due to potential costs and administrative hurdles. This could disproportionately affect smaller organizations or individuals with limited resources, further narrowing the scope of who can access this information.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6695 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6695
To clarify United States policy with respect to limitations on the
domestic dissemination of program material about the United States that
was prepared or disseminated by the United States Agency for Global
Media or its component networks.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 12, 2025
Mr. Ogles (for himself and Mr. Donalds) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To clarify United States policy with respect to limitations on the
domestic dissemination of program material about the United States that
was prepared or disseminated by the United States Agency for Global
Media or its component networks.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Charlie Kirk Act''.
SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION ABROAD OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNITED STATES.
(a) United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of
1948.--Section 501 of the United States Information and Educational
Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1461) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 501. GENERAL AUTHORIZATION.
``(a) Dissemination of Information Abroad.--The Chief Executive
Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media (referred to in
this section as the `USAGM CEO'), working through its component
networks, is authorized to provide for the preparation, and
dissemination abroad, of information about the United States, its
people, and its policies, through press, publications, radio, motion
pictures, the internet, and other information media, and through
information centers, instructors abroad, and other direct or indirect
means of communication. Except as provided in subsection (b), any such
information (other than `Problems of Communism' and the `English
Teaching Forum', which may be sold by the Government Publishing Office)
may not be disseminated within the United States, its territories, or
possessions. However, such information may be made available in the
English language at the Department of State, at all reasonable times
following its release as information abroad, for examination only by
representatives of United States press associations, newspapers,
magazines, radio systems, and stations, and by research students and
scholars, and on request, shall be made available for examination by
Members of Congress.
``(b) Dissemination of Information Within the United States.--
``(1) In general.--The USAGM CEO shall make available to
the Archivist of the United States (referred to in this
subsection as the `Archivist'), for domestic distribution,
motion pictures, films, video, audio, and other materials
prepared for dissemination abroad beginning 12 years after the
date on which--
``(A) such material was initially disseminated
abroad; or
``(B) the material was prepared, if such material
was never disseminated abroad.
``(2) Reimbursement.--The USAGM CEO shall be reimbursed for
any expenses resulting from the implementation of paragraph
(1). Such reimbursement shall be credited to the applicable
appropriation of the United States Agency for Global Media.
``(3) Responsibilities of the archivist.--The Archivist--
``(A) shall be the official custodian of the
material described in paragraph (1);
``(B) shall promulgate regulations to ensure that
persons seeking the release of such material--
``(i) have secured necessary United States
rights and licenses; and
``(ii) have paid a fee, in accordance with
section 2116(c) of title 44, United States
Code, which is sufficient to cover the costs
incurred by the Archivist to provide such
material to such persons; and
``(C) all fees collected pursuant to subparagraph
(B)(ii) are paid into, administered, and expended as
part of the National Archives Trust Fund.
``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to require the USAGM CEO to make material disseminated abroad
available in any format other than in the format disseminated
abroad.''.
(b) Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and
1987.--
(1) In general.--Section 208 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 (22 U.S.C. 1461-
1a) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 208. BAN ON DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR
GLOBAL MEDIA.
``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c)
and in section 501 of the United States Information and Educational
Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1461)--
``(1) amounts appropriated to the United States Agency for
Global Media or its component networks (referred to
collectively in this section as `USAGM') may not be used to
influence public opinion in the United States; and
``(2) no program material prepared by USAGM may be
distributed within the United States.
``(b) Exemption.--The limitation under subsection (a) shall not
apply to programs carried out pursuant to the Mutual Educational and
Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.).
``(c) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to prohibit any employee of the United States Agency for Global Media
from responding to inquiries from members of the public about USAGM
operations, policies, or programs.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987
(22 U.S.C. 1461-1a) is amended by striking the item relating to
section 208 and inserting the following:
``Sec. 208. Ban on domestic activities of the United States Agency for
Global Media.''.
<all>