Sec. 301. Press freedom in the Pacific Islands
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Congress finds that residents of the Pacific Islands speak 24 official languages and thousands of indigenous or unofficial local languages It is the sense of Congress that— the United States should work with allies and partners, particularly Australia and New Zealand, to provide free or low-cost access to national news wires so the Pacific Islands have greater access to raw news feeds; and it is in the interest of the United States to work with the Pacific Islands to develop regulations to address the licensing and operations of foreign media to build resilience in the media sector to unsanctioned external influence or interference while respecting free expression and cultivating diverse media voices.
The President is authorized to provide assistance to promote the dissemination of free and accurate information in the Pacific Islands, including for the following purposes: Media capacity building and education, including to— provide on-site media training tailored to local needs; collaborate with local government and nongovernmental entities to promote media literacy and integrate media literacy into primary education curricula in local languages and dialects to ensure accessibility; and routinize funding for professional programs, such as the Pacific Islands Journalism Reporting Tour, that bring media professionals from the Pacific Islands to the United States.
Strengthening and diversifying broadcast content tailored to local audiences, including content broadcast in the local vernacular. Investing in connectivity infrastructure with an emphasis on broadcast radio and transmission. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the implementation of this section. The report required by paragraph
(1)shall include— an assessment of— the national laws of the Pacific Islands with respect to foreign investment in media and related sectors; relevant licensing regulations of the Pacific Islands; and governmental restrictions on free expression that limit the availability of diverse media voices in the Pacific Islands; and analyses of covert efforts by foreign media actors in the Pacific Islands— to influence, shape, or circumvent regulations in the media or telecommunication sectors; and to co-opt local media and narratives. There is authorized to be appropriated $2,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2022 through 2026 to carry out this section.