Sec. 4. Internet freedom and censorship circumvention
779 words·~4 min read·
/bill/119/s/3900/is/section-4A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of the Treasury, 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 5124 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( Public Law 118–159 ).
Updates to the strategy required in section 5124 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( 22 U.S.C. 8754a ) shall also include the following: An assessment of the feasibility of using direct-to-cell wireless communications technologies to expand internet access for the people of Iran, including technical, regulatory, and security considerations. An analysis of how drone-based platforms, signal-jamming technologies, and related countermeasures could impact the feasibility, security, economics, and resilience of such direct-to-cell wireless communications.
A survey of terrestrial and non-terrestrial telecommunications service providers currently active in Iran, including— whether such providers are state-owned or state-controlled; the extent of foreign participation or investment in such providers; the implications of such ownership and control for communications freedom and censorship; and any other relevant information to assess the opportunities and risks associated with terrestrial and non-terrestrial communications technologies in Iran.
The report required by paragraph
(1)shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. Section 5124(b)(5)(A) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 ( 22 U.S.C. 8754a(b)(5)(A) ) is amended by inserting and not less than $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030 after $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026 . The Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Defense, the United States Agency for Global Media, and other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall form a joint working group (referred to as the Working Group ) to support the development of low-cost, easily scalable, and rapidly deployable technologies to counter internet shutdowns or limitations on network access abroad, particularly those imposed by adversary countries, to enable populations to overcome such restrictions. In carrying out the responsibilities under subsection (a), the Working Group shall prioritize the following objectives: 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 access, including— low-earth orbit satellite internet infrastructure; mesh networking solutions; and portable and deployable communication systems. Virtual private networks (commonly known as VPNs ), including— collaborating with industry, academia, and relevant stakeholders to accelerate the research, development, and deployment of such technologies; conducting pilot programs and field experiments to test the effectiveness and scalability of developed solutions in real-world settings; and providing technical assistance and resources to partner organizations, governments, and nongovernmental entities engaged in efforts to expand internet access. Identifying and evaluating off-the-shelf technologies that could be rapidly procured and deployed to address internet access challenges in targeted regions. 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
(2)with the aim of— integrating best practices in defense acquisition into the research, development, and deployment processes of technologies developed by the Working Group to facilitate internet access; ensuring that technologies developed by the Working Group align with acquisition priorities and strategies of the Department of State and the Department of Defense; providing training and educational opportunities for the Working Group on acquisition principles, regulations, and procedures, with a focus on technology development for countering censorship and related restrictions; 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 technologies; and collaborating on the development of acquisition strategies that prioritize the rapid acquisition and deployment of technologies aimed at countering censorship and restrictions on internet access. The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the United States Agency for Global Media, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report detailing the progress, challenges, and outcomes of the efforts undertaken pursuant to this section. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year 2027 through 2030 to carry out the activities described in this subsection. In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means— the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
Connectionstraces to 2
Traces to 2 documents
Citation graph
cites case law
Cites 2Cited by 0 across 0 sources