Radio Free Asia Act of 1997

Summary: Radio Free Asia Act of 1997 - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1998 and 1999 for:  (1) Radio Free Asia; (2) international broadcasting activities, with specified amounts available only for enhanced Voice of America broadcasting to China; and (3) radio construction, with specified amounts only for construction in support of enhanced broadcasting to China.  Earmarks amounts for:  (1) one-time capital costs; (2) additional advanced editing equipment; (3) additional personnel to staff Cantonese language broadcasting; and (4) augmentation of transmitters at Tinian, Marshall Islands. 
Directs the President to report to the Congress on a plan to achieve continuous broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to China in multiple major dialects and languages.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Radio Free Asia Act of 1997''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Government of the People's Republic of China 
        systematically controls the flow of information to the Chinese 
        people.
            (2) The Government of the People's Republic of China 
        demonstrated that maintaining its monopoly on political power 
        is a higher priority than economic development by announcing in 
        January 1996 that its official news agency Xinhua, will 
        supervise wire services selling economic information, including 
        Dow Jones-Telerate, Bloomberg, and Reuters Business, and in 
        announcing in February of 1996 the ``Interim Internet 
        Management Rules'', which have the effect of censoring computer 
        networks.
            (3) Under the May 30, 1997, order of Premier Li Peng, all 
        organizations that engage in business activities related to 
        international computer networking must now apply for a license, 
        increasing still further government control over access to the 
        internet.
            (4) Both Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America, as a 
        surrogate for a free press in the People's Republic of China, 
        provide an invaluable source of uncensored information to the 
        Chinese people, including objective and authoritative news of 
        in-country and regional events, as well as accurate news about 
        the United States and its policies.
            (5) Radio Free Asia currently broadcasts only 5 hours a day 
        in the Mandarin dialect and 2 hours a day in Tibetan.
            (6) Voice of America currently broadcasts only 10 hours a 
        day in Mandarin and 3\1/2\ hours a day in Tibetan.
            (7) Radio Free Asia and Voice of America should develop 24-
        hour-a-day service in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Tibetan, as well 
        as further broadcasting capability in the dialects spoken in 
        Xinjiang and other regions of the People's Republic of China.
            (8) Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, in working toward 
        continuously broadcasting the People's Republic of China in 
        multiple languages, have the capability to immediately 
        establish 24-hour-a-day Mandarin broadcasting to that nation by 
        staggering the hours of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.
            (9) Simultaneous broadcasting on Voice of America radio and 
        Worldnet television 7 days a week in Mandarin are also 
        important and needed capabilities.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR RADIO 
              FREE ASIA AND VOICE OF AMERICA BROADCASTING TO CHINA.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations for Radio Free Asia.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated for ``Radio Free Asia'' $30,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 1998 and $22,000,000 for fiscal year 1999.
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A)(i) Of the funds under paragraph (1) authorized 
                to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998, $8,000,000 is 
                authorized to be appropriated for one-time capital 
                costs.
                    (ii) Of the funds under clause (i), $900,000 is 
                authorized to be appropriated for additional advanced 
                editing equipment.
                    (B) Of the funds under paragraph (1), $1,200,000 is 
                authorized to be appropriated for each such fiscal year 
                for additional personnel to staff Cantonese language 
                broadcasting.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations for International Broadcasting 
to China.--In addition to such sums as are otherwise authorized to be 
appropriated for ``International Broadcasting Activities'' for fiscal 
years 1998 and 1999, there are authorized to be appropriated for 
``International Broadcasting Activities'' $10,000,000 for fiscal year 
1998 and $7,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, which shall be available only 
for enhanced Voice of America broadcasting to China.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations for Radio Construction.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--In addition to such 
        sums as are otherwise authorized to be appropriated for ``Radio 
        Construction'' for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, there are 
        authorized to be appropriated for ``Radio Construction'' 
        $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $3,000,000 for fiscal year 
        1999, which shall be available only for construction in support 
        of enhanced broadcasting to China.
            (2) Limitation.--Of the funds under paragraph (1) 
        authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 1998, $3,000,000 
        is authorized to be appropriated to facilitate the timely 
        augmentation of transmitters at Tinian, Marshall Islands.
    (d) Allocation.--Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for 
``International Broadcasting Activities'', the Director of the United 
States Information Agency and the Board of Broadcasting Governors shall 
seek to ensure that the amounts made available for broadcasting to 
nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression do not 
decline in proportion to the amounts made available for broadcasting to 
other nations.

SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, in 
consultation with the Board of Broadcasting Governors, the President 
shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report on a plan to achieve 
continuous broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to the 
People's Republic of China in multiple major dialects and languages.