### §6203. Establishment of the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media

#### (a) Continued existence within Executive branch

The United States Agency for Global Media shall continue to exist within the Executive branch of Government as an entity described in section 104 of title 5.

#### (b) Chief Executive Officer

#### (1) In general

The head of the United States Agency for Global Media shall be a Chief Executive Officer, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, until such time as a Chief Executive Officer is appointed and has qualified, the current or acting Chief Executive Officer appointed by the Board may continue to serve and exercise the authorities and powers under this chapter.

#### (2) Term

The first Chief Executive Officer appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall serve for an initial term of three years.

#### (3) Compensation

A Chief Executive Officer appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be compensated at the annual rate of basic pay for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5.

#### (c) Termination of Director of International Broadcasting Bureau

Effective on December 23, 2016, the position of the Director of the International Broadcasting Bureau shall be terminated, and all of the responsibilities, offices, authorities, and immunities of the Director or the Agency under this chapter or any other Act or authority before such date shall be transferred or available to, assumed by, or overseen by the Chief Executive Officer, as head of the Agency.

#### (d) Immunity from civil liability

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all limitations on liability that apply to the Chief Executive Officer shall also apply to members of the boards of directors of RFE/RL, Inc., Radio Free Asia, the Open Technology Fund, the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, or any organization that consolidates such entities when such members are acting in their official capacities.

(Pub. L. 103–236, title III, §304, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 434; Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. A, title XIII, §§1322, 1323(b), (c), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–777, 2681–778; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title V, §§502, 504], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–451; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1288(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2548; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, §§1299P(c)(1), 1299Q(e)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4020, 4024.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (c), was in the original a reference to this Act, and was translated as referring to this title, meaning title III of Pub. L. 103–236, Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 432, known as the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994, which is classified principally to this chapter, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. For complete classification of title III to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6201 of this title and Tables.

December 23, 2016, and such date, referred to in subsec. (c), were in the original "the date of the enactment of this section" and "such date of enactment", respectively, and were translated as meaning the date of enactment of Pub. L. 114–328, which amended this section generally, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

#### Codification

Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, §1299Q(e)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4024, which amended this section, was itself amended by Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title XIII, §1301, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2158, to make it effective 90 days after Jan. 1, 2021. However, the amendment by Pub. L. 116–260 could not be executed because it was enacted before the provision from Pub. L. 116–283 that it amended.

#### Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, §1299Q(e)(1)(A), substituted "United States Agency for Global Media" for "Broadcasting Board of Governors" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, §1299Q(e)(1)(B), substituted "United States Agency for Global Media" for "Broadcasting Board of Governors".

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, §1299Q(e)(1)(C), substituted "United States Agency for Global Media" for "Broadcasting Board of Governors".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, §1299Q(e)(1)(D), substituted "Agency" for "Board" in two places.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, §1299P(c)(1), inserted "the Open Technology Fund," before "the Middle East Broadcasting Networks".

2016—Pub. L. 114–328 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to the continued existence within the Executive branch, retention of existing Board members, Inspector General authorities, composition, term, selection, compensation, decisions, and immunity from civil liability of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

1999—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 106–113, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title V, §502(2)], which directed amendment of par. (2) by inserting ", subject to the advice and consent of the Senate" at end, was executed by making the insertion before period at end, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 106–113, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title V, §502(1)], substituted "appoint" for "designate".

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 106–113, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title V, §504], added subsec. (g).

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277, §1322, amended heading and text of subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "There is hereby established within the United States Information Agency a Broadcasting Board of Governors (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the 'Board')."

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–277, §1323(b), substituted "Secretary of State" for "Director of the United States Information Agency" wherever appearing.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105–277, §1323(b), (c), in first sentence, substituted "Secretary of State" for "Director of the United States Information Agency", and in last sentence, substituted "no Secretary of State" for "no Director of the United States Information Agency" and "Acting Secretary of State" for "acting Director of the agency".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–277, §1323(b), substituted "Secretary of State" for "Director of the United States Information Agency".

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 2021 Amendment

Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XII, §1299P(e), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4020, provided that: "Section 309A of the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 [22 U.S.C. 6208a] (as added by subsection (b) of this section) and subsections (c) [amending this section and sections 6204 and 6209 of this title] and (d) [not classified to the Code] of this section shall take effect and apply beginning on July 1, 2021."

#### Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 105–277 effective Oct. 1, 1999, see section 1301 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out as an Effective Date note under section 6531 of this title.

#### References to Broadcasting Board of Governors

Pub. L. 116–94, div. G, title I, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 2822, provided in part: "That any reference to the 'Broadcasting Board of Governors' or 'BBG', including in any account providing amounts to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, in any Act making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs enacted before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019] shall for this fiscal year, and any fiscal year thereafter, be construed to mean the 'United States Agency for Global Media' or 'USAGM', respectively."