I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5729 

To modernize authorities to fight and win the war of ideas against violent 

extremist ideologies over the internet and other mediums of information, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 13, 2010 

Mr. THORNBERRY (for himself, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. LANGEVIN, 

Ms. GIFFORDS, Mr. REHBERG, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. TANNER, Mr. BOREN, and Mr. ROHRABACHER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To modernize authorities to fight and win the war of ideas 

against violent extremist ideologies over the internet and 

other mediums of information, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘The Smith-Mundt 

5 Modernization Act of 2010’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DISSEMINATION ABROAD OF INFORMATION ABOUT 

2 THE UNITED STATES. 

3 (a) UNITED STATES INFORMATION AND EDU4 CATIONAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 1948.—Title V of the 

5 United States Information and Educational Exchange Act 

6 of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1461 et seq.) is amended— 

7 (1) in the title heading, by striking 

8 ‘‘ABROAD’’; and 

9 (2) by amending section 501 to read as follows: 

10 ‘‘SEC. 501. The Secretary is authorized to provide for 

11 the preparation and dissemination of information intended 

12 primarily for foreign audiences abroad about the United 

13 States, including about its people, its history, and the Fed14 eral Government’s policies, through press, publications, 

15 radio, motion pictures, the internet, and other information 

16 media, and through information centers and instructors.’’. 

17 (b) FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, FIS18 CAL YEARS 1986 AND 1987.—Section 208 of the Foreign 

19 Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 

20 (22 U.S.C. 1461–1a) is amended to read as follows: 

21 ‘‘CLARIFICATION ON DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTION OF

22 PROGRAM MATERIAL

23 ‘‘SEC. 208. 

24 ‘‘(a) No funds authorized to be appropriated to the 

25 Department of State shall be used for the purpose of influ26 encing public opinion or propagandizing in the United 


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1 States. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit 

2 or delay the Department from responding to inquiries 

3 about its operations, policies, programs, or program mate4 rial, or making such available to members of the media, 

5 public, or Congress. 

6 ‘‘(b) No provision of this section shall be construed 

7 or interpreted to prohibit the Department of State to en8 gage in any medium of information on a presumption that 

9 a United States domestic audience may be exposed to pro10 gram material. Such material shall be available within the 

11 United States and disseminated pursuant to sections 502 

12 and 1005 of the United States Information and Edu13 cational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1462 and 

14 1437). 

15 ‘‘(c) The provisions of this section shall apply only 

16 to the Department of State and to no other department 

17 or agency of the Federal Government.’’. 

Æ 


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