113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2183 

AN ACT 

United States international programming to Ukraine and 

neighboring regions. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
2 

†S 2183 ES

1 SECTION 1. FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS. 

2 (a) Congress finds and declares the following: 

3 (1) The Russian Government has deliberately 

4 blocked the Ukrainian people’s access to uncensored 

5 sources of information and has provided alternative 

6 news and information that is both inaccurate and in7 flammatory; 

8 (2) United States international programming 

9 exists to advance the United States interests and 

10 values by presenting accurate and comprehensive 

11 news and information, which is the foundation for 

12 democratic governance; 

13 (3) The opinions and views of the Ukrainian 

14 people, especially those people located in the eastern 

15 regions and Crimea, are not being accurately rep16 resented in Russian dominated mass media; 

17 (4) Russian forces have seized more than five 

18 television stations in Crimea and taken over trans19 missions, switching to a 24/7 Russian propaganda 

20 format; this increase in programming augments the 

21 already robust pro-Russian programming to 

22 Ukraine; 

23 (5) United States international programming 

24 has the potential to combat this anti-democratic 

25 propaganda. 
3 

†S 2183 ES

1 (b) PROGRAMMING.—Radio Free Europe/Radio Lib2 erty (RFE/RL), Incorporated, and the Voice of America 

3 service to Ukraine and neighboring regions shall— 

4 (1) provide news and information that is acces5 sible, credible, and accurate; 

6 (2) emphasize investigative and analytical jour7 nalism to highlight inconsistencies and misinforma8 tion provided by Russian or pro-Russian media out9 lets; 

10 (3) prioritize programming to areas where ac11 cess to uncensored sources of information is limited 

12 or non-existent, especially populations serviced by 

13 Russian supported media outlets; 

14 (4) increase the number of reporters and orga15 nizational presence in eastern Ukraine, especially in 

16 Crimea; 

17 (5) promote democratic processes, respect for 

18 human rights, freedom of the press, and territorial 

19 sovereignty; and 

20 (6) take necessary preparatory steps to con21 tinue and increase programming and content that 

22 promotes democracy and government transparency 

23 in Russia. 
4 

†S 2183 ES

1 (c) PROGRAMMING SURGE.—RFE/RL, Incorporated, 

2 and Voice of America programming to Ukraine and neigh3 boring regions shall— 

4 (1) prioritize programming to eastern Ukraine, 

5 including Crimea, and Moldova, and to ethnic and 

6 linguistic Russian populations, as well as to Tatar 

7 minorities; 

8 (2) prioritize news and information that directly 

9 contributes to the target audiences’ understanding of 

10 political and economic developments in Ukraine and 

11 Moldova, including countering misinformation that 

12 may originate from other news outlets, especially 

13 Russian supported news outlets; 

14 (3) provide programming content 24 hours a 

15 day, seven days a week to target populations, using 

16 all available and effective distribution outlets, includ17 ing— 

18 (A) at least 8 weekly hours of total original 

19 television and video content in Ukrainian, Rus20 sian, and Tatar languages, not inclusive of live 

21 video streaming coverage of breaking news, to 

22 be distributed on satellite, digital, and through 

23 regional television affiliates by the Voice of 

24 America; and 
5 

†S 2183 ES

1 (B) at least 14 weekly hours the total 

2 audio content in Ukrainian, Russian, and Tatar 

3 languages to be distributed on satellite, digital, 

4 and through regional radio affiliates of RFE/ 

5 RL, Incorporated; 

6 (4) expand the use, audience, and audience en7 gagement of mobile news and multimedia platforms 

8 by RFE/RL, Incorporated, and the Voice of Amer9 ica, including through Internet-based social net10 working platforms; and 

11 (5) partner with private sector broadcasters and 

12 affiliates to seek and start co-production for new, 

13 original content, when possible, to increase distribu14 tion. 

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

16 authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2014, in addi17 tion to funds otherwise made available for such purposes, 

18 up to $10,000,000 to carry out programming in the 

19 Ukrainian, Balkan, Russian, and Tatar language services 

20 of RFE/RL, Incorporated, and the Voice of America, for 

21 the purpose of bolstering existing United States program22 ming to the people of Ukraine and neighboring regions, 

23 and increasing programming capacity and jamming cir24 cumvention technology to overcome any disruptions to 

25 service. 
6 

†S 2183 ES

1 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 15 days after the date 

2 of the enactment of this Act, the Broadcasting Board of 

3 Governors shall submit to the Committees on Foreign Af4 fairs and Appropriations of the House of Representatives 

5 and the Committees on Foreign Relations and Appropria6 tions of the Senate a detailed report on plans to increase 

7 broadcasts pursuant to subsections (a) and (b). 

Passed the Senate March 27, 2014. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2183 

AN ACT 

United States international programming to 

Ukraine and neighboring regions.