107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3969
AN ACT
To enhance United States public diplomacy, to re-
organize United States international broad-
casting, and for other purposes.
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3969
AN ACT
To enhance United States public diplomacy, to reorganize
United States international broadcasting, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Freedom Promotion
Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
TITLE I—UNITED STATES PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
Sec. 101. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 102. Public diplomacy responsibilities of the Department of State.
Sec. 103. Annual plan on public diplomacy strategy.
Sec. 104. Public diplomacy training.
Sec. 105. United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.
Sec. 106. Library program.
Sec. 107. Sense of Congress concerning public diplomacy efforts in sub-Saharan
Africa.
Sec. 108. Funding and authorization of appropriations.
TITLE II—UNITED STATES EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL
PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Sec. 201. Establishment of initiatives for predominantly Muslim countries.
Sec. 202. Database of alumni of American and foreign participants in exchange
programs.
Sec. 203. Report on inclusion of freedom and democracy advocates in edu-
cational and cultural exchange programs.
Sec. 204. Fulbright-Hays authorities.
Sec. 205. Supplemental authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 206. Supplemental authorization of appropriations for the National En-
dowment for Democracy.
TITLE III—REORGANIZATION OF UNITED STATES
INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
Sec. 301. Establishment of United States International Broadcasting Agency.
Sec. 302. Authorities and functions of the agency.
Sec. 303. Role of the secretary of State.
Sec. 304. Administrative provisions.
Sec. 305. Broadcasting Board of Governors and International Broadcasting
Bureau.
Sec. 306. Transition.
Sec. 307. Conforming amendments.
Sec. 308. References.
Sec. 309. Broadcasting standards.
Sec. 310. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 311. Effective date.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on International Re-
lations and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropria-
tions of the Senate.
(2) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’
means the Department of State.
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of State.
TITLE I—UNITED STATES
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
SEC. 101. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) The United States possesses strong and
deep connections with the peoples of the world sepa-
rate from its relations with their governments. These
connections can be a major asset in the promotion
of United States interests and foreign policy.
(2) Misinformation and hostile propaganda in
these countries regarding the United States and its
foreign policy endanger the interests of the United
States. Existing efforts to counter such misinforma-
tion and propaganda are inadequate and must be
greatly enhanced in both scope and substance.
(3) United States foreign policy has been ham-
pered by an insufficient consideration of the impor-
tance of public diplomacy in the formulation and im-
plementation of that policy and by the underuse of
modern communication techniques.
(4) The United States should have an oper-
ational strategy and a coordinated effort regarding
the utilization of its public diplomacy resources.
(5) The development of an operational strategy
and a coordinated effort by United States agencies
regarding public diplomacy would greatly enhance
United States foreign policy.
(6) The Secretary of State has undertaken ef-
forts to ensure that of the new job positions estab-
lished at the Department of State after September
30, 2002, a significant proportion of the positions is
for public diplomacy.
(b) PURPOSES.—It is the purpose of this Act to en-
hance in scope and substance, redirect, redefine, and reor-
ganize United States public diplomacy.
SEC. 102. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The State Department Basic Au-
thorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 265 et seq.) is amended
by inserting after section 56 the following new section:
‘‘SEC. 57. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall
make public diplomacy an integral component in the plan-
ning and execution of United States foreign policy. The
Department of State, in coordination with the United
States International Broadcasting Agency, shall develop a
comprehensive strategy for the use of public diplomacy re-
sources and assume a prominent role in coordinating the
efforts of all Federal agencies involved in public diplo-
macy. Public diplomacy efforts shall be addressed to devel-
oped and developing countries, to select and general audi-
ences, and shall utilize all available media to ensure that
the foreign policy of the United States is properly ex-
plained and understood not only by the governments of
countries but also by their peoples, with the objective of
enhancing support for United States foreign policy. The
Secretary shall ensure that the public diplomacy strategy
of the United States is cohesive and coherent and shall
aggressively and through the most effective mechanisms
counter misinformation and propaganda concerning the
United States. The Secretary shall endeavor to articulate
the importance in American foreign policy of the guiding
principles and doctrines of the United States, particularly
freedom and democracy. The Secretary, in coordination
with the Board of Governors of the United States Inter-
national Broadcasting Agency, shall develop and articulate
long-term measurable objectives for United States public
diplomacy. The Secretary is authorized to produce and
distribute public diplomacy programming for distribution
abroad in order to achieve public diplomacy objectives, in-
cluding through satellite communication, the Internet, and
other established and emerging communications tech-
nologies.
‘‘(b) INFORMATION CONCERNING UNITED STATES
ASSISTANCE.—
‘‘(1) IDENTIFICATION OF ASSISTANCE.—In co-
operation with the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development (USAID) and other public
and private assistance organizations and agencies,
the Secretary shall ensure that information con-
cerning foreign assistance provided by the United
States Government, United States nongovernmental
organizations and private entities, and the American
people is disseminated widely and prominently, par-
ticularly, to the extent practicable, within countries
and regions that receive such assistance. The Sec-
retary shall ensure that, to the extent practicable,
projects funded by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) that do not in-
volve commodities, including projects implemented
by private voluntary organizations, are identified as
being supported by the United States of America, as
American Aid or provided by the American people.
‘‘(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than
120 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Sec-
retary shall submit a report to the Committee on
International Relations of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate on efforts to disseminate information con-
cerning assistance described in paragraph (1) during
the preceding fiscal year. Each such report shall in-
clude specific information concerning all instances in
which the United States Agency for International
Development has not identified projects in the man-
ner prescribed in paragraph (1) because such
indentification was not practicable. Any such report
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified appendix.
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY.— Subject to the availability of ap-
propriations, the Secretary may contract with and com-
pensate government and private agencies or persons for
property and services to carry out this section.’’.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY RE-
SERVE CORPS.—
(1) The Secretary of State shall establish a
public diplomacy reserve corps to augment the public
diplomacy capacity and capabilities of the Depart-
ment in emergency and critical circumstances world-
wide. The Secretary shall develop a detailed action
plan for the temporary deployment and use of the
corps to bolster public diplomacy resources and ex-
pertise. To the extent considered necessary and ap-
propriate, the Secretary may recruit experts in pub-
lic diplomacy and related fields from the private sec-
tor and utilize the expertise of former employees of
the Department in implementing this subsection.
(2) While actively serving with the reserve
corps, individuals are prohibited from engaging in
activities directly or indirectly intended to influence
public opinion within the United States to the same
degree that employees of the Department engaged in
public diplomacy are so prohibited.
(c) TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT UPGRADES.—
(1) The Secretary shall establish a fully capable
multimedia programming and distribution capacity
including satellite, Internet, and other services, and
also including the capability to acquire and produce
audio and video feeds and Internet streaming to for-
eign news organizations. The technology and equip-
ment upgrades under the first sentence shall be fully
implemented within 2 years of the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.
(2) To the extent practicable, activities under
this subsection shall utilize the facilities of the
United States International Broadcasting Agency es-
tablished by title III for the purpose of furthering
the public diplomacy objectives of the Department of
state as enunciated in this section. The Secretary
shall reimburse the reasonable expenses of the
United States International Broadcasting Agency
which are incurred as a result of the Department’s
use of the Agency’s facilities.
(d) FUNCTIONS OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY.—
(1) Section 1(b)(3) of the State Department
Basic 
Authorities 
Act 
of 
1956 
(22 
U.S.C.
2651a(b)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘formation’’
and all that follows through the period at the end
and inserting ‘‘formation, supervision, and imple-
mentation of United States public diplomacy poli-
cies, programs, and activities, including the provision
of guidance to Department personnel in the United
States and overseas who conduct or implement such
policies, programs, and activities. The Under Sec-
retary for Public Diplomacy shall assist the United
States Agency for International Broadcasting in pre-
senting the policies of the United States clearly and
effectively, shall submit statements of United States
policy and editorial material to the Agency for
broadcast consideration in addition to material pre-
pared by the Agency, and shall ensure that editorial
material created by the Agency for broadcast is re-
viewed expeditiously by the Department.’’.
(2) The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy,
in carrying out the functions under the last sentence
of section 1(b)(3) of the State Department Basic
Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by paragraph (1),
shall consult public diplomacy officers operating at
United States overseas posts and in the regional bu-
reaus of the Department of State.
SEC. 103. ANNUAL PLAN ON PUBLIC DIPLOMACY STRAT-
EGY.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with all ap-
propriate Federal agencies, shall prepare an annual review
and analysis of the impact of public diplomacy efforts on
target audiences. Each review shall assess the United
States public diplomacy strategy worldwide and by region,
including the allocation of resources and an evaluation and
assessment of the progress in, and barriers to, achieving
the goals set forth under previous plans submitted under
this section. On the basis of such review, the Secretary
of State, in coordination with all appropriate Federal
agencies shall develop and submit to the appropriate con-
gressional committees an annual plan for the implementa-
tion of a public diplomacy strategy which specifies goals,
agency responsibilities, and necessary resources and mech-
anisms for achieving such goals during the next fiscal
year. The plan may be submitted in classified form.
SEC. 104. PUBLIC DIPLOMACY TRAINING.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) The Foreign Service should recruit individ-
uals with expertise and professional experience in
public diplomacy.
(2) Ambassadors should have a prominent role
in the formulation of public diplomacy strategies for
the countries and regions to which they are assigned
and be accountable for the operation and success of
public diplomacy efforts at their posts.
(3) Initial and subsequent training of Foreign
Service officers should be enhanced to include infor-
mation and training on public diplomacy and the
tools and technology of mass communication.
(b) PERSONNEL.—
(1) In the recruitment, training, and assign-
ment of members of the Foreign Service, the Sec-
retary shall emphasize the importance of public di-
plomacy and of applicable skills and techniques. The
Secretary shall consider the priority recruitment into
the Foreign Service, at middle-level entry, of individ-
uals with expertise and professional experience in
public diplomacy or mass communications, especially
individuals with language facility and experience in
particular countries and regions.
(2) The Secretary of State shall seek to in-
crease the number of Foreign Service officers pro-
ficient in languages spoken in predominantly Muslim
countries. Such increase shall be accomplished
through the recruitment of new officers and incen-
tives for officers in service.
SEC. 105. UNITED STATES ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUB-
LIC DIPLOMACY.
(a) STUDY AND REPORT BY UNITED STATES ADVI-
SORY
COMMISSION
ON
PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY.—Section
604(c)(2) of the United States Information and Edu-
cational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1469(c)) is
amended to read as follows:
‘‘(2)(A) Not less often than every two years, the Com-
mission shall undertake an indepth review of United Sttes
public diplomacy programs, policies, and activities. Each
study shall assess the effectiveness of the various mecha-
nisms of United States public diplomacy, in light of fac-
tors including public and media attitudes around the world
toward the United States, Americans, and United States
foreign policy, and make appropriate recommendations.
‘‘(B) A comprehensive report of each study under
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted to the Secretary of
State and the appropriate congressional committees. At
the discretion of the Commission, any report under this
subsection may be submitted in classified form or with a
classified appendix.
(b) INFORMATION
AND
SUPPORT
FROM
OTHER
AGENCIES.—Upon request of the United States Advisory
Commission on Public Diplomacy, the Secretary of State,
the Director of the United States International Broad-
casting Agency, and the head of any other Federal agency
that conducts public diplomacy programs and activities
shall provide information to the Advisory Commission to
assist in carrying out the responsibilities under section
604(c)(5) of the United States Information and Edu-
cational Exchange Act of 1948 (as amended by subsection
(a)).
(c) ENHANCING THE EXPERTISE OF UNITED STATES
ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC DIPLOMACY.—
(1) QUALIFICATIONS
OF
MEMBERS.—Section
604(a)(2) of the United States Information and
Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C.
1469(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
following: ‘‘At least 4 members shall have substan-
tial experience in the conduct of public diplomacy or
comparable activities in the private sector. No mem-
ber shall be an officer or employee of the United
States.’’.
(2) 
APPLICATION
OF
AMENDMENT.—The
amendments made by paragraph (1) shall not apply
to individuals who are members of the United States
Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy on the
date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 106. LIBRARY PROGRAM.
The Secretary of State shall develop and implement
a demonstration program to assist foreign governments to
establish or upgrade their public library systems to im-
prove literacy and support public education. The program
should provide training in the library sciences. The pur-
pose of the program shall be to advance American values
and society, particularly the importance of freedom and
democracy.
SEC. 107. SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING PUBLIC DI-
PLOMACY EFFORTS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRI-
CA.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) A significant number of sub-Saharan Afri-
can countries have predominantly Muslim popu-
lations, including such key countries as Nigeria,
Senegal, Djibouti, Mauritania, and Guinea.
(2) In several of these countries, groups with
links to militant religious organizations are active
among the youth, primarily young men, promoting a
philosophy and practice of intolerance and radical
clerics are effectively mobilizing public sentiment
against the United States.
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of the
Congress that the Secretary should include countries in
sub-Saharan Africa with predominantly Muslim popu-
lations in the public diplomacy activities authorized by this
Act and the amendments made by this Act.
SEC. 108. FUNDING AND AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIA-
TIONS.
(a) LIMITATION
ON
USE
OF
FUNDS.—Of the
amounts authorized to be appropriated for each of the fis-
cal years 2002 and 2003 for the Diplomatic and Consular
Programs of the Department of State, $297,759,000 for
the fiscal year 2002 and $305,693,000 for the fiscal year
2003 shall be available only for public diplomacy programs
and activities as carried out prior to the Foreign Affairs
Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998, other than pro-
grams of educational and cultural exchange.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC DIPLOMACY PROGRAMS.—
(1) In addition to amounts otherwise authorized
to be appropriated, there are authorized to be appro-
priated $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2002 and 2003 for Diplomatic and Consular Pro-
grams of the Department of State which shall be
available only for improvements and modernization
of public diplomacy programs and activities of the
Department of State as carried out prior to the For-
eign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998,
other than programs of educational and cultural ex-
change.
(2) LIMITATIONS.—
(A) 
TRANSLATION
SERVICES.—Of 
the
amounts authorized to be appropriated by para-
graph (1), $4,000,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2002 and 2003 is authorized to be appro-
priated only for translation services available to
public affairs officers in overseas posts.
(B) 
BROADCAST
SERVICES.—Of 
the
amounts authorized to be appropriated by para-
graph (1), $7,500,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2002 and 2003 is authorized to be appro-
priated only for the Office of Broadcast Serv-
ices to carry out section 102(c).
TITLE II—UNITED STATES EDU-
CATIONAL 
AND 
CULTURAL
PROGRAMS OF THE DEPART-
MENT OF STATE
SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF INITIATIVES FOR PREDOMI-
NANTLY MUSLIM COUNTRIES.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress makes the following
findings:
(1) Surveys indicate that, in countries of pre-
dominantly Muslim population, opinions of the
United States and American foreign policy among
the general public and select audiences are signifi-
cantly distorted by highly negative and hostile beliefs
and images and that many of these beliefs and im-
ages are the result of misinformation and propa-
ganda by individuals and organizations hostile to the
United States.
(2) These negative opinions and images are
highly prejudicial to the interests of the United
States and to its foreign policy.
(3) As part of a broad and long-term effort to
enhance a positive image of the United States in the
Muslim world, a key element should be the establish-
ment of programs to promote a greater familiarity
with American society and values among the general
public and select audiences in countries of predomi-
nantly Muslim population.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT
OF INITIATIVES.—The Sec-
retary of State shall establish the following programs with
countries with predominantly Muslim populations as part
of the educational and cultural exchange programs of the
Department of State for the fiscal years 2002 and 2003:
(1) JOURNALISM
PROGRAM.—A program for
foreign journalists, editors, and postsecondary stu-
dents of journalism which, in cooperation with pri-
vate sector sponsors to include universities, shall
sponsor workshops and professional training in tech-
niques, standards, and practices in the field of jour-
nalism to assist the participants to achieve the high-
est standards of professionalism.
(2) ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING.—The Sec-
retary shall establish a program to provide grants to
United States citizens to work in middle and sec-
ondary schools as English language teaching assist-
ants for not less than an academic year. If feasible,
the host government or local educational agency
shall share the salary costs of the assistants.
(3) SISTER
CITY
PARTNERSHIPS.—The Sec-
retary shall expand and enhance sister-city partner-
ships between United States and international mu-
nicipalities in an effort to increase global cooperation
at the community level. Such partnerships shall en-
courage economic development, municipal coopera-
tion, health care initiatives, youth and educational
programs, disability advocacy, emergency prepared-
ness, and humanitarian assistance.
(4) YOUTH
AMBASSADORS.—The Secretary
shall establish a program for visits by middle and
secondary school students to the United States dur-
ing school holidays in their home country for periods
not to exceed 4 weeks. Participating students shall
reflect the economic and geographic diversity of their
countries. Activities shall include cultural and edu-
cational activities designed to familiarize partici-
pating students with American society and values.
To the extent practicable, such visits shall be coordi-
nated with middle and secondary schools in the
United States to provide for school-based activities
and interactions. The Secretary shall encourage the
establishment of direct school-to-school linkages
under the program.
(5) FULBRIGHT
EXCHANGE
PROGRAM.—The
Secretary shall seek to substantially increase the
number of awards under the J. William Fulbright
Educational Exchange Program to graduate stu-
dents, scholars, professionals, teachers, and adminis-
trators from the United States who are applying for
such awards to study, teach, conduct research, or
pursue scholarship in predominantly Muslim coun-
tries. Part of such increase shall include awards for
scholars and teachers who plan to teach subjects re-
lating to American studies.
(6) HUBERT
H. HUMPHREY
FELLOWSHIPS.—
The Secretary shall seek to substantially increase
the number of Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowships
awarded to candidates from predominantly Muslim
countries.