I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8309 
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide for the inclusion 
of additional information relating to internet freedom in Annual Country 
Reports on Human Rights Practices. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 8, 2024 
Ms. JACOBS (for herself and Ms. SALAZAR) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide 
for the inclusion of additional information relating to 
internet freedom in Annual Country Reports on Human 
Rights Practices. 
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 ‘‘Global Internet Free-
dom Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
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(1) internet freedom is important to the exer-
cise of human rights; and 
(2) the United States Government should 
proactively promote the principles of internet free-
dom around the world. 
SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELAT-
ING TO INTERNET FREEDOM IN ANNUAL 
COUNTRY 
REPORTS 
ON 
HUMAN 
RIGHTS 
PRACTICES. 
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 is amended— 
(1) in section 116(d) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d))— 
(A) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in paragraph (12)(C)(ii), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) wherever applicable, the extent to 
which— 
‘‘(A) state or non-state actors create delib-
erate barriers to access to the internet, includ-
ing by shutting down connectivity or blocking 
online content that is protected by international 
human rights standards; and 
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‘‘(B) the government engages in undue re-
strictions on free expression and violations of 
privacy as they occur online, or legal and extra-
legal repercussions for online speech or activi-
ties that are protected by international human 
rights standards.’’; and 
(2) in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304)— 
(A) by redesignating the second subsection 
(i) (as added by section 1207(b)(2) of Public 
Law 113–4) as subsection (j); and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) The report required by subsection (b) shall in-
clude, wherever applicable a description of the extent to 
which— 
‘‘(1) state or non-state actors create deliberate 
barriers to access to the internet, including by shut-
ting down connectivity or blocking online content 
that is protected by international human rights 
standards; and 
‘‘(2) the government engages in undue restric-
tions on free expression and violations of privacy as 
they occur online, or legal and extralegal repercus-
sions for online speech or activities that are pro-
tected by international human rights standards.’’. 
Æ 
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