I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7942 
To establish the Open Translation Center, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 11, 2024 
Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself and Mr. GALLAGHER) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To establish the Open Translation Center, 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 ‘‘Open Translation Cen-
ter Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) The success of United States foreign policy 
depends on the ability to accurately perceive and un-
derstand other countries’ foreign and domestic poli-
cies. 
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(2) Open source materials published by the 
People’s Republic of China and other nations offer 
a uniquely valuable window into the politics, policy, 
ideology, intentions, and activities of those countries. 
(3) A lack of foreign language speakers greatly 
hinders United States policymakers, journalists, aca-
demics, students, and others’ ability to understand 
the People’s Republic of China and other nations 
and governments. 
(4) During the Cold War, the Foreign Broad-
cast Information Service provided translations and 
open source analysis that nourished generations of 
diplomats, journalists, academics, students, and oth-
ers. 
(5) Today, a public translation and analysis or-
ganization is needed to support the development of 
United States foreign policy and to enrich public un-
derstanding. 
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established a federally funded research and 
development center to be known as the ‘‘Open Translation 
Center’’ (referred to in this section as ‘‘OTC’’). 
SEC. 4. INCORPORATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—OTC shall be— 
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(1) administered as a separate entity by an or-
ganization managing a federally funded research and 
development center on the date of the enactment of 
this Act; or 
(2) incorporated as a nonprofit membership 
corporation. 
(b) BOARD.—OTC shall be headed by a board that 
consists of five members to be appointed as follows: 
(1) Two members shall be appointed by the 
Secretary of State. 
(2) Two members shall be appointed by the Di-
rector of National Intelligence. 
(3) One member shall be appointed by the Reg-
ister of Copyrights. 
(c) TERM; QUALIFICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each member appointed to 
the board of OTC in accordance with subsection (b) 
shall serve for a term of 3 years, and may be re-ap-
pointed to consecutive terms. 
(2) 
INITIAL
TERM.—Notwithstanding 
sub-
section (c), the initial term of one the two members 
first appointed by the Secretary of State in accord-
ance with subsection (b) and one of the two mem-
bers first so appointed by the Director of National 
Intelligence shall be 2 years. 
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(3) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the board 
shall be appointed from among individuals with ex-
pertise in translation, publishing, domestic and 
international copyright law, media, foreign lan-
guages, area studies, or international relations, and 
shall make all decisions independently from the 
United States Government. No member of the board 
may be an employee or official of the United States 
during the term served by such member. 
(d) CHAIR.—The Chair of the board of OTC shall 
be elected from among the members of the board. 
SEC. 5. PURPOSE AND MISSION. 
The purpose and mission of OTC is the following: 
(1) The translation, analysis, and public dis-
semination of foreign language government and 
other documents from designated countries, for the 
purposes of enhancing the understanding of such 
countries’ governments, governing organizations, 
militaries, economies, and cultures. 
(2) To provide proper context and explanations 
of translated foreign-language material to enhance 
the ability of consumers to understand the meaning 
and significance of such translated material. 
(3) To strive to make as much translated for-
eign-language material publicly available as possible, 
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and to provide summaries of important foreign-lan-
guage material that cannot be made public. 
(4) To train and develop exceptional analysts 
and linguists with specialization regarding des-
ignated countries. 
SEC. 6. DUTIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In furtherance of the purpose and 
mission specified in section 5, OTC shall— 
(1) translate into the English language docu-
ments and information from designated countries; 
(2) provide analyses, summaries, and important 
context for material translated pursuant to para-
graph (1), and other untranslated material, includ-
ing— 
(A) biographical sketches and information 
on important leaders; 
(B) descriptions and background on polit-
ical processes, important bodies, companies, 
economic systems, and military weapons sys-
tems and doctrines; 
(C) definitions and analysis of important 
concepts and phrases; 
(D) information regarding changes over 
time in the policies and intentions of govern-
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ments, militaries, and governing organizations; 
and 
(E) other issues that are of significance for 
understanding designated countries; 
(3) cooperate with other relevant Federal agen-
cies regarding any effort consistent with such pur-
pose and mission; 
(4) make available on a publicly accessible 
website— 
(A) all analyses and summaries created 
pursuant to subsection (a)(2); and 
(B) except for any material that OTC de-
termines not to make available pursuant to sub-
section (b)(1)(F), all translated materials under 
subsection (a); and 
(5) with respect to translated materials that 
OTC determines not to make available pursuant to 
subsection (b)(1)(F)— 
(A) to the extent possible, provide such 
materials free of charge to all United States 
Government employees, Members of Congress, 
and congressional staff, as well as to organiza-
tions and individuals who have relevant con-
tracts or grants with the United States Govern-
ment or any part thereof; or 
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(B) as appropriate, provide summaries and 
analyses of such materials to the persons de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
(b) METHODOLOGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section 
and section 5, OTC shall— 
(A) establish the capabilities to acquire, re-
tain, train, and develop exceptional analytical 
and linguistic expertise in designated countries 
and designated languages; 
(B) use software, programs, artificial intel-
ligence, and other technologies to ensure timely 
translations; 
(C) seek input from technical, regional, 
and subject matter experts from a wide range 
of relevant disciplines, to review, provide feed-
back, and evaluate translations and analyses; 
(D) maximize cooperation with the public 
and private sectors in the United States, includ-
ing Federal agencies, as well as with United 
States allies and partners, to maximize effi-
ciencies, acquire source materials, and eliminate 
duplication of efforts; 
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(E) select materials, such as the materials 
described in paragraph (2), to translate and 
analyze on the basis of— 
(i) the significance of the material for 
United States policymakers as well as for 
journalists, academics, and the general 
public; and 
(ii) the ability of such material to en-
hance the understanding of the politics, 
policies, intentions, ideologies, militaries, 
businesses, technologies, science, or cul-
tures of designated countries; and 
(F) in selecting material to translate under 
subparagraph (E) and in making material avail-
able under subsection (a)(4), consider whether 
the translation or dissemination of such mate-
rial would be consistent with domestic and 
international commitments on copyright, includ-
ing title 17, United States Code. 
(2) EXAMPLES OF MATERIALS TO BE TRANS-
LATED.—The materials described in this paragraph 
are the following materials from a designated coun-
try: 
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(A) Official and unofficial government, 
governing organization, and military documents 
and reports. 
(B) Speeches of relevant government, polit-
ical, governing organization, and military offi-
cials. 
(C) Official and semiofficial government, 
governing organization, and military journals. 
(D) News articles and commentary from 
government, governing organization, or other 
quasi-official sources. 
(E) Documents and other information by 
state-owned businesses and entities. 
(F) Other information, including internet 
and social media posts. 
(c) COPYRIGHTS.— 
(1) 
TRANSLATIONS
DEEMED
GOVERNMENT 
WORKS.—A work prepared by an employee or con-
tractor of the OTC for the purpose of the dissemina-
tion of such work by OTC shall be deemed a work 
of the United States Government under section 
105(a) of title 17, United States Code. 
(2) NO LESS FAVORABLE TREATMENT.—In ac-
cordance with the Agreement on Trade-Related As-
pects of Intellectual Property Rights of the World 
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Trade Organization, the Berne Convention for the 
Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, other 
World Intellectual Property Organization regulations 
and treaties, and other relevant international trea-
ties and agreements, OTC shall treat foreign mate-
rial no less favorably than national materials are 
treated for purpose of copyrights. 
(d) LIMITATION.—OTC may not publish any trans-
lation until such translation has been reviewed and ap-
proved for accuracy by OTC. 
SEC. 7. COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the duties de-
scribed in section 6, OTC may consult and cooperate 
with— 
(1) relevant Federal agencies and grantees of 
the U.S. Agency for Global Media, regarding any ef-
fort consistent with the purposes of this Act, includ-
ing— 
(A) collecting source material; 
(B) avoiding duplication of effort; 
(C) details of employees; and 
(D) training; and 
(2) other relevant stakeholders, including— 
(A) nonprofit research institutes; 
(B) institutions of higher education; and 
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(C) media organizations. 
(b) FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.—OTC is authorized to 
consult and cooperate with any foreign government begin-
ning on the date that is 14 days after— 
(1) the Secretary of State certifies that it is in 
the national interest for OTC to cooperate and con-
sult with that foreign government; and 
(2) the Secretary of State provides to the rel-
evant congressional committees such certification. 
SEC. 8. SPONSORSHIP. 
(a) SPONSORS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall 
be the primary sponsor of OTC. 
(2) AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary of State may 
enter into agreements with other relevant Federal 
agencies to provide additional sponsors of OTC. 
(3) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary of State 
shall notify the relevant congressional committees of 
any additional sponsors for OTC not later than 15 
days after entering into an agreement under para-
graph (2). 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of State should enter into a spon-
sorship agreement pursuant to subsection (a)(2) with the 
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. 
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(c) AGREEMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State shall seek to enter into a sponsoring 
agreement with respect to OTC that requires OTC 
to carry out the duties described in sections 5 and 
6. 
(2) CONSISTENCY WITH REQUIREMENTS PRE-
SCRIBED
BY
ADMINISTRATOR
FOR
FEDERAL
PRO-
CUREMENT POLICY.—The Administrator for Federal 
Procurement Policy shall prescribe general require-
ments for the sponsoring agreement entered into 
under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘governing organization’’ means 
any national body separate from a foreign govern-
ment that maintains ultimate control over such gov-
ernment, including political parties that exercise 
functions normally reserved for governments. 
(2) The term ‘‘designated countries’’ means— 
(A) the People’s Republic of China; and 
(B) other countries as determined by the 
board established under section 4(b), in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State. 
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(3) The term ‘‘relevant congressional commit-
tees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
of the House of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 
and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
Senate. 
(4) The term ‘‘designated languages’’ means— 
(A) languages identified as critical lan-
guages by the Department of State’s Critical 
Language Scholarship Program; and 
(B) other languages as determined by the 
board established pursuant to section 4, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of State. 
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated for OTC— 
(1) $85,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 
(2) $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 
through 2028; and 
(3) such sums as may be necessary for each fis-
cal year thereafter. 
Æ 
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