(B) to combat violence against bloggers 
and other civil society activists who utilize the 
internet; and 
(C) to enhance digital security training 
and capacity building for democracy activists; 
(2) shall seek to assist efforts— 
(A) to research key threats to internet 
freedom; 
(B) to continue the development of tech-
nologies that provide or enhance access to the 
internet, including circumvention tools that by-
pass internet blocking, filtering, and other cen-
sorship techniques used by authoritarian gov-
ernments; and 
(C) to maintain the technological advan-
tage of the Federal Government over the cen-
sorship techniques described in subparagraph 
(B); and 
(3) shall be incorporated into country assistance 
and democracy promotion strategies, as appropriate. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2023— 
(1) $75,000,000 to the Department of State 
and USAID, which shall be used to continue efforts 
to promote internet freedom globally, and shall be 
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matched, to the maximum extent practicable, by 
sources other than the Federal Government, includ-
ing the private sector; and 
(2) $49,000,000 to the United States Agency 
for Global Media (referred to in this section as the 
‘‘USAGM’’) and its grantees, which shall be used for 
internet freedom and circumvention technologies 
that are designed— 
(A) for open-source tools and techniques to 
securely develop and distribute digital content 
produced by the USAGM and its grantees; 
(B) to facilitate audience access to such 
digital content on websites that are censored; 
(C) to coordinate the distribution of such 
digital content to targeted regional audiences; 
and 
(D) to promote and distribute such tools 
and techniques, including digital security tech-
niques. 
(f) UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA 
ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) ANNUAL
CERTIFICATION.—For any new 
tools or techniques authorized under subsection 
(d)(2), the Chief Executive Officer of the USGAM, 
in consultation with the President of the Open Tech-
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nology Fund (referred to in this subsection as the 
‘‘OTF’’) and relevant Federal departments and 
agencies, shall submit an annual certification to the 
appropriate congressional committees that verifies 
they— 
(A) have evaluated the risks and benefits 
of such new tools or techniques; and 
(B) have established safeguards to mini-
mize the use of such new tools or techniques for 
illicit purposes. 
(2) INFORMATION SHARING.—The Secretary of 
State may not direct programs or policy of the 
USAGM or the OTF, but may share any research 
and development with relevant Federal departments 
and agencies for the exclusive purposes of— 
(A) sharing information, technologies, and 
best practices; and 
(B) assessing the effectiveness of such 
technologies. 
(3) UNITED
STATES
AGENCY
FOR
GLOBAL 
MEDIA.—The 
Chief 
Executive 
Officer 
of 
the 
USAGM, in consultation with the President of the 
OTF, shall— 
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(A) coordinate international broadcasting 
programs and incorporate such programs into 
country broadcasting strategies, as appropriate; 
(B) solicit project proposals through an 
open, transparent, and competitive application 
process, including by seeking input from tech-
nical and subject matter experts; and 
(C) support internet circumvention tools 
and techniques for audiences in countries that 
are strategic priorities for the OTF, in accord-
ance with USAGM’s annual language service 
prioritization review. 
(g) USAGM REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive 
Office of the USAGM shall submit a report to the appro-
priate congressional committees that describes— 
(1) as of the date of the report— 
(A) the full scope of internet freedom pro-
grams within the USAGM, including— 
(i) the efforts of the Office of Internet 
Freedom; and 
(ii) the efforts of the Open Tech-
nology Fund; 
(B) the capacity of internet censorship cir-
cumvention tools supported by the Office of 
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Internet Freedom and grantees of the Open 
Technology Fund that are available for use by 
individuals in foreign countries seeking to coun-
teract censors; and 
(C) any barriers to the provision of the ef-
forts described in clauses (i) and (ii) of sub-
paragraph (A), including access to surge fund-
ing; and 
(2) successful examples from the Office of 
Internet Freedom and Open Technology Fund in-
volving— 
(A) responding rapidly to internet shut-
downs in closed societies; and 
(B) ensuring uninterrupted circumvention 
services for USAGM entities to promote inter-
net freedom within repressive regimes. 
(h) JOINT REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
State and the Administrator of USAID shall jointly sub-
mit a report, which may include a classified annex, to the 
appropriate congressional committees that describes— 
(1) as of the date of the report— 
(A) the full scope of internet freedom pro-
grams within the Department of State and 
USAID, including— 
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(i) Department circumvention efforts; 
and 
(ii) USAID efforts to support internet 
infrastructure; 
(B) the capacity of internet censorship cir-
cumvention tools supported by the Federal Gov-
ernment that are available for use by individ-
uals in foreign countries seeking to counteract 
censors; and 
(C) any barriers to provision of the efforts 
enumerated in clauses (i) and (ii) of subsection 
(g)(1)(A), including access to surge funding; 
and 
(2) any new resources needed to provide the 
Federal Government with greater capacity to provide 
and boost internet access— 
(A) to respond rapidly to internet shut-
downs in closed societies; and 
(B) to provide internet connectivity to for-
eign locations where the provision of additional 
internet access service would promote freedom 
from repressive regimes. 
(i) SECURITY AUDITS.—Before providing any sup-
port for open source technologies under this section, such 
technologies must undergo comprehensive security audits 
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to ensure that such technologies are secure and have not 
been compromised in a manner that is detrimental to the 
interest of the United States or to the interests of individ-
uals and organizations benefitting from programs sup-
ported by such funding. 
(j) SURGE.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
Subject to paragraph (2), there is authorized to be 
appropriated, in addition to amounts otherwise made 
available for such purposes, $2,500,000 to support 
internet freedom programs in closed societies, in-
cluding programs that— 
(A) are carried out in crisis situations by 
vetted entities that are already engaged in 
internet freedom programs; 
(B) involve circumvention tools; or 
(C) increase the overseas bandwidth for 
companies that received Federal funding during 
the previous fiscal year. 
(2) CERTIFICATION.—Amounts authorized to be 
appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may not be 
expended until the Secretary of State has certified to 
the appropriate congressional committees, the Com-
mittee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
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resentatives that the use of such funds is in the na-
tional interest of the United States. 
(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate; 
(2) the term ‘‘internet censorship circumvention 
tool’’ means a software application or other tool that 
an individual can use to evade foreign government 
restrictions on internet access; and 
(3) the term ‘‘vetted entity’’ means a private 
company or organization that has an established 
contractual relationship or is in the process of be-
coming a new vendor for internet freedom programs 
of USAGM. 
Æ 
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