Open Translation and Analysis Center Authorization Act
Bill: H.R.4747 | Sponsor: Rep. Castro, Joaquin (D-TX)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Open Translation and Analysis Center Authorization Act
This bill establishes the Open Translation and Analysis Center as a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Department of State.
The center must disseminate translations and analysis of foreign language materials from China and other countries of strategic interest, with a particular focus on government materials (e.g., documents, reports, and speeches of political and military leadership).
To carry out its activities, the center must (1) select appropriate materials for translation and analysis; (2) train analysts and linguists; (3) use technologies to expedite translations; and (4) otherwise coordinate its work with federal agencies, foreign allies, and others. Specifically, the center must cooperate and consult with relevant federal agencies and stakeholders, including grantees of the United States Agency for Global Media and research organizations. The center may consult with foreign governments if the State Department certifies that the consultation serves U.S. national interests.
Additionally, the center must maintain a publicly available website of all translations and analyses that are not subject to copyright or intellectual property protections. Materials subject to those protections must be made available at no cost on a private website to federal employees and contractors and members of Congress and their staff.
The bill designates the State Department as the primary sponsor of the center. However, the State Department may enter into sponsorship agreements with other federal agencies, such as the Central Intelligence Agency.

To establish the Open Translation and Analysis Center, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Open Translation and Analysis Center 
Authorization Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The success of United States foreign policy depends on 
        the ability to accurately perceive and understand other 
        countries' foreign and domestic policies.
            (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, academics, students, 
        and others' ability to understand the People's Republic of 
        China and other nations and governments.
            (4) During the Cold War, the Foreign Broadcast Information 
        Service provided translations and open source analysis that 
        nourished generations of diplomats, journalists, academics, 
        students, and others.
            (5) Today, a public translation and analysis organization 
        is needed to support the development of United States foreign 
        policy and to enrich public understanding.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established a federally funded research and development 
center to be known as the ``Open Translation and Analysis Center'' 
(referred to in this section as ``OTAC'').

SEC. 4. INCORPORATION.

    OTAC shall be--
            (1) administered as a separate entity by an organization 
        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.

SEC. 5. PURPOSE AND MISSION.

    The purpose and mission of OTAC is the following:
            (1) The translation, analysis, and public dissemination of 
        foreign language government and other documents from countries 
        of strategic interest, 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 foreign-language 
        material publicly available as possible, and to provide 
        summaries of important foreign-language material that cannot be 
        made public.
            (4) To train and develop exceptional analysts and linguists 
        with specialization regarding countries of strategic interest.

SEC. 6. DUTIES.

    (a) In General.--In furtherance of the purpose and mission 
specified in section 5, OTAC shall--
            (1) translate into the English language documents and 
        information in languages from countries of interest, 
        including--
                    (A) official and unofficial government, governing 
                organization, and military documents and reports;
                    (B) speeches of relevant government, political, 
                governing organization, and military officials;
                    (C) official and semiofficial government, governing 
                organization, and military journals;
                    (D) news articles and commentary from government, 
                governing organization, or other quasi-official sources 
                OTAC determines particularly noteworthy for United 
                States policymakers and journalists and analysts around 
                the world;
                    (E) documents and other information by state-owned 
                businesses and entities; and
                    (F) other information, including internet and 
                social media posts, that OTAC determines important to 
                United States policymakers and journalists, academics, 
                and the general public around the world;
            (2) provide analyses, summaries, and important context for 
        material translated pursuant to paragraph (1), and other 
        untranslated material, including--
                    (A) biographical sketches and information on 
                important leaders;
                    (B) descriptions and background on political 
                processes, important bodies, companies, economic 
                systems, and military weapons systems and doctrines;
                    (C) definitions and analysis of important concepts 
                and phrases;
                    (D) information regarding changes over time in 
                government, military, and governing organization 
                policies and intentions; and
                    (E) other issues that are of significance for 
                understanding countries of strategic interest; and
            (3) cooperate with other grantees of the United States 
        Agency for Global Media and relevant Federal agencies regarding 
        any effort consistent with such purpose and mission.
    (b) Dissemination.--
            (1) Public website.--
                    (A) In general.--OTAC shall establish a publicly 
                accessible website that includes all analyses and 
                summaries under this Act and, to the maximum extent 
                practicable, all translated materials under subsection 
                (a), including speeches, documents, and reports from 
                any government, governing organizations, military, or 
                other organizations that are required to register, or 
                have subsidiaries that are required to register, under 
                title II of the State Department Basic Authorities Act 
                of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.).
                    (B) License.--The materials referred to in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be published under a creative 
                commons license.
            (2) Copyright.--
                    (A) In general.--In accordance with the Berne 
                Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic 
                Works, other World Intellectual Property Organization 
                regulations and treaties, and other international 
                treaties, OTAC shall treat foreign material in the same 
                manner as national materials are treated for purpose of 
                copyrights.
                    (B) National laws.--Notwithstanding any other 
                provision of law, no document published by the United 
                States Government, including the Armed Forces and any 
                organization associated with or part of such 
                Government, may be construed by OTAC to have any 
                copyright protection beyond the level of a creative 
                commons license.
                    (C) Clarification.--For the purposes of this Act, a 
                governing organization or any organization that is 
                required to register, or has subsidiaries that are 
                required to register, under title II of the State 
                Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 
                4301 et seq.), shall be treated as a government for 
                copyright purposes.
            (3) Exception.--For translated materials that cannot be 
        made publicly accessible without violating legally binding 
        copyright or intellectual property protections, OTAC shall--
                    (A) provide such materials free of charge on a 
                private website available to all United States 
                Government employees, Members of Congress, and 
                congressional staff, as well as to organizations and 
                individuals who have relevant contracts or grants with 
                the United States Government or any part thereof;
                    (B) license such materials to any such organization 
                or individual at cost; and
                    (C) as appropriate, provide summaries and analyses 
                that would fall under ``fair use'' guidelines for the 
                purpose of copyright laws.
    (c) Methodology.--In carrying out this section and section 5, OTAC 
shall--
            (1) establish the capabilities to acquire, retain, train, 
        and develop exceptional analytical and linguistic expertise in 
        countries of strategic interest and languages of strategic 
        interest;
            (2) use software, programs, artificial intelligence, and 
        other technologies to ensure timely translations;
            (3) seek input from technical, regional, and subject matter 
        experts from a wide range of relevant disciplines, to review, 
        provide feedback, and evaluate translations and analyses;
            (4) maximize cooperation with the public and private 
        sectors in the United States, including Federal agencies, as 
        well as with United States allies and partners, to maximize 
        efficiencies, acquire source materials, and eliminate 
        duplication of efforts; and
            (5) select material to translate and analyze on the basis 
        of its significance for United States and allied policymakers, 
        journalists, academics, and the general public, and to enhance 
        the understanding of countries of strategic interests' 
        politics, policies, intentions, ideologies, militaries, 
        businesses, technologies, science, and cultures.
    (d) Limitation.--OTAC may not publish any translation until such 
translation has been reviewed and approved for accuracy by OTAC.

SEC. 7. COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION.

    (a) In General.--In carrying out the duties described in section 6, 
OTAC shall consult and cooperate with--
            (1) relevant Federal agencies and grantees of the U.S. 
        Agency for Global Media, regarding any effort consistent with 
        the purposes of this Act, including--
                    (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
                    (C) media organizations.
    (b) Foreign Governments.--OTAC is authorized to consult and 
cooperate with any foreign government beginning on the date that is 14 
days after--
            (1) the Secretary of State certifies that it is in the 
        national interest for OTAC to cooperate and consult with a 
        foreign government; and
            (2) the Secretary of State provides to the relevant 
        congressional committees such certification.

SEC. 8. SPONSORSHIP.

    (a) Sponsors.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall be the 
        primary sponsor of OTAC.
            (2) Agreements.--The Secretary of State may enter into 
        agreements with other relevant Federal agencies to provide 
        additional sponsors of OTAC.
            (3) Notification.--The Secretary of State shall notify the 
        relevant congressional committees of any additional sponsors 
        for OTAC not later than 15 days after entering into an 
        agreement under paragraph (2).
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of State should enter into a sponsorship agreement pursuant 
to subsection (a)(2) with the Director of the Central Intelligence 
Agency.
    (c) Agreement.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall seek to 
        enter into a sponsoring agreement with respect to OTAC that 
        requires OTAC to carry out the duties described in sections 5 
        and 6.
            (2) Consistency with requirements prescribed by 
        administrator for federal procurement policy.--The 
        Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy shall prescribe 
        general requirements 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 government that maintains ultimate 
        control over such government, including political parties that 
        exercise functions normally reserved for governments.
            (2) The term ``countries of strategic interest'' means--
                    (A) the People's Republic of China; and
                    (B) other countries as determined by the Secretary 
                of State.
            (3) The term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate.
            (4) The term ``languages of strategic interest'' means--
                    (A) languages identified as critical languages by 
                the Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship 
                Program; and
                    (B) other languages as determined by the Secretary 
                of State.

SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for OTAC--
            (1) $85,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
            (2) $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2026; 
        and
            (3) such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year 
        thereafter.
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