Identifying Propaganda on Our Airwaves Act
Bill: H.R.9180 | Sponsor: Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. (D-CA)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Identifying Propaganda on Our Airwaves Act
This bill requires radio station licensees to obtain information from additional sources designated by the Federal Communications Commission when verifying (for purposes of announcing) if a foreign governmental entity paid for or furnished radio programming. The bill also specifies when licensees must obtain information and sets out related recordkeeping requirements.

To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to specify 
  additional sources from which a radio station licensee must obtain 
     information to enable the licensee to announce that a foreign 
             governmental entity has paid for a broadcast.

    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 ``Identifying Propaganda on Our 
Airwaves Act''.

SEC. 2. ANNOUNCEMENT OF PAYMENT FOR BROADCAST.

    Section 317(c) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 317(c)) 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(c)(1) The licensee of each radio station shall exercise 
reasonable diligence to obtain information to enable such licensee to 
make the announcement required by this section.
    ``(2) In carrying out paragraph (1), the licensee of a radio 
station shall consult--
            ``(A) its employees;
            ``(B) other persons with whom it deals directly in 
        connection with any program or program matter for broadcast; 
        and
            ``(C) any additional source of information the Commission 
        designates that may enable the licensee to verify whether the 
        matter broadcast by the radio station was paid for or furnished 
        by a foreign governmental entity.
    ``(3) The licensee of a radio station shall--
            ``(A) obtain the information required under paragraph (1)--
                    ``(i) when the licensee enters into an agreement to 
                lease time on the radio station; and
                    ``(ii) when the licensee renews any agreement 
                described in clause (i); and
            ``(B) keep a record of the information required under 
        paragraph (1).
    ``(4) For purposes of this subsection--
            ``(A) the term `agent of a foreign principal' means an 
        agent of a foreign principal, as defined in section 1(c) of the 
        Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended (22 U.S.C. 
        611(c))--
                    ``(i) that is registered as such with the Attorney 
                General under section 2 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 612);
                    ``(ii) if the agent's foreign principal--
                            ``(I) is a government of a foreign country 
                        or a foreign political party; or
                            ``(II) is directly or indirectly operated, 
                        supervised, directed, owned, controlled, 
                        financed, or subsidized by the government of a 
                        foreign country or a foreign political party; 
                        and
                    ``(iii) that is acting in its capacity as an agent 
                of such foreign principal described in clause (ii);
            ``(B) the term `foreign governmental entity' includes--
                    ``(i) the government of a foreign country;
                    ``(ii) a foreign political party;
                    ``(iii) an agent of a foreign principal; and
                    ``(iv) a United States-based foreign media outlet 
                (as defined in section 624);
            ``(C) the term `foreign political party' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 1(f) of the Foreign Agents 
        Registration Act of 1938, as amended (22 U.S.C. 611(f)); and
            ``(D) the term `government of a foreign country' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 1(e) of the Foreign Agents 
        Registration Act of 1938, as amended (22 U.S.C. 611(e)).''.
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