Title: International Press Freedom Act of 2021
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
International Press Freedom Act of 2021
This bill establishes programs to address international threats to press freedom and allows qualifying threatened journalists to be admitted into the United States.
The bill establishes an Office on International Press Freedom within the Department of State. The office's duties shall include (1) advocating for freedom of the press and freedom of expression abroad, (2) advising on U.S. policy on advancing such freedoms abroad, and (3) representing the United States in matters relating to such freedoms.
The bill also establishes the At-Risk Journalists Fund. The State Department shall use the fund to support journalists operating in restrictive environments and provide emergency assistance to journalists who have been threatened.
If the assistance provided through the fund is insufficient to protect the safety of an alien journalist who has been threatened, the journalist may receive a foreign media nonimmigrant visa upon meeting certain qualifications. The State Department must prioritize the review of a visa application for such a threatened journalist.
Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security must consider providing humanitarian parole to threatened journalists and provide an admission preference to certain threatened journalists (generally if the journalist's life or safety is at risk and if paroling the journalist would further U.S. foreign policy or national security interests).
The Department of Justice must provide training to all officials adjudicating refugee cases about issues involving freedom of the press. The State Department must also provide training on such issues to certain Foreign Service officers working overseas.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1495 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1495

    To promote international press freedom, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 29, 2021

 Mr. Kaine (for himself and Mr. Graham) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To promote international press freedom, 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 ``International Press Freedom Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Even as the number of journalists killed in war zones 
        has reached a historic low, the number of journalists killed or 
        targeted in countries at peace continues to remain at 
        historically high levels. In 2020, more than \2/3\ of all media 
        fatalities took place in countries at peace.
            (2) Even as the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of 
        journalists reporting from the field, Reporters Without Borders 
        (RSF) reported that 50 journalists were killed in 2020. 
        Additionally, as of December 2020, 387 journalists remained 
        imprisoned worldwide, continuing the historically high trend 
        seen in previous years, and 57 journalists were held hostage.
            (3) As the frontier between countries at war and countries 
        at peace continues to disappear, more must be done to protect 
        journalists and activists defending human rights and spreading 
        awareness of abuse and corruption.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a free and vibrant press is the fulcrum of democracy;
            (2) the protection and advancement of the freedom of 
        expression is a foundational value of the United States;
            (3) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the 
        General Assembly of the United Nations adopted in 1948 with the 
        United States voting in favor, defines freedom of expression, 
        which includes a free press, as a fundamental human right;
            (4) the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
        Rights, which the United States ratified in 1992, specifies 
        that everyone shall have the ``freedom to seek, receive and 
        impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of 
        frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form 
        of art, or through any other media of his choice''; and
            (5) it is in the national security interest of the United 
        States to promote the spread of democratic values and 
        institutions worldwide.

SEC. 3. OFFICE ON INTERNATIONAL PRESS FREEDOM; COORDINATOR FOR 
              INTERNATIONAL PRESS FREEDOM.

    (a) Establishment of Office.--There is established within the 
Department of State an Office on International Press Freedom (referred 
to in this section as the ``Office'').
    (b) Coordinator for International Press Freedom.--
            (1) In general.--The Office shall be headed by the 
        Coordinator for International Press Freedom appointed under 
        paragraph (2).
            (2) Appointment.--The Coordinator shall be appointed by the 
        Secretary of State.
            (3) Reporting.--The Coordinator shall report to the 
        Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and 
        Labor.
    (c) Duties.--The Coordinator for International Press Freedom shall 
have the following responsibilities:
            (1) In general.--The primary responsibility of the 
        Coordinator shall be--
                    (A) to advance the right to freedom of the press 
                and freedom of expression abroad;
                    (B) to denounce violations of that right;
                    (C) to recommend appropriate responses by the 
                United States Government when that right is violated;
                    (D) to recommend--
                            (i) the issuance of nonimmigrant visas to 
                        individuals classified as threatened 
                        journalists under subsection (s) of section 214 
                        of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                        U.S.C. 1184), as added by section 6(a); and
                            (ii) the provision of humanitarian parole 
                        to certain journalists under section 6(b); and
                    (E) to make individualized determinations with 
                respect to the continued risk to the lives and safety 
                of such individuals and journalists, as described in 
                section 6(c).
            (2) Advisory role.--The Coordinator shall--
                    (A) be the principal adviser to the Assistant 
                Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and 
                Labor regarding matters affecting press freedom abroad; 
                and
                    (B) make recommendations regarding--
                            (i) the policies of the United States 
                        Government toward foreign governments that 
                        violate freedom of the press or fail to ensure 
                        the safety and freedom of persons engaged in 
                        free expression or journalism; and
                            (ii) policies to advance the right to free 
                        expression and freedom of the press abroad.
            (3) Diplomatic representation.--Subject to the direction of 
        the Secretary of State and the Assistant Secretary of State for 
        Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the Coordinator is 
        authorized to represent the United States in matters and cases 
        relevant to press freedom abroad in--
                    (A) contacts with foreign governments, 
                intergovernmental organizations, and specialized 
                agencies of the United Nations, the Organization for 
                Security and Co-operation in Europe, and other 
                international organizations of which the United States 
                is a member; and
                    (B) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant 
                to press freedom abroad.
            (4) Other duties.--The Coordinator shall have such other 
        responsibilities in carrying out this Act as the Secretary of 
        State and the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human 
        Rights, and Labor determine.
    (d) Funding.--The Secretary of State shall provide the Coordinator 
for International Press Freedom with such funds as may be necessary for 
the hiring of staff for--
            (1) the Office;
            (2) the conduct of investigations by the Office; and
            (3) necessary travel.

SEC. 4. AT-RISK JOURNALISTS FUND.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of the 
United States a fund, to be known as the ``At-Risk Journalists Fund'' 
(in this section referred to as the ``Fund''), to be administered by 
the Secretary of State.
    (b) Purposes of the Fund.--The Secretary of State shall use the 
amounts in the Fund for the following purposes:
            (1) To support journalists operating in restrictive 
        environments by providing--
                    (A) training in digital identity protection and 
                physical security; and
                    (B) psycho-social care.
            (2) To provide short-term emergency assistance to support 
        and protect journalists who have been threatened, harassed, or 
        attacked and need to relocate, which may be provided through 
        existing mechanisms such as the Human Rights Defenders Fund of 
        the Department of State.
            (3) To provide medium-term emergency assistance resources 
        for journalists in danger, including continuing support to 
        journalists described in paragraph (2) whose relocations must 
        be extended due to ongoing security concerns.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated under 
subsection (e) shall be obligated and expended consistent with the 
action plan required by section 7032(i)(1) of the Department of State, 
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018 
(division K of Public Law 115-141).
    (d) Annual Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than March 1 of each year, the 
        Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees 
        of Congress a report on the Fund.
            (2) Elements.--Each report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The total amount expended from the Fund during 
                the previous calendar year for each of the purposes 
                specified in subsection (b).
                    (B) A description of the specific programs 
                implemented using amounts from the Fund during such 
                year.
                    (C) Data regarding the number and nationality of 
                journalists assisted using such amounts during such 
                year.
                    (D) Such accounts of individuals assisted by the 
                Fund during such year that the Secretary of State 
                considers relevant to share.
            (3) Definition of appropriate committees of congress.--In 
        this subsection, the term ``appropriate commitees of Congress'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
                Committee on Appropriations, and the Human Rights 
                Caucus of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
                on Appropriations, and the Tom Lantos Human Rights 
                Commission of the House of Representatives.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        the Fund $30,000,000 to carry out this section for each of the 
        5 fiscal years beginning with the first fiscal year that begins 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Availability of amounts.--Amounts authorized to be 
        appropriated under paragraph (1) shall remain available until 
        expended.
    (f) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) amounts authorized to be appropriated under subsection 
        (e) should be appropriated in addition to amounts regularly 
        appropriated for other programs to promote human rights and 
        civil society; and
            (2) support for civil society activists and other human 
        rights defenders provided by the Federal Government as of the 
        date of the enactment of this Act should not be decreased.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO COMBAT IMPUNITY.

    (a) List of Countries.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, and not later than March 1 of each year 
thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Attorney 
General of the United States and nongovernmental organizations with 
expertise in threats to journalists worldwide, shall create a list of 
not less than 10 countries in which journalists face the greatest risk 
of murder, assault, harassment, intimidation, or other crimes.
    (b) Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement 
Programs.--
            (1) In general.--Of amounts appropriated each fiscal year 
        for ``International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement'' for 
        bilateral assistance for each country identified in the list 
        required by subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary of State 
        for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs shall 
        use not less than 10 percent for programs to assist police, 
        prosecutors, judges, and other individuals--
                    (A) to support the investigation and prosecution of 
                individuals who commit crimes against journalists; and
                    (B) to prevent such crimes.
            (2) Consultation.--The Assistant Secretary of State for 
        International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs shall 
        develop the programs described in paragraph (1) in consultation 
        with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the 
        Department of State, the Department of Justice, and other local 
        or international organizations with expertise in threats to 
        journalists in the relevant country.
    (c) Annual Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and not later than March 1 of each 
        year thereafter, the Assistant Secretary of State for 
        International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, in 
        consultation with the Assistant Secretary of State for 
        Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, shall submit to Congress a 
        report outlining the efforts and level of success of such 
        Assistant Secretaries in combatting impunity for attacks 
        against journalists, with special emphasis on the countries 
        identified in the list required by subsection (a).
            (2) Elements.--Each report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) The number of journalists in foreign countries 
                who were killed, attacked, harassed, or intimidated 
                during the previous calendar year.
                    (B) The number of cases of crimes against 
                journalists in foreign countries that were prosecuted, 
                the number of convictions in those cases, and the 
                sentences for individuals convicted, during such year.
                    (C) A description of any relevant prevention 
                efforts or training conducted by the Bureau of 
                International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of 
                the Department of State for host nation officials, 
                journalists, or other individuals during such year.

SEC. 6. NONIMMIGRANT VISAS AND HUMANITARIAN PAROLE FOR THREATENED 
              JOURNALISTS.

    (a) Nonimmigrant Visas.--
            (1) Expansion of foreign media nonimmigrant visa 
        category.--Section 101(a)(15)(I) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(I)) is amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``(i)'' before ``upon a basis'';
                    (B) by striking ``him;'' and inserting ``the alien; 
                or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(ii) an alien who is classified as a threatened 
                journalist under section 214(s), and the spouse and 
                children of such an alien if accompanying or following 
                to join the alien;''.
            (2) Threatened journalist defined.--Section 214 of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
    ``(s)(1) An alien shall be classified as a threatened journalist 
under this subsection if the Secretary of State, the Coordinator for 
International Press Freedom, or an appropriate Chief of Mission (after 
consultation with the Secretary or the Coordinator) determines that--
            ``(A) the alien is a journalist who practices (on a regular 
        or professional basis) the collection and dissemination of 
        information to the public through any means of mass 
        communication;
            ``(B) the alien--
                    ``(i) has been threatened, harassed, or attacked on 
                account of, or in the exercise of, journalistic 
                activity; or
                    ``(ii) has a well-founded fear of future 
                persecution on account of the alien's journalistic 
                activity;
            ``(C) the alien has conducted reporting consistent with the 
        values and standards of professional journalism, including--
                    ``(i) the collection and dissemination of 
                information, freely and in accordance with the 
                principles of attachment to the truth, plurality of 
                points of view, and rationality with respect to the 
                methods of establishment of fact and fact verification;
                    ``(ii) the demonstration of a commitment to free 
                pursuit of the truth, factual accuracy, and no 
                intention to harm;
                    ``(iii) refraining from dissemination of misleading 
                or incorrect information, and refraining from 
                concealing information that should be known to the 
                public;
                    ``(iv) the regular or professional collection of 
                information and ideas and dissemination to the public 
                through any means of mass communication;
                    ``(v) the use of professional methods of 
                establishing and verifying the facts, and endeavoring 
                to be factually accurate;
                    ``(vi) behavior and actions that are in accordance 
                with the principles of freedom of expression;
                    ``(vii) respect for ethical principles of the 
                profession of journalism, in particular the duties 
                attached to such principles;
                    ``(viii) the treatment of information in a manner 
                that serves the general interests and the fundamental 
                rights of the public, and does not regard information 
                as a commercial product;
                    ``(ix) engagement in activities that fall within 
                the framework of editorial independence;
                    ``(x) the impartial presentation of facts, 
                disregarding as much as possible his or her own 
                interests and prejudices, and rejection of all forms of 
                connivance or conflict of interest;
                    ``(xi) respect for the plurality of sources and 
                points of view;
                    ``(xii) a refusal to engage in manipulation of 
                information; and
                    ``(xiii) the observation and reporting of events 
                without actively participating in them; and
            ``(D) temporary measures implemented by the Secretary of 
        State using amounts authorized to be appropriated under section 
        4(e) of the International Press Freedom Act of 2021 are 
        insufficient to protect the life or safety of the alien or the 
        spouse or child of the alien.
    ``(2) In processing nonimmigrant visa applications for aliens 
described in paragraph (1) and the spouse and children of such aliens 
who are accompanying or following to join them, the Secretary of State 
shall--
            ``(A) offer interview appointments to such aliens not later 
        than 3 business days after receiving an application from such 
        aliens; and
            ``(B) prioritize the review and processing of such 
        applications ahead of any nonemergency nonimmigrant visa 
        applications.
    ``(3) In the case of an alien spouse admitted under section 
101(a)(15)(I)(ii), who is accompanying or following to join a principal 
alien admitted under such section, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall authorize the alien spouse to engage in employment in the United 
States and provide the spouse with an `employment authorized' 
endorsement or other appropriate work permit.''.
            (3) Change of status.--Section 248(b) of the Immigration 
        and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1258(b)) is amended by striking 
        ``(T) or (U)'' and inserting ``(I)(ii), (T), or (U)''.
            (4) Rulemaking.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        amend Part 214 of title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, as 
        appropriate, to ensure that each alien described in section 
        101(a)(15)(I)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as 
        added by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) is permitted to remain in the United States--
                            (i) while classified as a threatened 
                        journalist pursuant to section 214(s) of such 
                        Act, as added by paragraph (2); or
                            (ii) with respect to the spouse and 
                        children of a threatened journalist, while such 
                        classification remains in effect for the spouse 
                        or parent;
                    (B) receives an Employment Authorization Document;
                    (C) is not denied a nonimmigrant visa under such 
                section 101(a)(15)(I)(ii) or the extension of such visa 
                based on the approval of a permanent labor 
                certification, the filing of a preference petition on 
                behalf of the alien, or the pursuit of refugee or 
                asylee status; and
                    (D) is provided with notification of each 
                determination under subsection (c).
            (5) Applicability of regulation.--The final rule of the 
        Department of Homeland Security entitled ``Period of Admission 
        and Extensions of Stay for Representatives of Foreign 
        Information Media Seeking to Enter the United States'' (85 Fed. 
        Reg. 91 (May 11, 2020)) shall not apply to a nonimmigrant 
        described in section 101(a)(15)(I)(ii).
    (b) Humanitarian Parole.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        consider, on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian 
        reasons, and in accordance with section 212(d)(5)(B) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(B)), the 
        provision of humanitarian parole to aliens described in section 
        214(s) of such Act, as added by subsection (a)(2), who meet the 
        criteria described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Criteria.--
                    (A) Life or safety at risk.--The Secretary of 
                State, the Coordinator for International Press Freedom, 
                or an appropriate Chief of Mission (after consultation 
                with the Secretary or the Coordinator) affirms that the 
                life or safety of the alien is at risk if the alien 
                remains in his or her country of origin or country of 
                last habitual residence.
                    (B) Written recommendation.--The Secretary of State 
                or the Chief of Mission (after consultation with the 
                Secretary) has submitted to the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security and the Attorney General a favorable written 
                recommendation that humanitarian parole for the alien 
                furthers the foreign policy interests or national 
                security interests of the United States.
            (3) Preference for admission as nonimmigrant.--
                    (A) In general.--With respect to an alien who meets 
                the criteria described in paragraph (2), subject to 
                subparagraph (B), the Secretary of Homeland Security 
                shall exercise a preference for admission as a 
                nonimmigrant described in clause (ii) of section 
                101(a)(15)(I) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(I)), as 
                added by subsection (a)(1).
                    (B) Imminent danger.--In the case of imminent 
                danger to such an alien--
                            (i)(I) the Secretary of State may submit to 
                        the Secretary of Homeland Security a request to 
                        parole the alien into the United States under 
                        this subsection; and
                            (II) the Secretary of Homeland Security may 
                        parole the alien into the United States; or
                            (ii) the Secretary of State may coordinate 
                        directly with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs 
                        and Border Protection for the parole of the 
                        alien into the United States under this 
                        subsection.
    (c) Individualized Determination With Respect to Continued Risk to 
Life or Safety.--
            (1) In general.--With respect to each alien admitted to the 
        United States as a threatened journalist described in clause 
        (ii) of section 101(a)(15)(I) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act, as added by subsection (a)(1), or paroled into 
        the United States under subsection (b), not less frequently 
        than once every 5 years after such admission or parole, the 
        Coordinator for International Press Freedom shall make a 
        determination as to whether the alien's life or safety would be 
        at risk if the alien were to return to his or her country of 
        origin or country of last habitual residence.
            (2) Notification.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
        which the Coordinator makes a determination under paragraph 
        (1), the Coordinator shall notify the alien of such 
        determination.
            (3) Effect of determination.--If the Coordinator determines 
        that an alien's life or safety would not be at risk if the 
        alien were to return to his or her country of origin or country 
        of last habitual residence, not later than 120 days after the 
        date of such determination--
                    (A) the alien's status as a nonimmigrant described 
                in paragraph (15)(I)(ii) of section 101(a) of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 101(a)) shall 
                terminate; and
                    (B) the alien shall be required--
                            (i) to depart the United States; or
                            (ii) to change or adjust his or her status 
                        under the immigration laws (as defined in such 
                        section) to a status for which the alien is 
                        eligible.

SEC. 7. TRAINING FOR REFUGEE OFFICERS.

    Section 207(f)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1157(f)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; 
        and'';
            (2) by striking ``include country-specific conditions, 
        instruction'' and inserting ``include--
                    ``(A) country-specific conditions;
                    ``(B) instruction''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) instruction on the internationally recognized 
                right to freedom of the press, instruction on methods 
                of persecution of, or attacks on, journalists in 
                foreign countries, and applicable distinctions between 
                traditional and nontraditional journalists.''.

SEC. 8. TRAINING FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS.

    Section 708 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Freedom of Expression.--The Secretary of State, with the 
assistance of other relevant officials, such as the Coordinator for 
International Press Freedom appointed under section 3(b)(2) of the 
International Press Freedom Act of 2021, and distinguished 
nongovernmental organizations that advocate for press freedoms, shall 
provide to each Foreign Service officer who will work overseas in the 
areas of political affairs, public diplomacy, or consular affairs, or 
as a Deputy Chief of Mission or Chief of Mission, pre-departure 
instruction that includes information about the following:
            ``(1) The scope and value of freedom of expression.
            ``(2) How violations of the freedom the press harm the 
        interests of the United States.
            ``(3) The relevance of international freedom of the press 
        to the advancement of the defense, diplomacy, development, and 
        public affairs efforts and interests of the United States.
            ``(4) With respect to the country in which the Foreign 
        Service officer will be posted, the nature, severity, and 
        origins of threats facing journalists in their reporting and 
        United States Government and nongovernmental mechanisms 
        available to mitigate those threats.
            ``(5) The role of nontraditional media platforms and 
        nontraditional journalists in the press in the country in which 
        the Foreign Service officer will be posted.''.

SEC. 9. REPORTS.

    (a) Department of Homeland Security Annual Report to Congress.--Not 
later than March 1 of each year, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress that 
identifies, with respect to the preceding fiscal year--
            (1) the number of threatened journalist aliens who were 
        issued a nonimmigrant visa under clause (ii) of section 
        101(a)(15)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1101(a)(15)(I)), as added by section 6(a), disaggregated by 
        country of nationality;
            (2) the number of family members of aliens described in 
        paragraph (1) who were issued a nonimmigrant visa under such 
        clause (ii), disaggregated by country of nationality;
            (3) the number of alien journalists who were granted 
        humanitarian parole pursuant to section 6(b) due to their work 
        as journalists, disaggregated by country of nationality;
            (4) the number of family members of aliens described in 
        paragraph (3) who were granted humanitarian parole pursuant to 
        section 6(b), disaggregated by country of nationality; and
            (5) such other information as the Secretary considers 
        relevant.
    (b) Government Accountability Office Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and every 3 years thereafter on 
        March 1, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
        analyzing the barriers that prevent foreign journalists from 
        obtaining visas for admission into the United States.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        assess the following:
                    (A) The success of programs relating to in-country 
                support for foreign journalists, temporary resettlement 
                of such journalists in third countries, admission of 
                such journalists under clause (ii) of section 
                101(a)(15)(I) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(I)), as added by section 6(a), and 
                humanitarian parole for such journalists under section 
                6(b).
                    (B) The processing speeds and delays in the program 
                providing nonimmigrant visas to journalists under 
                clause (ii) of section 101(a)(15)(I) of the Immigration 
                and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(I)), as added 
                by section 6(a).
            (3) Consultation.--In preparing the report required by 
        paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall consult with--
                    (A) the Attorney General;
                    (B) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
                    (C) the Secretary of State; and
                    (D) nongovernmental organizations that advocate for 
                the safety of journalists, as determined by the 
                Comptroller General.
            (4) Definition of appropriate committees of congress.--In 
        this subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of 
        Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
                Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Human 
                Rights Caucus of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
                on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, 
                and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the House 
                of Representatives.
                                 <all>