Sponsors (2)
The bill expands archival access and oversight of USAGM foreign-facing materials while preserving a prohibition on domestic influence, at the cost of modest fees, administrative steps, and potential public exposure to previously restricted content.
All U.S. citizens and researchers: the bill preserves the ban on using USAGM funds to influence U.S. public opinion, maintaining a legal firewall against domestic propaganda.
Researchers, students, and the public: the Archivist will preserve and make USAGM foreign-facing materials available domestically after 12 years, improving historical access and research opportunities.
Press, scholars, and Members of Congress: the bill allows limited earlier inspection of released materials at the State Department, improving oversight and reporting access before full domestic release.
Taxpayers and the general public: making formerly foreign-facing materials available domestically after 12 years could expose content that affects political perceptions or raise concerns about influence.
Researchers, students, and members of the public: fees charged by the Archivist to recover costs may limit or deter access for some users, reducing equitable access to materials.
Federal employees and agencies: requiring USAGM reimbursement and associated administrative steps creates additional paperwork and modest administrative costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Updates USAGM rules so materials made for foreign audiences are archived domestically after 12 years and clarifies limits on domestic dissemination and funding.
Authorizes the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO to create and distribute information abroad and updates how those foreign-oriented materials are handled domestically. Materials produced for foreign audiences must be transferred to the National Archives 12 years after first dissemination (or 12 years after preparation if never disseminated); the Archivist becomes the official custodian and may charge fees credited to USAGM appropriations. The bill keeps existing prohibitions on using USAGM funds to influence U.S. public opinion and on domestic distribution of program material, with limited exemptions for certain cultural exchange programs and employee responses to public inquiries.
Introduced December 12, 2025 by Andy Ogles · Last progress December 12, 2025