Sponsors (2)
The bill increases U.S. funding and coordination to expand Mandarin‑language outreach and build circumvention/secure‑communication tools—strengthening U.S. influence and information access for PRC audiences—but does so at taxpayer expense while raising safety, diplomatic, and credibility risks for target populations and partners.
Mandarin‑speaking PRC citizens (inside China and abroad): gain expanded access to independent news and circumvention/secure‑sharing tools that make it easier to receive uncensored information.
U.S. national security and public diplomacy: benefit from improved ability to reach Mandarin audiences and counter authoritarian narratives, strengthening U.S. influence and strategic competition with the PRC.
Federal agencies and implementing partners: will have clearer coordination (standard terms, interagency priorities, a dedicated grantee, and audit requirements), reducing duplication and potentially improving efficiency and accountability in messaging and grant management.
U.S. government, taxpayers, and international relations: face a substantial risk of diplomatic escalation and retaliatory measures from the PRC that could harm trade, cooperation, and U.S. access in China.
Mandarin‑speaking PRC users and target populations: risk surveillance, legal penalties, or reprisals if circumvention tools or distribution channels are detected or if data collection exposes individuals, endangering the very people the programs seek to help.
U.S. taxpayers and budget planners: will bear new and recurring costs (authorized roughly $75 million per year plus program administration), increasing federal spending over the authorization period.
Based on analysis of 16 sections of legislative text.
Requires a Presidential strategy and interagency task force to expand Mandarin-language content and internet circumvention tools for audiences in and outside the PRC and creates a non‑Federal Global News Service grantee under USAGM.
Introduced February 5, 2025 by Daniel Scott Sullivan · Last progress February 5, 2025
Requires the President to produce a one-year strategy and creates a Presidentially chaired interagency task force to expand Mandarin-language news and information for audiences in and outside the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Directs U.S. agencies to pair content with internet circumvention and secure-sharing tools, increase funding and coordination for Mandarin content production and distribution, and create a non‑Federal “Global News Service” grantee under U.S. international broadcasting law to curate and distribute China-related reporting. The measure states U.S. policy priorities, lists findings about PRC information controls, and urges diplomatic action to address lack of reciprocity in internet access.