Sponsors (17)
The bill expands and funds U.S. efforts to help Iranians access anti‑censorship communications and to train and protect civil society—strengthening digital freedom and information flow—while creating real risks to user safety, diplomatic friction, legal/compliance burdens for providers, and additional taxpayer and administrative costs.
People in Iran (civilians, journalists, activists) gain expanded, more reliable access to the open internet through deployment and support of DTC satellites, eSIMs, VPNs, and other anti‑censorship tools.
Journalists, human‑rights defenders, and civil‑society actors in Iran receive cybersecurity training and vetted digital‑safety tools (multilingual materials, end‑to‑end messaging, phishing awareness), improving their ability to protect sources and operate securely.
The bill provides dedicated funding (authorized $15M/year; roughly $30M over two years) to sustain U.S. digital‑support programs, increasing the likelihood these initiatives are implemented.
Iranian users, activists, and journalists could face increased safety risks—surveillance, identification, imprisonment, or reprisals—if circumvention tools are detected, countered, or fail to protect them.
U.S. support for anti‑censorship tools could be portrayed by Iran as hostile interference, risking diplomatic escalation or retaliatory measures that could affect Americans and U.S. interests abroad.
Private companies and U.S. licensees face legal uncertainty, compliance costs, conflicts with OFAC/sanctions, and possible regulatory or market‑access risks when providing connectivity technologies to Iranians.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 4, 2026 by Eric Swalwell · Last progress February 4, 2026
Directs the U.S. government to promote and expand access to secure internet tools for people in Iran by making the Secretary of State the lead official on Iran-focused digital‑freedom efforts, updating the U.S. strategy on internet resilience, and requiring the FCC to condition certain licenses so U.S.-licensed satellite and direct‑to‑cell operators do not intentionally exclude Iran from coverage. It funds State Department programs to train and equip journalists, human‑rights defenders, and civil‑society actors with cybersecurity training, VPNs, encrypted messaging tools, and educational materials, and authorizes $15 million per year for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to carry out those programs. The bill preserves existing sanctions and export‑control authorities and includes reporting, oversight, and timelines for strategy updates and program evaluation.