Sponsors (18)
Official title: To make certain improvements relating to the coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom and access to information in Iran, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 4, 2026 by Eric Swalwell · Last progress February 4, 2026
The bill strengthens U.S. support for Iranians' access to secure communications and coordinates federal efforts (with modest funding), but it raises trade-offs around user safety, diplomatic and legal risks for U.S. companies, taxpayer costs, and added administrative burdens.
People in Iran (journalists, activists, and ordinary users) gain wider access to secure communications and circumvention tools (VPNs, DTC/satellite-to-phone, eSIM remote activation), increasing their ability to reach uncensored information and communicate during blackouts or protests.
Iranian journalists, human-rights defenders, and civil-society actors receive cybersecurity training and multilingual educational materials that reduce risks from regime-controlled apps, phishing, and device compromise.
U.S. agencies are required to coordinate and clarify policy (including Treasury/Commerce review and an unclassified strategy), reducing the chance that sanctions or export-controls unintentionally block civilian secure-communications tools and improving oversight.
Iranians and activists could face greater danger if promotion of circumvention tools and the collection or reporting of program metrics expose users or are not paired with robust operational-security protections.
Taxpayers may bear direct costs from new and ongoing spending (about $30M noted) and from added administrative burdens on federal agencies to implement, report on, and advocate for these programs.
Increased U.S. technical and diplomatic activity to enable circumvention and provide tools could raise tensions with Iran, invite retaliation, and complicate sanctions enforcement or bilateral relations.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Directs State and FCC to promote and protect satellite/DTC, VPN, and eSIM access for people in Iran, creates digital-safety programs, and authorizes $15M/year for FY2027–28.
Requires the State Department and FCC to promote and protect technologies that help Iranians reach the open internet and to update U.S. policy and strategy on internet freedom for Iran. It bars U.S.-licensed satellite and direct-to-cell providers from intentionally disabling or geo-blocking coverage of Iran (with narrow exceptions), directs diplomatic advocacy at international fora, creates State Department cybersecurity training and tool-distribution programs for Iranian civil-society actors and journalists, and authorizes $15 million per year for FY2027 and FY2028 to support those activities.