Sponsors (12)
The bill expands U.S. support for internet freedom, secure communications, and civil-society assistance in Iran—improving information access, oversight, and enforcement tools—while increasing federal spending and raising risks of diplomatic escalation, implementation challenges, legal/compliance burdens, and potential harms to the very people it aims to help.
Iranians (protesters, activists, and the broader public) would gain more resilient access to internet and communications (direct-to-cell, LEO satellite, VPNs, mesh and circumvention tools), improving their ability to organize, access information, and communicate with relatives.
Independent Iranian journalists, human-rights defenders, and civil-society organizations would receive grants, equipment, cybersecurity training, and secure-communications support, strengthening reporting and protection of sensitive information.
U.S. foreign-policy efforts would become more coordinated and accountable through a designated lead official, interagency coordination, required strategy updates, periodic unclassified reporting, and GAO reviews, improving policy coherence and congressional oversight.
U.S. taxpayers would likely face increased federal spending because the bill authorizes multi-year appropriations and contains open-ended funding language for internet-freedom and related programs.
Americans abroad and U.S. diplomatic interests could face greater risk if Iran perceives expanded U.S. efforts to circumvent controls as hostile, increasing chances of retaliation or broader diplomatic escalation.
U.S. companies, financial institutions, and NGOs could face substantial legal, export‑control, sanctions, and compliance costs (and potential reputational harm) when providing connectivity or working with foreign telecom partners tied to Iran.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 24, 2026 by David Harold McCormick · Last progress February 24, 2026
Directs the Secretary of State to lead a U.S. effort to expand unrestricted internet and communications access for people in Iran, support Iranian civil society and independent media, develop and procure technologies to defeat internet shutdowns, and strengthen accountability for those who enabled human‑rights abuses. It requires new and updated strategies, reports, interagency working groups, grant program authorities, cybersecurity training for at‑risk Iranians, GAO oversight of related funding, and mechanisms for Congress to request determinations about sanctionable conduct by foreign persons. Sets firm deadlines for initial reports and strategies (mostly within 120–180 days), authorizes multi‑year activities and procurement coordination with Defense acquisition practices, requires annual and quarterly progress reporting to specified congressional committees, and clarifies the Act does not authorize military force.