Sponsors (12)
Introduced February 24, 2026 by David Harold McCormick · Last progress February 24, 2026
The bill would expand U.S. support for Iranian civil society and technologies to counter internet blackouts—improving access to information and accountability—while increasing taxpayer costs and raising risks of escalation, user exposure to reprisals, and administrative and legal challenges.
Iranians — including protesters, journalists, activists, families, and diaspora-connected communities — would gain expanded and more reliable access to uncensored internet and communications (VPNs, direct-to-cell/LEO, mesh, shortwave, broadcasting and circumvention tools) that help keep them connected during blackouts and crises.
Independent Iranian journalists, human-rights defenders, and civil-society groups would receive training, equipment, grants, and programmatic support to document abuses, improve reporting, and reach Iranian audiences.
The United States would strengthen accountability for human-rights violators through sanctions and coordinated determinations, increasing the risk of consequences for perpetrators and their enablers.
U.S. taxpayers and federal budgets would likely face increased costs from multi‑year appropriations and procurement to develop, acquire, and operate technologies and programs (satellite/direct-to-cell, LEO, mesh, broadcasting, training, grants).
Iranians, U.S. interests, and regionally deployed assets could face greater risk of diplomatic escalation or retaliatory measures from Iran in response to sanctions enforcement, covert or overt communications support, or outreach efforts.
Participants, activists, and users inside Iran risk surveillance, reprisals, or physical danger if U.S.-supported tools, programs, metrics, or user data are exposed or if beneficiaries are identified by Iranian authorities.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Directs State to lead internet‑freedom strategies and reports, funds deployable connectivity tech, expands broadcasting and cybersecurity help for Iranian civil society, and requires sanctions reporting.
Directs the Department of State to lead a U.S. push to expand internet access and digital freedom for people inside Iran, strengthen broadcasting and information programs, develop and deploy low‑cost technologies to defeat internet shutdowns, and tighten reporting and sanctions transparency for foreign actors that enable Iranian repression. It requires interagency strategies, new technology development work, cybersecurity training and tool distribution for Iranian journalists and civil society, and multiple reports to Congress with short deadlines; it authorizes funding for program activities over FY2027–FY2030. Creates mandatory timelines for unclassified strategy and reporting submissions (with optional classified annexes), establishes an interagency working group to produce deployable connectivity tools, requires the President to answer congressional inquiries about sanctioning foreign actors, and clarifies the Act does not authorize use of military force.