Sponsors (3)
The bill strengthens and clarifies U.S. legal tools and congressional oversight to counter Iranian and foreign‑state media influence, at the cost of higher compliance and economic burdens, constrained executive flexibility, and substantial risks of chilling legitimate journalism, speech, and commercial activity.
Taxpayers and U.S. national security: Enables cutting off payments, denying visas, and sanctioning state-linked foreign media (and blocking their access to U.S. procurement/Ex‑Im financing), strengthening tools to disrupt Iranian and other foreign influence operations.
Congress and oversight bodies: Requires annual reporting and transparency on who finances or supports covered foreign media entities and on enforcement actions, improving detection of covert influence campaigns and informing legislative/oversight decisions.
Financial institutions, businesses, and victims of targeted activity: Codifies existing executive Iran sanctions into statute, providing clearer legal certainty and more durable authority that can make enforcement more consistent for victims and financial actors.
Journalists, media organizations, tech service providers, and immigrants: Broad or ambiguous definitions and reporting/designation practices could chill lawful journalism, speech, platform services, and commercial relationships with foreign media, deterring legitimate activity.
Small businesses, exporters/importers, financial institutions, and consumers: Making executive sanctions statutory and expanding sanctions-related restrictions raises compliance costs, risks of penalties, disruptions to supply chains, and higher consumer prices.
Media organizations, nonprofits, and the press: Granting designation power to the Secretary of State (with limited judicial review) risks politicized or opaque designation decisions that can harm press freedom and limit transparency.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Imposes sanctions and reporting requirements on persons who knowingly provide paid material support or media services to designated foreign government-controlled media entities; codifies an Iran-related executive order.
Introduced August 8, 2025 by Tony Gonzales · Last progress August 8, 2025
Makes it a statutory offense for U.S. persons and others subject to U.S. jurisdiction to knowingly provide material support or media services to foreign government-controlled or designated propaganda outlets, and requires the President to impose a set of sanctions on violators (blocking assets, prohibiting U.S. procurement, denying Export-Import Bank financing, and visa restrictions for aliens). It also codifies an existing executive order related to Iran into law and requires Treasury, with State, to report to Congress within 90 days and annually on who provided such support and on suspected Iran-linked media financing or circumvention of sanctions. The bill defines key terms (covered foreign media entity, material support/media services, knowingly, United States person), creates a presidential waiver for national security reasons with congressional notice, and directs enforcement and reporting responsibilities to Treasury and State. Reporting must include details on transactions, enforcement actions, and assessments of Iran-linked media operations or circumvention efforts.