Text of Senate Amendment 6485

On 2026-06-24, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6485" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6485

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S3607-S3608] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6485. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Tillis) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the end of subtitle E of title XII, add the following: SEC. 1270A. GRANTS TO UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA BROADCASTERS. Section 305 of the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6204) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(d) Grants Required.-- ``(1) In general.--Pursuant to the authority under subsection (a)(5), the Chief Executive Officer shall award annual grants to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks to enable such entities to carry out the purposes specified in this Act. ``(2) Grant agreements.--Grants required under paragraph (1) shall be awarded pursuant to grant agreements between the Chief Executive Officer and the respective entities that-- ``(A) require grant funds to be used for activities that the Boards of Directors of such entities determine are consistent with their respective bylaws and the purposes specified in this Act and other Acts of Congress; ``(B) require such entities to comply with the requirements of this Act and other Acts of Congress; and ``(C) do not require such entities to comply with requirements other than those specified in this Act and other Acts of Congress. ``(3) Source of funds.--Grants required under paragraph (1) shall be made with funds appropriated or allocated for each of the entities referred to in such paragraph under the headings `International Broadcasting Operations' and `Broadcasting Capital Improvements' or any successor accounts appropriated for such purposes. ``(4) Use of funds.--Grant funds awarded under paragraph (1) may be used by the entities referred to in such paragraph purposes specified in this Act. ``(5) Inapplicability of other limitations.--Any otherwise applicable limitations on the purposes for which funds appropriated may be used shall not apply to grant funds awarded to the entities referred to in paragraph (1). ``(6) Timely disbursement of appropriations.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of the relevant appropriations Act, the Chief Executive Officer shall execute grant agreements, obligate and disburse in full the amounts appropriated by Congress for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. ``(7) Congressional notification.-- ``(A) Defined term.--In this paragraph, the term `major grant modification' means any action that materially alters the amount, duration, scope, terms, conditions, governance structure, personnel authorities, or operational independence of a grantee. ``(B) In general.--Not later than 90 days after any proposed major grant modification under this subsection, the Chief Executive Officer shall submit a report identifying such proposed major grant modification and containing a list of the proposed changes to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. ``(C) Contents.--Each report required under subparagraph (B) shall include-- ``(i) a detailed accounting of the proposed major grant modifications; ``(ii) a rationale for each of the proposed major grant modifications; and ``(iii) an explanation of how proposed changes will not interfere with the broadcasters' professional independence and integrity. ``(D) Limitation.--No proposed major grant modification may take effect before the date that is 90 days after the submission of the report required under subparagraph (B). ``(8) Limitation on major grant modifications.--In addition to the other requirements under this Act, the Chief Executive Officer may not withhold funding, materially reduce funding, or materially condition a grant required under this subsection without first submitting a written determination, with relevant supporting documentation, to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that the recipient of such grant has materially violated a provision of this Act or a provision of any other Act of Congress. ``(9) Limitation on grant terminations.--In addition to the other requirements under this Act, the Chief Executive Officer may not terminate or suspend a grant required under this subsection without-- ``(A) the approval of 2/3 of the members of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board; and ``(B) the prior submission of a written determination, with relevant supportive evidence, to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives demonstrating that the recipient of such grant has materially violated a provision of this Act or a provision of another Act of Congress. ``(10) Private fundraising.--Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks may [[Page S3608]] each accept funds from non-Federal sources if such funds are vetted and approved by the grantee's Board of Directors.''. ______