{"id":10387,"date":"2014-07-28T21:49:18","date_gmt":"2014-07-29T01:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=10387"},"modified":"2014-07-28T21:49:18","modified_gmt":"2014-07-29T01:49:18","slug":"us-house-passes-h-r-4490","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/us-house-passes-h-r-4490\/","title":{"rendered":"US House passes H.R. 4490"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"View<\/a>

View of the Capitol Building from the roof of the Voice of America on 330 Independence Ave., S.W.<\/p><\/div>\n

The\u00a0United States International Communications Reform Act of 2014 (H.R. 4490)<\/a>\u00a0has just passed the the House today, next it will go before the US Senate.<\/p>\n

This bill proposes major changes to the overall structure of US international broadcasting. Click here to read previous posts about the bill<\/a>\u00a0and read the press release below for more information.<\/p>\n

We will update the SWLing Post<\/em> with\u00a0news about H.R.4490\u00a0as it is presented before the Senate–follow the tag HR4490<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Source: House Committee On Foreign Affairs<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2013 Today, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, applauded House passage of bipartisan reform legislation to improve the missions, objectives, and effectiveness of U.S. international broadcasters, such as the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (RFE\/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and the Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN).\u00a0 The legislation, the\u00a0United States International Communications Reform Act of 2014 (H.R. 4490)<\/a>\u00a0was\u00a0unanimously passed<\/a>\u00a0by the Foreign Affairs Committee in April.\u00a0 Chairman Royce and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), the Committee\u2019s Ranking Memberintroduced the legislation<\/a>\u00a0in April.<\/p>\n

On House passage of H.R. 4490, Chairman Royce said:\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFor many years, our international broadcasting has been broken and ineffective.\u00a0 While strongmen, despots, and terrorists are working overtime on their public disinformation campaigns, the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees our international broadcast efforts, meets once a month.\u00a0 The status quo is a recipe for failure on the critical information front.\u00a0 The legislation the House passed today provides serious reforms to U.S. international broadcasting, allowing for a strong, effective tool in the fight against censorship and harmful misinformation.\u201d<\/p>\n

H.R. 4490\u00a0<\/a>reforms U.S. international broadcasting, including in the following ways:<\/p>\n

Fixes Well-documented Management Problems\u00a0— Currently, five U.S. international broadcasting entities report to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (\u201cBBG\u201d), a group of 9 part-time individuals, who meet once a month to make management decisions. Important decisions can languish if the Board does not have a quorum, which is often the case. This legislation would establish a full-time, day-to-day agency head and reduce the role of the Board to a more appropriate advisory capacity. These changes have been recommended by the State Department\u2019s Office of the Inspector General and are widely recognized as needed reforms.<\/p>\n

Clarifies the Mission of the Voice of America (VOA)\u00a0— The VOA charter states that VOA will provide a \u201cclear and effective presentation of the policies of the United States.\u201d Over time, VOA has abandoned this mission and adopted a mission of the so-called \u201csurrogates\u201d to provide uncensored local news and information to people in closed societies. This legislation makes clear that the Voice of America mission is to support U.S. public diplomacy efforts.<\/p>\n

Consolidates \u201cthe Freedom Broadcasters\u201d\u00a0— Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty (RFE\/RL), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and the Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN) have the same mission \u2013 to provide uncensored local news and information to people in closed societies \u2013 with different geographic reach. Consolidating these organizations into a single, non-federal organization will achieve cost savings, allow for closer collaboration, and improve responsiveness. While the consolidation would mean shared administrative staff and other economies of scale, they would retain their distinct \u201cbrand names.\u201d<\/p>\n

For information of Chairman Royce\u2019s efforts to reform international broadcasting, visit\u00a0www.foreignaffairs.house.gov\/broadcasting<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0United States International Communications Reform Act of 2014 (H.R. 4490)\u00a0has just passed the the House today, next it will go before the US Senate. This bill proposes major changes to the overall structure of US international broadcasting. Click here to read previous posts about the bill\u00a0and read the press release below for more information. We […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,960,3,43],"tags":[406,936,2810,3081,3082,1106,1531,2809,2811,10,402,182],"class_list":["post-10387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-international-broadcasting","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-bbg","tag-broadcasting-board-of-governors","tag-consolidated-grantee-organization","tag-h-r-4490","tag-hr4490","tag-ibb","tag-international-broadcasting-bureau","tag-united-states-international-communications-agency","tag-united-states-international-communications-reform-act-of-2014","tag-voa","tag-voa-cuts","tag-voice-of-america"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-2Hx","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10094,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/amendment-to-h-r-4490-protects-critical-shortwave-services\/","url_meta":{"origin":10387,"position":0},"title":"Amendment to H.R. 4490 protects “critical” shortwave services","author":"Thomas","date":"June 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"In response to yesterday's\u00a0post\u00a0regarding sweeping cuts to VOA's shortwave service, an\u00a0SWLing Post reader (who wishes to remain anonymous) writes: \"HR4490 contains the following amendment attached to the bill by Cong Lowenthal of CA. Cong Lowenthal has the largest Cambodian community in the US in his constituency as well as Vietnamese.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"View of the Capitol Building from the roof of the Voice of America on 330 Independence Ave., S.W.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10389,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/bbg-watch-voa-coverage-of-h-r-4490-lacks-balance\/","url_meta":{"origin":10387,"position":1},"title":"BBG Watch: VOA coverage of H.R.4490 “lacks balance”","author":"Thomas","date":"July 29, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source: BBG Watch) \"It took Voice of America a few hours to post a report, which includes quotes by two outside opponents of the bill: former VOA deputy director Alan Heil and Reporters Without Borders Secretary-General Christophe Deloire, but has no quotes from any outside supporters of the bill, including\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"VOA-Screen-Shot-2014-07-28-at-9.53PM-EDT","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/VOA-Screen-Shot-2014-07-28-at-9.53PM-EDT.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10156,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/ny-times-journalists-at-odds-with-union-over-voas-role\/","url_meta":{"origin":10387,"position":2},"title":"NY Times: Journalists “at Odds With Union” over VOA’s role","author":"Thomas","date":"July 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0New York Times, in a \u00a0recent article, describes\u00a0a growing\u00a0split between the VOA Union (American Federation of Government Employees Local 1812) and VOA journalists over the proposed changes to the VOA mission (via H.R. 4490), which would make it an active voice of American policy. (Many thanks to SWLing Post reader,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"nytLogo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/nytLogo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9422,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/draft-bill-outlines-major-changes-to-bbg-and-us-international-broadcasting\/","url_meta":{"origin":10387,"position":3},"title":"Draft bill outlines major changes to BBG and US International Broadcasting","author":"Thomas","date":"April 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Dan Robinson who shares this post on the BBG Watch which outlines major changes to US International Broadcasting. The draft bill, originating in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is known as the United States International Communications Reform Act of 2014. The bill outlines: \"the creation of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBG-Logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/BBG-Logo-300x207.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9934,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/washington-post-voa-needs-to-keep-an-objective-voice\/","url_meta":{"origin":10387,"position":4},"title":"Washington Post: VOA needs to keep an “objective voice”","author":"Thomas","date":"June 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Richard Cuff for sharing this editorial from the Washington Post: (Source: Washington Post) AS AUTHORITARIAN states such as Russia and China ramp up well-funded and sophisticated global propaganda operations, U.S. officials and members of Congress fret that the U.S. government\u2019s information operations are lagging behind.\u00a0[...] A bipartisan\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WashingtonPostLogo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/WashingtonPostLogo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9696,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/05\/change-to-voas-mission-drawing-intense-debate\/","url_meta":{"origin":10387,"position":5},"title":"Change to VOA\u2019s mission draws “intense debate”","author":"Thomas","date":"May 21, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Dan Robinson for pointing out this article by Ron Nixon in the New York Times. \u00a0Here's a clip: \"A bill to overhaul Voice of America has prompted an intense debate among supporters of the legislation who say it will better enable the broadcast news service to counter\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"View of the Capitol Building from the roof of the Voice of America on 330 Independence Ave., S.W.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/K3VOA12-1024x682.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10387\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}