1997年自由亚洲电台法案众议院第105届国会第一届会议- 1997年10月6日报告105-303

59 006第105届国会报告众议院第一届会议105 303《1997年自由亚洲电台法》1997年10月6日。--提交给众议院国情咨文委员会，并下令印发国际关系委员会的吉尔曼先生提交了以下R E P O R T[随附H.R.2232][包括国会预算办公室的成本估算]法案提交给的国际关系委员会（H.R.2232）本条例旨在就增加对中国的国际广播活动作出规定，经考虑后，就此提出有利的报告，并提出修正案，建议经修正的法案获得通过。修正案如下：删去颁布条款后的所有内容，并插入以下内容以代替其内容：第1节。简称。本法可引用大会得出以下结论：（1）中华人民共和国政府系统地控制向中国人民传递的信息。（2）中华人民共和国政府于1996年1月宣布，其官方通讯社新华社将监督销售经济信息的通讯社，包括道琼斯通讯社、彭博社和路透社业务，这表明维持对政治权力的垄断比经济发展更为重要，1996年2月公布了《互联网管理暂行规定》，该规定具有审查计算机网络的效力根据1997年5月30日李鹏总理的命令，所有从事与国际计算机网络有关的商业活动的组织现在都必须申请许可证，以进一步加强政府对互联网接入的控制作为中华人民共和国新闻自由的代表，自由亚洲电台和美国之音为中国人民提供了未经审查的宝贵信息来源，包括国内和地区事件的客观权威新闻，以及关于美国及其政策的准确新闻自由亚洲电台目前每天仅用普通话广播5小时，用藏语广播2小时。（6）美国之音目前每天仅用普通话广播10小时，用藏语广播3.5小时。（7）自由亚洲电台和美国之音应发展普通话、广东话和藏语的24小时广播服务，并进一步提高在中华人民共和国使用方言的广播能力自由亚洲电台和美国之音致力于以多种语言向中华人民共和国持续广播，通过错开自由亚洲电台和美国之音电台的时间，有能力立即向中华人民共和国建立每天24小时的普通话广播每周7天在美国之音广播电台和世界网电视台用普通话同时广播也是重要且必要的能力。第3节。批准拨款，以增加对自由亚洲电台和美国之音向中国广播的资金。（a）批准对自由亚洲电台的拨款。-（1）拨款授权。--授权为“自由亚洲电台”拨款3000万美元用于1998财年，2200万美元用于1999财年。（2）限制。-（A）第（1）款规定的资金（B）在第（1）款下的资金中，每一财政年度有700000美元的拨款，用于为粤语广播工作人员提供额外的人员。（B）批准对中国和朝鲜的国际广播拨款。--除1998和1999财政年度“国际广播活动”的其他授权拨款外，还批准对“国际广播活动”的拨款10000000美元用于财政年度1998财年和1999财年的7000000美元，仅用于向中国和朝鲜进行增强型美国之音广播。（c）批准无线电建设拨款。-（1）拨款授权。--除1998和1999财年“无线电建设”的其他授权拨款外，1998财年“无线电建设”的授权拨款为10000000美元，1999财年为3000000美元，仅用于建设支持加强对中国的广播。（2）限制。--在根据第（1）款授权拨给1998财政年度的资金中，授权拨给3000000美元，以便及时增加北马里亚纳群岛联邦天宁岛的发射机。（d）拨款。--金额authorized to be appropriated for ``International Broadcasting Activities'', the Director of the United States Information Agency and the Board of Broadcasting Governors shall seek to ensure that the amounts made available for broadcasting to nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression do not decline in proportion to the amounts made available for broadcasting to other nations. (e) Allocation of Funds for North Korea.--Of the funds under subsection (b), $2,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year for additional personnel and broadcasting targeted at North Korea. SEC. 4. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, in consultation with the Board of Broadcasting Governors, the President shall prepare and transmit to Congress a report on a plan to achieve continuous broadcasting of Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to the People's Republic of China in multiple major dialects and languages. SEC. 5. UTILIZATION OF UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICES FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING FUGITIVES FROM UNITED STATES JUSTICE. United States international broadcasting services, particularly the Voice of America, shall produce and broadcast public service announcements, by radio, television, and Internet, regarding fugitives from the criminal justice system of the United States, including cases of international child abduction. Background and Purpose H.R. 2232, the ``Radio Free Asia Act of 1997,'' is intended to provide continuous, 24-hour-a-day broadcasting capability into China and Tibet. The increased broadcast programs will be in Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, and other dialects spoken in the People's Republic of China. Section 2 of the bill is a series of findings describing the media and information environment in the People's Republic of China, and the current limited broadcast hours of Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America, which serve as the surrogate free press in the People's Republic of China. Section 3 provides for the authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 to support the activities required to increase the hours of broadcasting. Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for International Broadcasting, $2 million is authorized to be appropriated for broadcasting to North Korea. Section 4 is a reporting requirement requiring the President to prepare a plan to achieve the continuous broadcasting through Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America to the People's Republic of China. Committee Action On March 13, 1997, the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on the U.S. Information Agency, which among other duties, is responsible for U.S. international broadcasting. Witnesses at this hearing included: The Honorable Joseph D. Duffey, Director of the U.S. Information Agency, and David W. Burke, Chairman of the International Broadcasting Board of Governors. On July 9, 1996, the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights held a hearing on international broadcasting. Witnesses for this hearing were: The Honorable Joseph D. Duffey, Director of the U.S. Information Agency and David W. Burke, Chairman of the international Broadcasting Board of Governors. The Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights reported to the full committee, H.R. 2232, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute, on September 25, 1997. The Full Committee marked up the bill on September 29, 1997, considering the subcommittee amendment in the nature of a substitute as original text for the purposes of amendment and taking the following preliminary actions, all by voice vote: Adopting the Kim amendment, adding reference to North Korea to section 3(b) of the bill. Adoping the Smith amendment revising subsection (7) of section 1, striking language relating to additional advanced editing equipment, and reducing the amount for additional personnel to staff Cantonese language broadcasting. Adopting the Bereuter amendment making a technical change in a reference. Adopting the Royce amendment relating to utilization of U.S. International Broadcasting Services for public service announcements relative to fugitives from U.S. justice. After concluding its consideration of the amendment in the nature of a substitute, the Committee adopted the amendment and ordered the bill reported to the House by voice vote, a quorum being present. Committee Oversight Findings In compliance with clause 2(l)(3)(A) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee reports the findings and recommendations of the Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this report. Committee on Government Reform and Oversight Findings No findings or recommendations of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight were received as referred to in clause 2(l)(3)(D) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures The Committee adopts the cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, set out below, as its submission of any required information on new budget authority, new spending authority, new credit authority, or an increase or decrease in the national debt required by clause 2(l)(3)(B) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. Federal Mandates Statement The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to Section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. Advisory Committee Statement No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. Applicablity to the Legislative Branch The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. Constitutional Authority Statement In compliance with clause 2(l)(4) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee cites the following specific powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution as authority for enactment of H.R. 2232, as reported by the Committee: Article I, section 8, clause 3 (relating to the regulation of commerce with foreign nations and among the several states); and Article I, section 8, clause 18 (relating to making all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution powers vested by the Constitution in the government of the United States). Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate In compliance with clause 2(l)(3)(C) of rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee sets forth with respect to H.R. 2232 as reported by the Committee the following estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 403 of the Budget Act of 1974: U.S. Congress, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC, October 3, 1997. Hon. Benjamin A. Gilman, Chairman, Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2232, the Radio Free Asia Act of 1997. If your wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita D'Monte. Sincerely, June E. O'Neill, Director. Enclosure. H.R. 2232--Radio Free Asia Act of 1997 H.R. 2232 would authorize appropriations of $50 million in 1998 and $32 million in 1999 for broadcasting to China and North Korea and construction of broadcasting facilities. Assuming that authorized amounts would be appropriated by the start of each fiscal year and that outlays would follow historical spending patterns, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would raise spending by $32 million in 1998 and $81 million over the 1998 2002 period. The authorizations in this bill would be in addition to amounts provided in other legislation. H.R. 1757, as passed by the House of Representatives on June 11, 1997, would authorize $415 million in 1998 and $405 million in 1999 for broadcasting and construction of facilities. Together, H.R. 2232 and H.R. 1757 would raise annual funding for comparable activities by $105 million in 1998 and $77 million in 1999 over the amount provided in 1997. Because H.R. 2232 would not affect direct spending or receipts, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. The bill contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. Section 5 of H.R. 2232, however, would impose a new private-sector mandate on two privately owned United States international broadcasting services, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. The bill would require these organizations to produce and broadcast, by radio, television, and Internet, public service announcements regarding fugitives from the criminal justice system of the United States. Based on information provided by representatives of these organizations, CBO estimates that the direct cost of the new private-sector mandate would be well below the statutory threshold ($100 million in 1996, adjusted annually for inflation) established in UMRA in any year. The estimate of costs to the federal government was prepared by Sunita D'Monte. Lesley Frymier prepared the estimate of the private-sector mandate, and Pepper Santalucia assessed the impact on state, local, and tribal governments. This estimate was approved by Paul N. Van de Water, Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. Section-by-Section Analysis Section 1. Short title Provides that the Act may be cited as the ``Radio Free Asia Act of 1997.'' Section 2. Findings Sets forth relevant findings of Congress, including that the government of the People's Republic of China systematically controls the flow of information to the Chinese people; that Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America provide an invaluable source of information to the Chinese people, but have limited service to China; that Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America should develop 24-hour-a-day service in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Tibetan; and that together Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America could immediately establish 24-hour-a-day broadcasting to China in Mandarin. Section 3. Authorization of appropriations for increased funding for Radio Free Asia and Voice of America broadcasting to China Authorizes the appropriation of $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $22,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 for Radio Free Asia. Of the amounts authorized for fiscal year 1998 for Radio Free Asia, $8,000,000 is authorized for one-time capital costs. Of the amounts authorized for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for Radio Free Asia, $700,000 is authorized for each such fiscal year for additional personnel to staff Cantonese language broadcasting. In addition, authorizes the appropriation of $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $7,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 for International Broadcasting Activities, which shall be in addition to such sums as are otherwise authorized and which shall be available only for enhanced Voice of America broadcasting to China and North Korea. Of the amounts authorized for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for International Broadcasting Activities, $2,000,000 is authorized for each such fiscal year for additional personnel and broadcasting targeted at North Korea. In addition, authorizes $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 and $3,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 for Radio Construction, which shall be in addition to such sums as are otherwise authorized and which shall be available only for construction in support of enhanced broadcasting to China. Of the amount authorized for Radio Construction for fiscal year 1998, $3,000,000 is authorized to facilitate the timely augmentation of transmitters at Tinian. The Director of the U.S. Information Agency and the Broadcasting Board of Governors shall seek to ensure that of the funds made available for International Broadcasting Activities, the proportion of funds made available for broadcasting to nations whose people do not enjoy full freedom of expression does not decline. Section 4. Reporting requirements Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment, the President shall transmit to Congress a plan to achieve continuous broadcasting on Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America to China in multiple major dialects and languages. Section 5. Utilization of United States International Broadcasting Services for public service announcements regarding fugitives from United States justice United States international broadcasting services shall produce and broadcast public service announcements regarding fugitives form the U.S. criminal justice system, including cases of international child abduction.