Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program

(a) In general The Secretary of State shall continue to implement and develop the Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program to promote a robust, free media in the Pacific Islands and strengthen the capacity of media outlets and journalists in the Indo-Pacific region to develop their business strategies, enhance their ability to conduct independent journalism, and counter disinformation. (b) Goals The goals of the Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program shall be to accomplish the following: (1) Increase the understanding of prevalent misinformation and disinformation narratives. (2) Develop the capacity of professional, independent media organizations and journalists to develop and implement media sustainability plans, improve business operations, and increase the quality and quantity of published information and news. (3) Expand media outlets’ access to resources, content-sharing agreements, and equipment, so that such outlets can provide quality content. (4) Develop the technical and investigative skills of journalists to conduct pre-bunking, fact-checking, and debunking to address misinformation and disinformation. (c) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the heads of other Federal departments or agencies, as appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program and the engagement of the United States with the free media in the Pacific Islands, including the following: (1) An overview of the media and journalism landscape in the Pacific Islands. (2) A review of the efforts and planned efforts of the United States Government to strengthen free and independent media in the Pacific Islands, including a description of the objectives, means of implementation, and measures of success of the Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program. (3) An assessment of challenges to a free and open media in the Pacific Islands and to the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program, including strategies to mitigate such challenges. (4) An assessment of any additional authorities or resources necessary for more robust United States engagement to promote a free media in the Pacific Islands and greater implementation of the Indo-Pacific Media Advancement Program. (d) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2033 to carry out this section.