S. 2844 — Charlie Kirk Act

This section revises the general authorization under the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22 U.S.C. 1461) to vest authority solely in the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), working through its component networks (i.e., international broadcasters such as Voice of America), for preparing and disseminating abroad information about the United States, its people, and its policies via press, publications, radio, motion pictures, the internet, and other media. It prohibits domestic dissemination of such information (except specified publications sold by the Government Publishing Office), while allowing English-language versions to be examined at the Department of State by U.S. press, scholars, and Congress; mandates that USAGM provide motion pictures, films, video, audio, and other materials to the Archivist of the United States for domestic distribution 12 years after initial foreign release (or preparation, if never released abroad), with reimbursement to USAGM and the Archivist as custodian responsible for rights, licenses, and cost-recovery fees deposited in the National Archives Trust Fund; and clarifies that USAGM need not provide materials in formats other than those used abroad. (Thus, this eliminates prior upon-request domestic availability by the Department of State or Broadcasting Board of Governors with reimbursement and consolidates pre-2013 material handling rules into a uniform 12-year archival transfer.) This section also revises the ban on domestic activities under the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 (22 U.S.C. 1461-1a) to expressly prohibit USAGM funds from influencing U.S. public opinion or distributing its program material domestically (except as authorized under revised 22 U.S.C. 1461, certain educational exchanges, or public inquiries about USAGM operations).