119-S2020

Bill is currently in: Senate
Path to Law
House Senate President

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2020

1. Short title
2. Corporation for public broadcasting
3. Federal agencies
4.
5. Rules of construction

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the "Free Americans from Ideological Reporting Act" or the "FAIR Act".

2. Corporation for public broadcasting

(a) In general - Section 396 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 396) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(m) Prohibition on

(1) In general - After the date of enactment of this subsection, no Federal funds may, directly or indirectly, be made available to or used to support an organization described in paragraph (2), including through the payment of dues to or the purchase of programming from the organization by a public broadcast station using Federal funds received by the station. The Corporation shall cancel any direct and indirect funding to the maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding to such organizations, including by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of funds under this section, do not use Federal funds for such organizations.

(2) Organizations described - The organizations described in this paragraph are—

(A) - the organization known, as of the date of enactment of this subsection, as "National Public Radio";

(B) - the organization known, as of the date of enactment of this subsection, as "Public Broadcasting Service";

(C) - any successor organization to an organization described in subparagraph (A) or (B); or

(D) - any licensee or permittee of an organization described in subparagraph (A) or (B).

(3) Grants revisions - The Corporation shall revise the applicable Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria and Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria to prohibit direct or indirect funding to the organizations described in paragraph (2) and take all other necessary steps to minimize or eliminate its indirect funding of such organizations.

(b) Technical and conforming amendments - Title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended—

(1) - in section 396(k) (47 U.S.C. 396(k))—

(A) - in paragraph (4), in the first sentence, by striking ", unless the governing body" and all that follows through "reasons for closing the meeting" and inserting a period;

(B) - by striking paragraph (9);

(C) - by redesignating paragraphs (10), (11), and (12) as paragraphs (9), (10), and (11), respectively; and

(D) - in paragraph (9), as so redesignated, in subparagraph (D), by striking "paragraphs (4), (5), (8), and (9)" and inserting "paragraphs (4), (5), and (8)"; and

(2) - in section 398(b)(1) (47 U.S.C. 398(b)(1)), by striking "by the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio (or any successor organization) and".

3. Federal agencies

The heads of each Federal agency shall—

(1) - identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of the organizations described in subsection (m)(2) of section 396 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 396), as added by this Act; and

(2) - identify any remaining grants, contracts, or other funding instruments entered into with such organizations and determine such organizations are in compliance with the terms of those instruments, taking appropriate steps under the terms of those instruments if a determination of noncompliance is made.

4.

If

5. Rules of construction

(a) In general - Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect—

(1) - the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(2) - the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) No private right of action - This Act is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.