[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6855 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6855
To limit the use of funds for the production of films using assets of
the Department of State or the Department of Defense under certain
circumstances, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 28, 2022
Mr. Green of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. DesJarlais, Mr. Roy, and Mrs.
Miller of Illinois) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees
on Oversight and Reform, and Foreign Affairs, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To limit the use of funds for the production of films using assets of
the Department of State or the Department of Defense under certain
circumstances, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stopping Communist Regimes from
Engaging in Edits Now Act'' or the ``SCREEN Act''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR PRODUCTION OF FILMS AND
PROHIBITION ON USE OF SUCH FUNDS FOR FILMS SUBJECT TO
CONDITIONS ON CONTENT OR ALTERED FOR SCREENING IN THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA OR AT THE REQUEST OF THE
CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.
(a) Limitation on Use of Funds.--The Secretary of State and the
Secretary of Defense may only authorize the provision of technical
support or access to an asset controlled by or related to the
Department of State or the Department of Defense, respectively, to
enter into a contract relating to the production or funding of a film
by a United States company if the United States company, as a condition
of receiving the support or access--
(1) provides to the applicable Secretary a list of all
films produced or funded by that company the content of which
has been submitted, during the shorter of the preceding 10-year
period or the period beginning on the date of the enactment of
this Act, to an official of the Government of the People's
Republic of China or the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for
evaluation with respect to screening the film in the People's
Republic of China (PRC);
(2) includes, with respect to each such film--
(A) the title of the film; and
(B) the date on which such submission occurred;
(3) enters into a written agreement with the applicable
Secretary not to alter the content of the film in response to,
or in anticipation of, a request by an official of the
Government of the PRC or the CCP; and
(4) submits such agreement to the applicable Secretary.
(b) Prohibition With Respect to Films Subject to Conditions on
Content or Altered for Screening in the People's Republic of China.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the President may not authorize the
provision of technical support or access to any asset controlled by the
Federal Government for, or authorize the head of a Federal agency to
enter into any contract relating to, the production or funding of a
film by a United States company if--
(1) the film is co-produced by an entity located in the PRC
that is subject to conditions on content imposed by an official
of the Government of the PRC or the CCP; or
(2) with respect to the most recent report submitted under
subsection (c), the United States company is listed in the
report pursuant to subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (2) of
that subsection.
(c) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense shall each
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on
films disclosed under subsection (a) that are associated with a
United States company that has received technical support or
access to an asset controlled by the Department of State or the
Department of Defense, respectively, for, or has entered into a
contract with the Federal Government relating to, the
production or funding of a film.
(2) Elements.--Each report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) A description of each film listed pursuant to
the requirement under subsection (a)(1), the content of
which was submitted, during the shorter of the
preceding 10-year period or the period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this Act, by a United States
company to an official of the Government of the PRC or
the CCP for evaluation with respect to screening the
film in the PRC, including--
(i) the United States company that
submitted the contents of the film;
(ii) the title of the film; and
(iii) the date on which such submission
occurred.
(B) A description of each film with respect to
which a United States company entered into a written
agreement with the Department of State or the
Department of Defense, as applicable, providing the
support or access, as applicable, pursuant to the
requirement under subsection (a)(2) not to alter the
content of the film in response to, or in anticipation
of, a request by an official of the Government of the
PRC or the CCP, during the shorter of the preceding 10-
year period or the period beginning on the date of the
enactment of this Act, including--
(i) the United States company that entered
into the agreement; and
(ii) the title of the film.
(C) The title of any film described pursuant to
subparagraph (A), and the corresponding United States
company described pursuant to clause (i) of that
subparagraph--
(i) that was submitted to an official of
the Government of the PRC or the CCP during the
preceding 3-year period; and
(ii) for which the applicable Secretary
assesses that the content was altered in
response to, or in anticipation of, a request
by an official of the Government of the PRC or
the CCP.
(D) The title of any film that is described in both
subparagraph (A) and subparagraph (B), and the
corresponding one or more United States companies
described in clause (i) of each such subparagraph--
(i) that was submitted to an official of
the Government of the PRC or the CCP during the
preceding 10-year period; and
(ii) for which the applicable Secretary
assesses that the content was altered in
response to, or in anticipation of, a request
by an official of the Government of the PRC or
the CCP.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Content.--The term ``content'' means any description of
a film, including the script.
(3) United states company.--The term ``United States
company'' means a private entity incorporated under the laws of
the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States.
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