[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1456 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1456
To limit the use of funds for the production of films using assets of
the Department of State under certain circumstances, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 8, 2023
Mr. Green of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the
Committee on Oversight and Accountability, 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 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 may only
authorize the provision of technical support or access to an asset
controlled by or related to the Department of State 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 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 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 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 shall 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 for, or has entered into a contract
with the Federal Government relating to, the production or
funding of a film.
(2) Elements.--The 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, providing the
support or access, 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 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 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 of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs 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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