[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7942 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7942
To establish the Open Translation Center, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 11, 2024
Mr. Castro of Texas (for himself and Mr. Gallagher) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Open Translation Center, 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 ``Open Translation Center Act of
2024''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The success of United States foreign policy depends on
the ability to accurately perceive and understand other
countries' foreign and domestic policies.
(2) Open source materials published by the People's
Republic of China and other nations offer a uniquely valuable
window into the politics, policy, ideology, intentions, and
activities of those countries.
(3) A lack of foreign language speakers greatly hinders
United States policymakers, journalists, academics, students,
and others' ability to understand the People's Republic of
China and other nations and governments.
(4) During the Cold War, the Foreign Broadcast Information
Service provided translations and open source analysis that
nourished generations of diplomats, journalists, academics,
students, and others.
(5) Today, a public translation and analysis organization
is needed to support the development of United States foreign
policy and to enrich public understanding.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a federally funded research and development
center to be known as the ``Open Translation Center'' (referred to in
this section as ``OTC'').
SEC. 4. INCORPORATION.
(a) In General.--OTC shall be--
(1) administered as a separate entity by an organization
managing a federally funded research and development center on
the date of the enactment of this Act; or
(2) incorporated as a nonprofit membership corporation.
(b) Board.--OTC shall be headed by a board that consists of five
members to be appointed as follows:
(1) Two members shall be appointed by the Secretary of
State.
(2) Two members shall be appointed by the Director of
National Intelligence.
(3) One member shall be appointed by the Register of
Copyrights.
(c) Term; Qualifications.--
(1) In general.--Each member appointed to the board of OTC
in accordance with subsection (b) shall serve for a term of 3
years, and may be re-appointed to consecutive terms.
(2) Initial term.--Notwithstanding subsection (c), the
initial term of one the two members first appointed by the
Secretary of State in accordance with subsection (b) and one of
the two members first so appointed by the Director of National
Intelligence shall be 2 years.
(3) Qualifications.--Members of the board shall be
appointed from among individuals with expertise in translation,
publishing, domestic and international copyright law, media,
foreign languages, area studies, or international relations,
and shall make all decisions independently from the United
States Government. No member of the board may be an employee or
official of the United States during the term served by such
member.
(d) Chair.--The Chair of the board of OTC shall be elected from
among the members of the board.
SEC. 5. PURPOSE AND MISSION.
The purpose and mission of OTC is the following:
(1) The translation, analysis, and public dissemination of
foreign language government and other documents from designated
countries, for the purposes of enhancing the understanding of
such countries' governments, governing organizations,
militaries, economies, and cultures.
(2) To provide proper context and explanations of
translated foreign-language material to enhance the ability of
consumers to understand the meaning and significance of such
translated material.
(3) To strive to make as much translated foreign-language
material publicly available as possible, and to provide
summaries of important foreign-language material that cannot be
made public.
(4) To train and develop exceptional analysts and linguists
with specialization regarding designated countries.
SEC. 6. DUTIES.
(a) In General.--In furtherance of the purpose and mission
specified in section 5, OTC shall--
(1) translate into the English language documents and
information from designated countries;
(2) provide analyses, summaries, and important context for
material translated pursuant to paragraph (1), and other
untranslated material, including--
(A) biographical sketches and information on
important leaders;
(B) descriptions and background on political
processes, important bodies, companies, economic
systems, and military weapons systems and doctrines;
(C) definitions and analysis of important concepts
and phrases;
(D) information regarding changes over time in the
policies and intentions of governments, militaries, and
governing organizations; and
(E) other issues that are of significance for
understanding designated countries;
(3) cooperate with other relevant Federal agencies
regarding any effort consistent with such purpose and mission;
(4) make available on a publicly accessible website--
(A) all analyses and summaries created pursuant to
subsection (a)(2); and
(B) except for any material that OTC determines not
to make available pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(F), all
translated materials under subsection (a); and
(5) with respect to translated materials that OTC
determines not to make available pursuant to subsection
(b)(1)(F)--
(A) to the extent possible, provide such materials
free of charge to all United States Government
employees, Members of Congress, and congressional
staff, as well as to organizations and individuals who
have relevant contracts or grants with the United
States Government or any part thereof; or
(B) as appropriate, provide summaries and analyses
of such materials to the persons described in
subparagraph (A).
(b) Methodology.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out this section and section
5, OTC shall--
(A) establish the capabilities to acquire, retain,
train, and develop exceptional analytical and
linguistic expertise in designated countries and
designated languages;
(B) use software, programs, artificial
intelligence, and other technologies to ensure timely
translations;
(C) seek input from technical, regional, and
subject matter experts from a wide range of relevant
disciplines, to review, provide feedback, and evaluate
translations and analyses;
(D) maximize cooperation with the public and
private sectors in the United States, including Federal
agencies, as well as with United States allies and
partners, to maximize efficiencies, acquire source
materials, and eliminate duplication of efforts;
(E) select materials, such as the materials
described in paragraph (2), to translate and analyze on
the basis of--
(i) the significance of the material for
United States policymakers as well as for
journalists, academics, and the general public;
and
(ii) the ability of such material to
enhance the understanding of the politics,
policies, intentions, ideologies, militaries,
businesses, technologies, science, or cultures
of designated countries; and
(F) in selecting material to translate under
subparagraph (E) and in making material available under
subsection (a)(4), consider whether the translation or
dissemination of such material would be consistent with
domestic and international commitments on copyright,
including title 17, United States Code.
(2) Examples of materials to be translated.--The materials
described in this paragraph are the following materials from a
designated country:
(A) Official and unofficial government, governing
organization, and military documents and reports.
(B) Speeches of relevant government, political,
governing organization, and military officials.
(C) Official and semiofficial government, governing
organization, and military journals.
(D) News articles and commentary from government,
governing organization, or other quasi-official
sources.
(E) Documents and other information by state-owned
businesses and entities.
(F) Other information, including internet and
social media posts.
(c) Copyrights.--
(1) Translations deemed government works.--A work prepared
by an employee or contractor of the OTC for the purpose of the
dissemination of such work by OTC shall be deemed a work of the
United States Government under section 105(a) of title 17,
United States Code.
(2) No less favorable treatment.--In accordance with the
Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property
Rights of the World Trade Organization, the Berne Convention
for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, other World
Intellectual Property Organization regulations and treaties,
and other relevant international treaties and agreements, OTC
shall treat foreign material no less favorably than national
materials are treated for purpose of copyrights.
(d) Limitation.--OTC may not publish any translation until such
translation has been reviewed and approved for accuracy by OTC.
SEC. 7. COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION.
(a) In General.--In carrying out the duties described in section 6,
OTC may consult and cooperate with--
(1) relevant Federal agencies and grantees of the U.S.
Agency for Global Media, regarding any effort consistent with
the purposes of this Act, including--
(A) collecting source material;
(B) avoiding duplication of effort;
(C) details of employees; and
(D) training; and
(2) other relevant stakeholders, including--
(A) nonprofit research institutes;
(B) institutions of higher education; and
(C) media organizations.
(b) Foreign Governments.--OTC is authorized to consult and
cooperate with any foreign government beginning on the date that is 14
days after--
(1) the Secretary of State certifies that it is in the
national interest for OTC to cooperate and consult with that
foreign government; and
(2) the Secretary of State provides to the relevant
congressional committees such certification.
SEC. 8. SPONSORSHIP.
(a) Sponsors.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall be the
primary sponsor of OTC.
(2) Agreements.--The Secretary of State may enter into
agreements with other relevant Federal agencies to provide
additional sponsors of OTC.
(3) Notification.--The Secretary of State shall notify the
relevant congressional committees of any additional sponsors
for OTC not later than 15 days after entering into an agreement
under paragraph (2).
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Secretary of State should enter into a sponsorship agreement pursuant
to subsection (a)(2) with the Director of the Central Intelligence
Agency.
(c) Agreement.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall seek to
enter into a sponsoring agreement with respect to OTC that
requires OTC to carry out the duties described in sections 5
and 6.
(2) Consistency with requirements prescribed by
administrator for federal procurement policy.--The
Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy shall prescribe
general requirements for the sponsoring agreement entered into
under paragraph (1).
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ``governing organization'' means any national
body separate from a foreign government that maintains ultimate
control over such government, including political parties that
exercise functions normally reserved for governments.
(2) The term ``designated countries'' means--
(A) the People's Republic of China; and
(B) other countries as determined by the board
established under section 4(b), in consultation with
the Secretary of State.
(3) The term ``relevant congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House
of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
(4) The term ``designated languages'' means--
(A) languages identified as critical languages by
the Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship
Program; and
(B) other languages as determined by the board
established pursuant to section 4, in consultation with
the Secretary of State.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated for OTC--
(1) $85,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
(2) $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028;
and
(3) such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year
thereafter.
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