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INFORM Act: Increasing Access to Independent Information for Chinese Citizens

This Act, known as the INFORM Act, mandates the US government to develop a strategy for increasing access to independent information for Chinese citizens, including through censorship circumvention tools. It establishes a new entity, the Global News Service, and authorizes a total of $75 million annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 for the Department of State and USAGM to carry out these objectives. An interagency task force will also be established to coordinate Mandarin-language content creation and secure sharing technologies.
Key points
Establishment of the Global News Service (GNS) to curate, translate, and distribute China-related content in Mandarin and English.
Authorization of $25 million annually for the Department of State and $50 million annually for USAGM for fiscal years 2025-2029 to implement the Act's goals.
Creation of an interagency task force to coordinate the development of content and internet censorship circumvention tools.
Requirement for the US President to submit a strategy for increasing access to independent information for PRC citizens within one year of enactment.
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Status: Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_S_5377
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Process start date: 2024-11-21
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-3-pro-preview
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

INFORM Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_S_5377.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2024-11-21.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Establishment of the Global News Service (GNS) to curate, translate, and distribute China-related content in Mandarin and English.
  • Authorization of $25 million annually for the Department of State and $50 million annually for USAGM for fiscal years 2025-2029 to implement the Act's goals.
  • Creation of an interagency task force to coordinate the development of content and internet censorship circumvention tools.
  • Requirement for the US President to submit a strategy for increasing access to independent information for PRC citizens within one year of enactment.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-30.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Media and Culture Security