Public Law 98–111

that it is the policy of the United States to support the right of the people of Cuba to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers, in accordance with article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

that, consonant with this policy, radio broadcasting to Cuba may be effective in furthering the open communication of accurate information and ideas to the people of Cuba, in particular information about Cuba;

that such broadcasting to Cuba, operated in a manner not inconsistent with the broad foreign policy of the United States and in accordance with high professional standards, would be in the national interest; and

that the Voice of America already broadcasts to Cuba information that represents America, not any single segment of American society, and includes a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions but that there is a need for broadcasts to Cuba which provide news, commentary and other information about events in Cuba and elsewhere to promote the cause of freedom in Cuba.

In order to carry out the objectives set forth in section 2,

22 USC 1465a.

the United States Information Agency (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Agency”) shall provide for the open communication of information and ideas through the use of radio broadcasting to Cuba. Radio broadcasting to Cuba shall serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of accurate, objective, and comprehensive news.

Radio broadcasting in accordance with subsection (a) shall be part of the Voice of America radio broadcasting to Cuba and shall be in accordance with all Voice of America standards to ensure the broadcast of programs which are objective, accurate, balanced, and which present a variety of views.

Radio broadcasting to Cuba authorized by this Act shall utilize

Facilities.

the broadcasting facilities located at Marathon, Florida, and the 1180 AM frequency that were used by the Voice of America prior to the date of enactment of this Act. Other frequencies, not on the

Frequencies.

commercial Amplitude Modulation (AM) Band (535 kHz to 1605 kHz), may also be simultaneously utilized: Provided, That no frequency shall be used for radio broadcasts to Cuba in accordance with this Act which is not also used for all other Voice of America

Leased time from nongovernmental stations.

broadcasts to Cuba. Time leased from nongovernmental shortwave radio stations may be used to carry all or part of the Service programs and to rebroadcast Service programs: Provided, That not less than 30 per centum of the programs broadcast or rebroadcast shall be regular Voice of America broadcasts with particular emphasis on news and programs meeting the requirements of section 503(2) of Public Law 89–402.

Notwithstanding subsection (c), in the event that broadcasts to Cuba on the 1180 AM frequency are subject to jamming or interference greater by 25 per centum or more than the average daily jamming or interference in the twelve months preceding September 1, 1983, the Director of the United States Information Agency may lease time on commercial or noncommercial educational AM band

FCC monitoring.

radio broadcasting stations. The Federal Communications Commission shall determine levels of jamming and interference by conducting regular monitoring of the 1180 AM frequency. In the event that more than two hours a day of time is leased, not less than 30 per centum of the programing broadcast shall be regular Voice of America broadcasts with particular emphasis on news and programs

22 USC 1463.

Program designations.

meeting the requirements of section 503(2) of Public Law 80–402.

Any program of United States Government radio broadcasts to Cuba authorized by this section shall be designated “Voice of America: Cuba Service” or “Voice of America: Radio Marti program”.

In the event broadcasting facilities located at Marathon, Florida, are rendered inoperable by natural disaster or by unlawful destruction, the Director of the United States Information Agency may, for the period in which the facilities are inoperable but not to exceed one hundred and fifty days, use other United States Government-owned transmission facilities for Voice of America broadcasts to Cuba authorized by this Act.

There is established within the Office of the President the Advisory Board for Radio Broadcasting to Cuba (hereafter in this Act referred to as the “Board”). The Board shall consist of nine members, appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, of whom not more than five shall be members of the same political party. The President shall designate one member of the Board to serve as Chairman.

The Board shall review the effectiveness of the activities

Review of activity effectiveness.

carried out under this Act and shall make such recommendations to the President, the Director and the Associate Director for Broadcasting of the United States Information Agency as it may deem necessary.

In appointing the initial voting members of the Board, the

Appointments.

President shall designate three members to serve for a term of three years, three members to serve for a term of two years, and three members to serve for a term of one year. Thereafter, the term of each member of the Board shall be three years. The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, members to fill vacancies occurring prior to the expiration of a term, in which case the members so appointed shall serve for the remainder of such term. Any member whose term has expired may serve until his successor has been appointed and qualified.

The head of the Service shall serve, ex officio, as a member of the Board.

Members of the Board appointed by the President shall, while

Compensation.

attending meetings of the Board or while engaged in duties relating to such meetings or in other activities of the Board pursuant to this section, including travel-time, be entitled to receive compensation equal to the daily equivalent of the compensation prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. While away from their homes or regular places of business they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by law (5 U.S.C. 5703) for persons in the Government service employed intermittently. The ex officio member of the Board shall not be entitled to any compensation under this section, but may be allowed travel expenses as provided in the preceding sentence.

The Board may, to the extent it deems necessary to carry out its functions under this section, procure supplies, services, and other personal property, including specialized electronic equipment.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board shall

Effective date.

remain in effect indefinitely.

There are authorized to be appropriated $130,000 to carry out

Appropriation authorization.

the provisions of this section.

In order to assist the United States Information Agency

22 USC 1465d.

in carrying out the purposes set forth in section 2, any agency or instrumentality of the United States may sell, loan, lease, or grant property (including interests therein) and may perform administrative and technical support and services at the request of the Agency. Support and services shall be provided on a reimbursable basis. Any

Reimbursement.

reimbursement shall be credited to the appropriation from which the property, support, or services was derived.

The Agency may carry out the purposes of section 3 by means

Grants, leases, or contracts.

of grants, leases, or contracts (subject to the availability of appropriations), or such other means as the Agency determines will be most effective.

It is the intent of the Congress that the Secretary of State should seek prompt and full settlement of United States claims against the Government of Cuba arising from Cuban interference with broadcasting in the United States. Pending the settlement of these claims, it is appropriate to provide some interim assistance to the United States broadcasters who are adversely affected by Cuban radio interference and who seek to assert their right to measures to counteract the effects of such interference.

Accordingly, the Agency may make payments to the United States radio broadcasting station licensees upon their application for expenses which they have incurred before, on, or after the date of this Act in mitigating, pursuant to special temporary authority from the Federal Communications Commission, the effects of activities by the Government of Cuba which directly interfere with the transmission or reception of broadcasts by these licensees. Such expenses shall be limited to the costs of equipment (replaced less depreciation) and associated technical and engineering costs.

The Federal Communications Commission shall issue such regulations and establish such procedures for carrying out this section as the Federal Communications Commission finds appropriate. Such regulations shall be issued no later than one hundred and eighty days after enactment of this Act.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Agency, $5,000,000 for use in compensating United States radio broadcasting licensees pursuant to this section. Amounts appropriated under this section are authorized to be available until expended.

Funds appropriated for implementation of this section shall be available for a period of no more than four years following the initial broadcast occurring as a result of programs described in this Act.

It is the sense of the Congress that the President should establish a task force to analyze the level of interference from the operation of Cuban radio stations experienced by broadcasters in the United States and to seek a practical political and technical solution to this problem.

This section shall enter into effect on October 1, 1984.

There are authorized to be appropriated for the United States Information Agency $14,000,000 for fiscal year 1984 and $11,000,000 for fiscal year 1985 to carry out sections 3 and 4 of this Act. The amount obligated by the United States Information Agency in ensuing fiscal years shall be sufficient to maintain broadcasts to Cuba under this Act at rates no less than the fiscal year 1985 level.

In addition to amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the Agency for the fiscal years 1984 and 1985, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Agency $54,800,000 for the fiscal year 1984 and $54,800,000 for the fiscal year 1985, which amounts shall be available only for expenses incurred by essential modernization of the facilities and operations of the Voice of America.

Amounts appropriated under this section are authorized to be made available until expended.