Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) is introducing legislation to ban government-produced media intended for foreign audiences from dissemination in the United States.
The Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 authorizes the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to distribute media worldwide for diplomatic purposes, including through outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Voice of America. However, loopholes have allowed such media to be accessed domestically, raising concerns that the government may try to sway domestic public opinion.
As a result, Rep. Mills' Stopping Propaganda Indoctrination Nationally (SPIN) Act prohibits these materials from being disseminated within the United States, its territories, or possessions. Additionally, they can only be accessed upon request from Congress, the press, and accredited researchers in English.
"Taxpayer dollars should never be used to manipulate the American people through government propaganda," said Rep. Mills in a statement. "The SPIN Act puts an end to such loopholes and ensures the federal government cannot direct foreign messaging campaigns toward domestic audiences—intentionally or unintentionally. This is about transparency, accountability, and trust. The American people deserve to know when messaging is meant for them—and when it's not. We should never allow tools designed for foreign influence operations to be repurposed to shape domestic opinion."
In August, U.S. Global Media Advisor Kari Lake discussed her intentions to downsize and eventually eliminate Voice of America, explaining that "things need to change at the VOA. We can preserve what's worth saving at this agency while still rightsizing it."
"There are places we can take what is valuable in this agency," Lake added, "and I believe it would be the best fit under the Department of State, where then we could make sure what is going out over the airwaves to other countries is at least in alignment with what our national security policies are.
