Expert Group Backs Royce Reform Legislation

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued this statement welcoming The Aspen Institute’s release of its report “Reforming American Public Diplomacy” which presents the conclusions of the Aspen Institute Dialogue on Diplomacy and Technology:

“The Aspen Institute report reflects the consensus of the group that met last August to discuss reform to America’s public diplomacy including the Broadcasting Board of Governors.  The report reaffirms the need for sweeping BBG reforms and endorses the legislation that the House passed unanimously last Congress and was reintroduced last week.  We cannot continue to allow our public diplomacy efforts to flounder, endangering our national security.”

The Aspen Institute report states:

“The Dialogue participants, including two former chairs of the BBG and its current chair, the current Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, a former Secretary of State, current and former members and staff of Congress from both sides of the aisle, various industry experts, and former government officials from State, the NSA, the FCC, and Commerce, on a bi-partisan basis strongly recommended that the Senate support the House passed United States International Communications Reform Act…”

H.R. 2323 – the United States International Communications Reform Act of 2015 will be marked-up by the Committee tomorrow.

More information regarding reform of the Broadcasting Board of Governors can be found here.

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