Ed Royce: “It is a sad state of affairs. There was one television station left in Russia that had some measure of independence…”

“It is a sad state of affairs. There was one television station left in Russia that had some measure of independence, that wasn't state-controlled. Russia, President Putin, went after that institution, and now it is no longer broadcasting. Russia has been waging an intense, aggressive, and very blunt disinformation campaign. Not only is that campaign directed at disinformation to people in Ukraine, but they have also spun tales of sinister plotting by the West. This measure, S. 2183, responds by directing U.S. international broadcasters to advance access to uncensored sources of information, the truth, about what is happening on the ground in Ukraine, to use stringers and reporters and to operate as a surrogate radio broadcast source in order to get news and information to people that are otherwise subject to the Russian propaganda, state-run propaganda that is coming into the country. I think it is important that this be done because the Ukrainian stations themselves have now been jammed by the Russians, by the Russian Government. The former head of Radio Free Europe once described the mission of his broadcasts as one that ``irritates authoritarian regimes, inspires democrats, and creates greater space for civil society.'' We need to create greater space for civil society in Eastern Europe today. We need to provide a platform to inspire those who want to see democratic governance, and that is exactly the type of response that is needed.…”