S.Amdt. 2906

SA 2906, submitted by Mr. Schatz, aims to add a new section to bill S. 2296. This addition requires the Secretary of Defense, working with the Secretary of State, to create a report on how editorially independent, fact-based journalism in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Pacific Islands, benefits United States defense and security objectives.

The purpose of this report is to provide an assessment of:

• The benefits to U.S. defense and security interests when the information environment in the Indo-Pacific region and Pacific Islands includes fact-based reporting on the malign activities of adversaries and competitors.

• The risks to Department of Defense activities and operations that result from a lack of sufficient editorially independent news media in that region.

The report must be submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress within 180 days of the Act's enactment and must be unclassified, though it can have a classified annex.