Relating to the American Forces Network.

1. Adds SEC. 903. AMERICAN FORCES NETWORK at the end of subtitle A of title IX

   Adds a section

   In S. 1042 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (4) Scope of plan.--The plan shall be coordinated with Department of Defense plans for defending the United States against attack by short-range to medium-range ballistic missiles.

   Inserted: SEC. 903. AMERICAN FORCES NETWORK.

   Inserted: (a) Mission.--The American Forces Network (AFN) shall provide members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees of the Department of Defense, and their families stationed outside the continental United States and at sea with the same type and quality of American radio and television news, information, sports, and entertainment as is available in the continental United States.

   Inserted: (b) Political Programming.--

   Inserted: (1) Fairness and balance.--All political programming of the American Forces Network shall be characterized by its fairness and balance.

   Inserted: (2) Free flow of programming.--The American Forces Network shall provide in its programming a free flow of political programming from United States commercial and public radio and television stations.

   Inserted: (c) Ombudsman of the American Forces Network.--

   Inserted: (1) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Office of the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network.

   Inserted: (2) Head of office.--

   Inserted: (A) Ombudsman.--The head of the Office of the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network shall be the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network (in this subsection referred to as the "Ombudsman"), who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense.

   Inserted: (B) Qualifications.--Any individual nominated for appointment to the position of Ombudsman shall have recognized expertise in the field of mass communications, print media, or broadcast media.

   Inserted: (C) Part-time status.--The position of Ombudsman shall be a part-time position.

   Inserted: (D) Term.--The term of office of the Ombudsman shall be five years.

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   Inserted: (E) Removal.--The Ombudsman may be removed from office by the Secretary only for malfeasance.

   Inserted: (3) Duties.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--The Ombudsman shall ensure that the American Forces Network adheres to the standards and practices of the Network in its programming.

   Inserted: (B) Particular duties.--In carrying out the duties of the Ombudsman under this paragraph, the Ombudsman shall--

   Inserted: (i) initiate and conduct, with such frequency as the Ombudsman considers appropriate, reviews of the integrity, fairness, and balance of the programming of the American Forces Network;

   Inserted: (ii) initiate and conduct, upon the request of Congress or members of the audience of the American Forces Network, reviews of the programming of the Network;

   Inserted: (iii) identify, pursuant to reviews under clause (i) or (ii) or otherwise, circumstances in which the American Forces Network has not adhered to the standards and practices of the Network in its programming, including circumstances in which the programming of the Network lacked integrity, fairness, or balance; and

   Inserted: (iv) make recommendations to the American Forces Network on means of correcting the lack of adherence identified pursuant to clause (iii).

   Inserted: (C) Limitation.--In carrying out the duties of the Ombudsman under this paragraph, the Ombudsman may not engage in any pre-broadcast censorship or pre-broadcast review of the programming of the American Forces Network.

   Inserted: (4) Resources.--The Secretary of Defense shall provide the Office of the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network such personnel and other resources as the Secretary and the Ombudsman jointly determine appropriate to permit the Ombudsman to carry out the duties of the Ombudsman under paragraph (3).

   Inserted: (5) Independence.--The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to ensure the complete independence of the Ombudsman and the Office of the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network within the Department of Defense.

   Inserted: (6) Annual reports.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--The Ombudsman shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees each year a report on the activities of the Office of the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network during the preceding year.

   Inserted: (B) Availability to public.--The Ombudsman shall make available to the public each report submitted under subparagraph (A) through the Internet website of the Office of the Ombudsman of the American Forces Network and by such other means as the Ombudsman considers appropriate.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle A of title IX, add the following:

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As printed