Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman
September 14, 2022 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), senior member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Wednesday applauded the inclusion of his legislation to reauthorize the Global Engagement Center (GEC) in the State Department Authorization Act of 2022 for another three years so that the GEC can continue to execute its vital mission of countering foreign propaganda and disinformation. Without this extension, the GEC would have been dissolved in two years. Portman’s legislation would also extend the GEC’s special hiring authority for an additional five years so that the agency can bring together the talented team it needs to accomplish its mission.
“State-sponsored disinformation is a threat to democratic societies throughout the world. As we have seen mostly recently with Russian aggression in Ukraine, these tactics are inexpensive, easily deniable and can be devastatingly effective if left unchecked,” said Portman. “The importance of the Global Engagement Center cannot be understated as it coordinates the United States Government’s interagency efforts to combat disinformation abroad. Time and time again, it has demonstrated its effectiveness in assisting our allies as they push back against disinformation efforts from countries like China and Russia. This provision to not only extend the sunset clause, but also to extend the special hiring authority, is vital to enable the GEC’s work to continue to effectively combat disinformation and propaganda. I applaud the inclusion of my legislation in this year’s State Department Authorization Act of 2022, and I thank Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch for working with me to include it in this bill.”
Portman, along with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, which was signed into law in December 2016. The law improved the ability of the United States to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation by establishing the GEC, which is charged with leading the U.S. government’s efforts to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation. The Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act authorized the State Department to request $60 million annually for two years from the Department of Defense for the GEC to help counter foreign propaganda and disinformation being waged against the United States and our allies by state and non-state adversaries.
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