Special authority for surge capacity

Whenever the President determines it to be important to the national interests of the United States and so certifies to the appropriate congressional committees, the President, on such terms and conditions as the President may determine, is authorized to direct any department, agency, or other entity of the United States to furnish the United States Agency for Global Media with such assistance outside the United States as may be necessary to provide international broadcasting activities of the United States with a surge capacity to support United States foreign policy objectives during a crisis abroad. The authority of paragraph (1) shall supersede any other provision of law. In this subsection, the term “surge capacity” means the financial and technical resources necessary to carry out broadcasting activities in a geographical area during a crisis abroad. The President is authorized to exercise the authority provided in subsection (a)(1) for a period of up to six months, which may be renewed for one additional six month period. There are authorized to be appropriated to the President such sums as may be necessary for the President to carry out this section, except that no such amount may be appropriated which, when added to amounts previously appropriated for such purpose but not yet obligated, would cause such amounts to exceed $25,000,000. Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in this subsection are authorized to remain available until expended. Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in this subsection may be referred to as the “United States International Broadcasting Surge Capacity Fund”. The annual report submitted to the President and Congress by the United States Agency for Global Media under section 6204(a)(9) of this title shall provide a detailed description of any activities carried out under this section.