Consolidate redundant VOA and grantee language services
Mandate calls fiscal consolidation a cornerstone, citing overlapping Mandarin (VOA/RFA) and Farsi (VOA/RFE-RL) services as unnecessary and counterproductive.
Mandate
Mandate Ch. 8 (Media Agencies / USAGM) — Consolidation and Reduction of Redundant Services: USAGM funds numerous redundant services through VOA/OCB and grantees (e.g., Mandarin via VOA and RFA; Farsi via VOA and RFE/RL); surplus same-language services are often unnecessary; fiscal responsibility and transparency should return with consolidation as a cornerstone.
Undo plan
1) Halt language-service mergers that erase distinct surrogate vs. VOA missions without audience-impact analysis.
2) Restore separate charters: VOA as U.S. story/news; Radio Free networks as local-surrogate journalism.
3) Require congressional notification before eliminating high-threat-language services.
4) Fund dual coverage where redundancy is strategic (China, Iran) rather than purely budgetary.
5) Verify: language-service inventory with mission rationale published to Congress.