LegisTrack
Back to all bills
HR 5117119th CongressIn Committee

SPIN Act

Introduced: Sep 3, 2025
Technology & Innovation
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The SPIN Act would amend the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 to bar the dissemination of “such information” within the United States and its territories after it has been released abroad. In practical terms, information that is disseminated internationally by the U.S. government would not be publicly distributed inside the United States. If someone requests it, the information would be available in English at the Department of State for examination only by certain groups (U.S. press associations, newspapers, magazines, radio systems/stations) and by research students and scholars, and, upon request, to Members of Congress. The act is framed as a prohibition on domestic dissemination of foreign-information materials, with narrowly limited access channels.

Key Points

  • 1Prohibits dissemination of information that was released abroad from being disseminated within the United States, its territories, or possessions.
  • 2Allows access only “on request” in English at the Department of State for examination by specified groups: representatives of U.S. press associations, newspapers, magazines, radio systems and stations, and by research students and scholars; and, on request, to Members of Congress.
  • 3Access is limited to examination; it is not broad public distribution inside the United States.
  • 4Access is contingent on the material’s prior release abroad and is governed by an English-language requirement.
  • 5The bill is titled the “Stopping Propaganda Indoctrination Nationally Act” (SPIN Act) and was introduced in the House in September 2025, referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Journalists, media organizations (press associations, newspapers, magazines, radio), researchers and scholars, and Members of Congress seeking access to the material.Secondary group/area affected: General public in the United States, whose ability to access foreign-information materials would be restricted; U.S. public diplomacy and transparency efforts.Additional impacts: Potential constitutional and First Amendment considerations due to restricting domestic dissemination of government information; administrative processes at the Department of State to manage “on request” examinations; possible chilling effects on journalists and researchers who rely on broad access to foreign-information materials.
Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 8, 2025