PATRIA Y VIDA Act of 2023

S 861, the PATRIA Y VIDA Act of 2023, directs U.S. government agencies to establish capacity for transmitting internet access in foreign countries where governments restrict online access and during emergencies in the U.S. It authorizes the State Department and other agencies to maintain this transmission capability and identifies eligible U.S. companies providing "circumvention tools" (software to bypass government internet blocks) to receive rapid funding during foreign censorship crises. The bill requires the FCC and U.S. Agency for Global Media to report to Congress within 60 days on current capabilities and needed resources for these internet access services. This legislation directly affects federal agencies, eligible technology companies, and individuals in countries facing internet censorship.