PAAIA Celebrates Congress’s Passage of Internet Freedom in Iran

Washington, DC – We are thrilled that both the House and Senate passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with its inclusion of Section 5124. This means that the “Strategy and Grant Program to Promote Internet Freedom in Iran” is poised to be signed into law by the President. This significant measure aligns closely with the language of the Iran Internet Freedom Act (S.5076) introduced by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and James Lankford (R-OK), as well as the Internet Reach and Access Now (IRAN) Act (H.R.9299) introduced by Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-CA/14th) and Claudia Tenney (R-NY/24th).

What does Section 5124 do? It aims to enhance internet freedom in Iran through several initiatives: 

• Executing a comprehensive strategy by the Secretary of State in coordination with other agencies;
• Assessing and expanding the use of virtual private networks (VPNs)
• Developing plans to counter internet blackouts;
• Identifying ways for technology providers to overcome technical and political barriers; and
• Providing $30 million in grant funding to support internet access initiatives in Iran

PAAIA’s Advocacy in Supporting Internet Freedom in Iran

PAAIA from the outset has worked across the aisle and with diverse organizations to help achieve this success this year: 

• In August 2024, PAAIA collaborated with Representatives Eric Swalwell (D-CA) and Claudia Tenney (R-NY) on the introduction of the IRAN Act in August 2024. The legislation mandates that the Secretary of State regularly implement and update a comprehensive strategy to promote internet freedom in Iran, with three new objectives to address the needs of Iranian civil society. The legislation has a total of 35 co-sponsors in the House with strong bipartisan support.
• In September 2024, PAAIA partnered with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and James Lankford (R-OK) to introduce the Iran Internet Freedom Act in the Senate. The legislation shares similar policy objectives to the IRAN Act but additionally authorizes grants to support secure internet programs in Iran, appropriating $15 million for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to the Open Technology Fund for Iran. The legislation has a total of 8 cosponsors in the Senate.

PAAIA has worked tirelessly to engage lawmakers on the importance of these internet freedom bills for Iran. 

• In September 2024, PAAIA in conjunction with Representatives Swalwell and Tenney held a congressional briefing and panel discussion focused on the critical role of Internet Freedom and how it can be used to support the human rights and democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.
• In October, a PAAIA led coalition of organizations submitted letters to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in support of the IRAN Act and the Iran Internet Freedom Act. The letters received backing from a diverse array of organizations including Lantern and Psiphon, two of the largest VPN service providers for Iranian civil society.

Access to the open internet benefits political organizing, allows for the free flow of information and the exchange of ideas, and connects Iranians with each other and the outside world. The inclusion of Section 5124 in the NDAA is a testament to strong bipartisan support for combating digital authoritarianism and upholding the Iranian people’s right to free and open access to information.

PAAIA commends Senators Cardin and Lankford, as well as Representatives Swalwell and Tenney, for their leadership and dedication to this issue. We remain committed to advocating for policies wanted by Iranian Americans and in support of the Iranian people’s right to free and open access to information.