Dan Robinson wrote:

Suggested email to the House Subcommittee on Appropriations (for) Commerce,
Justice and State Department, or to your own representatives:

Dear Congressman/Senator:

I have observed, along with many Americans in recent weeks and months,
the steady decline in the availability of Voice of America (VOA) programs
using shortwave frequencies.

It is simply outrageous that American citizens, who continue to fund VOA
programs, are no longer able to hear programming that it is otherwise
provided on VOA websites such as "voanews.com" and clearly aimed
at being competitivewith other world news "portals" on the internet.

It is absurd that VOA's considerable news programming continues
to fall under the Smith-Mundt Act, and that this law remains on the books
in the 21st century.

Why hasn't Congress moved to eliminate Smith-Mundt? Does anyone
truly believe, in this day and age, that this law still serves a purpose?

Americans should be able to hear the output of VOA other than through
internet websites, which are themselves, a work-around that effectively
renders Smith-Mundt restrictions moot. VOA should be accessible, as
well, via FM outlets across the United States.

I urge you to address these points in open congressional hearings, and
move to reverse what appears to many who continue to respect VOA's
news output, to be VOA's "death-by-a-thousand-cuts."

Good point Dan.