MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's Justice Ministry says it has warned several U.S. government-funded news outlets that they could be designated as foreign agents under a new bill which is yet to be fully approved.

The bill, which was approved by Russia's lower house Wednesday, is a direct response to the U.S. demand for Russian state-funded RT channel to register as a foreign agent.

The bill leaves it to the Justice Ministry to decide which media would be named foreign agents. It needs to be approved by the upper house and signed by President Vladimir Putin to become law.

The ministry said Thursday it has notified the U.S. government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, along with its regional outlets, that they could be designated as foreign agents under the new legislation.