Loading…
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015
Legislative Progress
Momentum (last 30 days)
0
score
0 actions · 0 new cosponsors · 0 votes
Speed vs cohort
0pct
0d open
vs 3,548 other S bills in the 114th — cohort avg 43d
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as an independent federal government advisory body through FY2021. Requires the President's annual review of the status of religious freedom in each foreign country to include determinations regarding religious freedom violations being engaged in or tolerated in territories in which a government does not exist or does not exercise control. Directs the President to designate nonstate actors that have engaged in particularly severe violations as entities of particular concern for religious freedom. Requires USCIRF as a whole to have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world. Requires appointments to USCIRF to be made not later than 90 days after the creation of a vacancy. Directs USCIRF, during its first meeting after May 30, 2016, to elect: (1) as Chair, a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President; and (2) as Vice Chair, a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President (or on the occasion of two Vice Chairs, one Vice Chair appointed by an elected official of the President's party and the other Vice Chair appointed by an elected official of the other party). Sets forth a process for future elections in which the positions of Chair and Vice Chair rotate annually between Commissioners appointed by elected officials of each political party. Allows the Ambassador at Large to attend all meetings as a nonvoting member. Removes authority under which a USCIRF member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office. Requires (currently, allows) USCIRF to hold hearings, take actions and testimony, and receive evidence. Requires USCIRF to conduct an annual review of the Executive Director. Directs USCIRF to work with the Executive Director to establish internal hiring practices for professional staff. Encourages the Department of State to allow classified information to be accessed by USCIRF Commissioners and staff with the appropriate security clearance. Prohibits Commissioners from permitting any person, entity, or special interest group, including foreign governments and state-owned enterprises, to inappropriately influence or pose a conflict of interest with a Commissioner's official duties. Requires Commissioners to recuse themselves from related discussions or decisions if such an inappropriate influence or conflict is discovered. Revises restrictions on USCIRF's acceptance of gifts and donations to permit sponsoring private parties to provide compensation and benefits to interns, fellows, and volunteers under specified conditions. Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to require the State Department to receive assistance from USCIRF when establishing training for Foreign Service officers in the field of internationally recognized human rights, including instruction regarding the relationship between religious freedom and security, as well as the role of religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy.
These links require the bill number to appear in the filing's source-reported specific issue text. Client expenses and lobbying-firm income are separate disclosure fields.
Filing registrants (2)
2015 · fourth_quarter · Foreign Relations
On behalf of 112 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to urge support and the swift passage of S. 1798, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2015. We believe S. 1798 strengthens USCIRFs mandate and the tools at its disposal, while providing a much-needed six-year authorization at a critical time when assaults on religious freedom around the world are systemic and growing. In fact, the current state of international religious freedom is one of deepening crisis-according to the Pew Research Centers latest annual study on global restrictions on religion, 77% of the worlds population live in countries with a high or very high overall level of restriction on religion in 2013, up from 76% in 2012 and 68% in 2007. This bill passed the House by voice vote on October 6, 2015, and was signed by the President on October 16. It became Public Law No: 114-071. On behalf of 145 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to express our grave concern for religious minorities, among them Yezidis, Christians and Shia Muslims, at the hands of the Islamic State; and to urge U.S. government leaders to formally declare the systematic destruction of these ancient communities a genocide. Mounting evidence indisputably shows the Islamic States ongoing genocidal campaign in the Middle East through its attempts to create a global caliphate devoid of religious freedom and diversity. For more than a year, the news headlines have been replete with stories of almost unimaginable human suffering caused by the Islamic State. Religious minorities in these lands, among them the ancient Christian, Yezidi and Shia Muslim communities, have suffered grave injustices: displacement, forced conversion, kidnapping, rape and death. Furthermore, the intent to commit genocide can be clearly seen in the Islamic States ideology, as outlined in its propaganda, which calls for the eradication or subjugation of those who do not conform to the groups ideology. In Iraq, this has manifested most blatantly in the insurgencys treatment of religious and ethnic minorities, members of whom have been killed, tortured, kidnapped, raped, enslaved, brainwashed, forcibly converted and/or driven from their ancient homelands. Under the Islamic State, religious minorities now face an existential crisis and live on the edge of extinction in the lands that many have inhabited since antiquity. These communities will continue on a trajectory of tragic and precipitous decline into eventual non-existence without swift moral leadership on behalf of the administration and the international community. It is our belief that officially declaring and subsequently halting this genocide and its spread is a matter of vital moral and strategic importance for the United States, the international community, and the overall state of religious freedom around the world. Perhaps equally as important, such a declaration will give a stronger voice to the long-suffering victims while furthering and sharpening ideological engagement against those currently at the forefront of this campaign. On behalf of 73 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts in support of H. Con. Res. 75, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that those who commit or support atrocities against Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities, including Yezidis, Turkmen, Sabea-Mandeans, Kaka`e, and Kurds, and who target them specifically for ethnic or religious reasons, are committing, and are hereby declared to be committing, `war crimes', `crimes against humanity', and `genocide'. Since the emergence of the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Christians and other religious minorities including Yezidis, Turkmen, Sabea-Mandeans, Kakae, Kurds, and Shia, have been targeted for extermination and forced to flee their homelands. The atrocities perpetrated against these vulnerable groups shock the conscience of civilized humanity. They have been systematically murdered and subjected to grievous bodily harm and psychological harm, including sexual slavery and abuse inflicted in a deliberate and calculated manner. ISIS is committing genocide against religious groups that do not conform to ISISs totalitarian definition of true Islam. The United States government and the global community must universally acknowledge the genocide that is taking place against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. Without a swift and decisive response from the international community, the lives and ancient cultural heritage of these minorities could be eradicated from the Middle East completely. It is our belief that officially declaring and subsequently halting this genocide and its spread is a matter of vital moral and strategic importance for the United States, the international community, and the overall state of religious freedom around the world. Client was one of 27 organizations and individuals who signed a multi-faith letter, which was used in contacts to support an Atrocity Accountability Provision (Provision) during negotiations on the FY16 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill (section 7047(b) of S.1725, the Senate reported version of the FY16 State, Foreign Operations bill). The United States has long been a champion of accountability and justice for perpetrators of atrocity crimes, including in Nazi Germany, the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia. The passage of this Provision will further solidify American leadership on the rule of law and human rights, and, of particular interest to us, will allow the U.S. to promote accountability and justice in conflict situations involving religious persecution. The International Criminal Court (ICC or Court) is the worlds only permanent international tribunal mandated to investigate and prosecute atrocity crimes. The ICCs governing statute specifically includes religious persecution as a punishable offense within the three core atrocity crimes that the Court prosecutes - genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes - and religious freedom abuses are implicated in six of the eight country situations currently before the Court. In light of the ICCs mandate to prosecute perpetrators of religious persecution, and as a result of the recognition that the Court serves to protect core religious values, including justice, bearing witness, redress, and protecting the vulnerable, many faith-based organizations from diverse cultural, social, and political backgrounds support the work and mission of the ICC. Moreover, the U.S. has been broadly supportive of all of the ICCs cases, as they are consistent with U.S. national interests. The Provision fills a gap in U.S. law that hampers Americas ability to provide the full array of professional, logistical, and similar resources to ICC cases. Current law permits the U.S. to provide only limited, in-kind support to the ICC on a case-by-case basis, provided such support is already paid for by another non-ICC related appropriation - which, unfortunately, is a rare occurrence. This means that the U.S. cannot appropriate new funds or allocate existing funds to finance American support of ICC cases, even when such support has been determined to be in the American interests. This results in the U.S. being unable to provide the ICC with particular expertise and resources needed to bring to justice perpetrators of atrocities, including the most egregious abuses of international religious freedom. This limitation should be of serious concern to the United States because, in many cases, the ICC is the only mechanism available to hold individuals accountable for their commission of religiously-motivated atrocities. Indeed, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently recommended that the U.S. push for a United Nations Security Council Resolution that refers ISIS atrocities to the ICC. The Provision would fill this gap by enabling the U.S. to provide to the ICC the same type of critical support that it provided to the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda tribunals. On behalf of 61 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts in support of H.R. 1150, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015. We must work to create a context where people can live with their deepest differences. The recent turmoil in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine-including the alarming spike in incidents of violence and persecution of Christians, Muslim communities, and other religious minorities-offers the latest examples of what happens if we do not. The purpose of the bill is to update the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) and improve the capacity of the U.S. government to advance religious freedom globally by giving the Administration and State Department new political tools to better counter violent extremism and sectarian violence, growing anti-Semitism and restriction on religious minorities (e.g., a tier system for IRF reports on countries of particular concern and a special watch list, annual actions on countries with severe IRF abuses, authority to sanction individuals responsible for committing severe violations of IRF or materially supporting terrorism or violent extremism, and the ability to designate non-state actors as part of the Country of Particular Concern list and a range of sanctions targeting individual members of such groups); expanding diplomatic training, counter-terrorism coordination, and foreign assistance efforts; and reauthorizing the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through 2021. With the passage and implementation of H.R. 1150, a strengthened IRFA and a stronger IRF policy-as integrated into U.S. foreign policy and national security-the United States will send a clear and urgent message regarding the inherent dignity of every human being, as well as our common global security in the fight against persecution and religious extremism, and terrorism. Doing so is consistent with the best of our values, practically protecting our interests as a result. On behalf of 28 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to promote the idea of a public briefing event to engage leaders of the Kazakhstan government and discuss deep concerns about the 2011 Law on Religious Activity and Religious Associations in light of the recent Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief on his Mission to Kazakhstan. Certain provisions of the 2011 Religion Law are inconsistent with both Kazakhstans Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Special Rapporteur made several substantive, reasonable and fair recommendations to bring the Constitution and Kazakh law fully into line with Article 18 of the ICCPR and other relevant international human rights standards. The Kazakh government could be urged to make these changes to the law.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Introduced in Senate
Bills with similar content found using semantic analysis.
Sources: Congress.gov
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000
Government targets: Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
2015 · fourth_quarter · Foreign Relations
S 677/HR 2740 - Global Democracy Promotion Act: entire bill HR 2100/S 802 - Girls Count Act: entire bill HR 1340/S 713 - International Violence Against Women Act: provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 590/S 302 - International Human Rights Defense Act: entire bill S 224 - Women, Peace, and Security Act: entire bill HR 439 - Illegal Entry Accountability Act: entire bill H Con Res 29 - Recognizing the disparate impact of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address climate change: entire bill H Res 145 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Senate should ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): entire bill S Res 97 - A resolution supporting the goals of International Women's Day: entire bill HR 1205 - American Sovereignty Restoration Act: entire bill HR 1034 - To provide for an accounting of total United States contributions to the United Nations: entire bill HR 1039 - African Descent Affairs Act: entire bill S 1635 -- Department of State Operations Authorization and Embassy Security Act, Fiscal Year 2016: provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 2772-- Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016; provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health S 1238 - Annual report on the United States Contributions to the United Nations Act; provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 2241-Global Health Innovation Act of 2015; provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 2678--A bill to prohibit United States contributions to the United Nations Population Fund. HR 2621-China Human Rights Protection Act of 2015; provisions and amendments related to reproductive rights H Res 285--A resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should become an international human rights leader by ratifying and implementing certain core international conventions; entire bill HR 2368-Global Respect Act; entire bill S 1911/HR3706 - Reach Every Mother and Child Act S 1635--Fiscal State-Foreign Operations Appropriations; Amendments: Shaheen family planning amendment to increase the amount appropriated for family planning/reproductive health, to provide $35,000,000 for the United Nations Population Fund, and to permit funding for foreign nongovernmental organizations. S 2130--An Act Making Appropriations for National Security and other purposes (minibus with SFOPS) HR 2037/S 1798/S 2078/S 2079--United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 House Department of State Authorization Health Systems Strengthening bill (not yet introduced) S Res 310 -- A resolution condemning the ongoing sexual violence against women and children from Yezidi, Christian, Shabak, Turkmen, and other religious communities by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants and urging the prosecution of the perpetrators and those complicit in these crimes; amendments related to reproductive health. FY2017 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations; provisions related to international family planning and reproductive health programs
Client expense: $42,941 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Administration for Children & Families (ACF), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Peace Corps, SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
2015 · third_quarter · Foreign Relations
On behalf of 61 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts in support of H.R. 1150, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015. We must work to create a context where people can live with their deepest differences. The recent turmoil in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine-including the alarming spike in incidents of violence and persecution of Christians, Muslim communities, and other religious minorities-offers the latest examples of what happens if we do not. The purpose of the bill is to update the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) and improve the capacity of the U.S. government to advance religious freedom globally by giving the Administration and State Department new political tools to better counter violent extremism and sectarian violence, growing anti-Semitism and restriction on religious minorities (e.g., a tier system for IRF reports on countries of particular concern and a special watch list, annual actions on countries with severe IRF abuses, authority to sanction individuals responsible for committing severe violations of IRF or materially supporting terrorism or violent extremism, and the ability to designate non-state actors as part of the Country of Particular Concern list and a range of sanctions targeting individual members of such groups); expanding diplomatic training, counter-terrorism coordination, and foreign assistance efforts; and reauthorizing the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through 2021. With the passage and implementation of H.R. 1150, a strengthened IRFA and a stronger IRF policy-as integrated into U.S. foreign policy and national security-the United States will send a clear and urgent message regarding the inherent dignity of every human being, as well as our common global security in the fight against persecution and religious extremism, and terrorism. Doing so is consistent with the best of our values, practically protecting our interests as a result. On behalf of 112 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to urge support and the swift passage of S. 1798, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2015. We believe S. 1798 strengthens USCIRFs mandate and the tools at its disposal, while providing a much-needed six-year authorization at a critical time when assaults on religious freedom around the world are systemic and growing. In fact, the current state of international religious freedom is one of deepening crisis-according to the Pew Research Centers latest annual study on global restrictions on religion, 77% of the worlds population live in countries with a high or very high overall level of restriction on religion in 2013, up from 76% in 2012 and 68% in 2007. At the same time, made contacts against S. 1860, the Further Independence of Religion for Security and Tolerance Freedom Act of 2015. We believe S. 1798 is better suited to advance freedom of religion or belief. While S. 1860 includes significant refugee-related provisions that many of us support, some of these provisions are part of an ongoing debate which is unlikely to be resolved prior to the rapidly-approaching expiration of USCIRFs current authorization. As such, we believe consideration of such provisions should be delinked from the current reauthorization process. Additionally, many of the USCIRF-related provisions in S. 1860 are deeply concerning and could potentially undermine USCIRFs vital work. On behalf of 112 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to urge support and the swift passage of S. 2078, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2015. S. 2078 reauthorizes the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through FY2019. S. 2078 passed the Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. On behalf of 34 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to urge support and the swift passage of H. Res. 290, which calls for the global repeal of blasphemy laws. These laws punish expression deemed blasphemous (contemptuous of God or sacred things), defamatory of religion, or insulting to religion or religious symbols, figures, or feelings. Not only do they threaten the individual right to the freedoms of religion and expression, they also violate international standards, including Article 18 of the International Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. These bans also inappropriately position governments as arbiters of truth or religious rightness as they empower officials to enforce particular religious views against individuals and minorities. H. Res. 290 calls on the President and the State Department to prioritize the repeal of blasphemy laws. On behalf of 28 organizations and individuals, including the client, who signed a multi-faith letter, made contacts to urge the United States government to engage leaders of the Kazakhstan government and express deep concerns about the 2011 Law on Religious Activity and Religious Associations in light of the recent Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief on his Mission to Kazakhstan. Certain provisions of the 2011 Religion Law are inconsistent with both Kazakhstans Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Special Rapporteur made several substantive, reasonable and fair recommendations to bring the Constitution and Kazakh law fully into line with Article 18 of the ICCPR and other relevant international human rights standards. The U.S. government could urge the Kazakh government to make these changes to the law.
Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000
Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
2015 · third_quarter · Foreign Relations
S 677/HR 2740 - Global Democracy Promotion Act: entire bill HR 2100/S 802 - Girls Count Act: entire bill HR 1340/S 713 - International Violence Against Women Act: provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 590/S 302 - International Human Rights Defense Act: entire bill S 224 - Women, Peace, and Security Act: entire bill HR 439 - Illegal Entry Accountability Act: entire bill H Con Res 29 - Recognizing the disparate impact of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address climate change: entire bill H Res 145 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Senate should ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): entire bill S Res 97 - A resolution supporting the goals of International Women's Day: entire bill HR 1205 - American Sovereignty Restoration Act: entire bill HR 1034 - To provide for an accounting of total United States contributions to the United Nations: entire bill HR 1039 - African Descent Affairs Act: entire bill S 1635 -- Department of State Operations Authorization and Embassy Security Act, Fiscal Year 2016: provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 2772-- Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016; provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health S 1238 - Annual report on the United States Contributions to the United Nations Act; provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 2241-Global Health Innovation Act of 2015; provisions and amendments related to international family planning and reproductive health HR 2678--A bill to prohibit United States contributions to the United Nations Population Fund. HR 2621-China Human Rights Protection Act of 2015; provisions and amendments related to reproductive rights H Res 285--A resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should become an international human rights leader by ratifying and implementing certain core international conventions; entire bill HR 2368-Global Respect Act; entire bill S 1911/HR3706 - Reach Every Mother and Child Act S 1635--Fiscal State-Foreign Operations Appropriations; Amendments: Shaheen family planning amendment to increase the amount appropriated for family planning/reproductive health, to provide $35,000,000 for the United Nations Population Fund, and to permit funding for foreign nongovernmental organizations. S 2130--An Act Making Appropriations for National Security and other purposes (minibus with SFOPS) HR 2037/S 1798/S 2078/S 2079--United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 House Department of State Authorization
Client expense: $278,546 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Administration for Children & Families (ACF), Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Defense, Dept of (DOD), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), Peace Corps, SENATE, State, Dept of (DOS), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
| Republican |
| AR |