[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1150 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1150

To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to improve the 
  ability of the United States to advance religious freedom globally 
  through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign 
 assistance efforts, and through stronger and more flexible political 
    responses to religious freedom violations and violent extremism 
                   worldwide, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2015

  Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Ms. Eshoo) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 
 and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services and Oversight 
 and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to improve the 
  ability of the United States to advance religious freedom globally 
  through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign 
 assistance efforts, and through stronger and more flexible political 
    responses to religious freedom violations and violent extremism 
                   worldwide, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Frank R. Wolf 
International Religious Freedom Act of 2015''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; policy.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
                TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE ACTIVITIES

Sec. 101. Office on International Religious Freedom; Ambassador at 
                            Large for International Religious Freedom.
Sec. 102. Annual Report on International Religious Freedom.
Sec. 103. Training for Foreign Service officers; report.
Sec. 104. Prisoner lists and issue briefs on religious freedom 
                            concerns.
        TITLE II--COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Sec. 201. Establishment and composition.
Sec. 202. Commission personnel matters.
Sec. 203. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 204. Standards of conduct and disclosure.
Sec. 205. Termination.
                  TITLE III--NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

Sec. 301. Special Adviser for Global Religion Engagement and 
                            International Religious Freedom; 
                            Interagency Policy Committees.
                     TITLE IV--PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS

Sec. 401. Presidential actions in response to violations of religious 
                            freedom.
Sec. 402. Presidential actions in response to particularly severe 
                            violations of religious freedom.
Sec. 403. Consultations.
Sec. 404. Report to Congress.
Sec. 405. Presidential waiver.
Sec. 406. Termination of Presidential actions.
Sec. 407. Statement of policy regarding country of particular concern 
                            designation for violent nonstate actors.
                TITLE V--PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Sec. 501. Assistance for promoting religious freedom.
            TITLE VI--REFUGEE, ASYLUM, AND CONSULAR MATTERS

Sec. 601. Actions against persons responsible for committing 
                            particularly severe violations of 
                            international religious freedom.
                  TITLE VII--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 701. Miscellaneous provisions.
Sec. 702. Clerical amendments.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; POLICY.

    Section 2 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6401) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4), in the fourth sentence, by 
                inserting ``prohibitions on ritual animal slaughter, 
                male infant circumcision, censorship of religious 
                content, or worship on the Internet,'' after 
                ``confiscations of property,'';
                    (B) in paragraph (5), by amending the second 
                sentence to read as follows: ``In many countries, 
                religious believers are forced to meet secretly, and 
                religious leaders and believers are targeted by 
                national security forces, violent nonstate actors, and 
                hostile mobs.'';
                    (C) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph 
                (9); and
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following 
                new paragraphs:
            ``(7) There is growing evidence that demonstrates a 
        connection between the absence of religious freedom and 
        increased levels of persecution of religious minorities, 
        religiously motivated conflict, violent extremism, and 
        terrorism, including the kind of terrorism that has reached the 
        United States.
            ``(8) It is increasingly clear that understanding religion 
        and the political and security implications of religious 
        motivation and conviction is critical to the success of United 
        States diplomacy and foreign policy initiatives as there are 
        studies that show--
                    ``(A) 75 percent of the world's population lives in 
                countries where the right to the freedom of religion 
                and belief is severely restricted, either by the 
                government or violent nonstate actors; and
                    ``(B) 84 percent of the world's population 
                identifies strongly with a specific religious group.''; 
                and
            (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following 
        new paragraph:
            ``(6) Because the promotion of international religious 
        freedom is a foreign policy strategy that protects other, 
        related human rights, advances democracy abroad, and advances 
        United States interests in stability, security, and development 
        globally, the promotion of international religious freedom 
        requires new and evolving policies, global religion engagement 
        strategies, and diplomatic responses that are drawn from the 
        expertise of the national security agencies, the diplomatic 
        services, Congress, and other governmental agencies and 
        nongovernmental organizations, and are coordinated across and 
        carried out by the entire range of Federal agencies that are 
        engaged with or conduct negotiations or United States 
        Government funded programs with governments or violent nonstate 
        actors that engage in or tolerate violations of religious 
        freedom.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6402) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (12) to read as follows:
            ``(12) Special adviser.--The term `Special Adviser' means 
        the Special Advisor for Global Religion Engagement and 
        International Religious Freedom described in section 101 of the 
        National Security Act of 1947.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end, the following new paragraphs:
            ``(14) Special watch list.--The term `Special Watch List' 
        means the Special Watch List described in section 
        102(b)(1)(F)(iii).
            ``(15) Violent nonstate actor.--The term `violent nonstate 
        actor' means a nonsovereign entity or group that--
                    ``(A) exercises significant political power or 
                influence at a national or international level; and
                    ``(B) engages in, finances, or tolerates violations 
                of religious freedom, terrorism, or violence or 
                discrimination targeting religious minorities.
            ``(16) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001)''.

                TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE ACTIVITIES

SEC. 101. OFFICE ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM; AMBASSADOR AT 
              LARGE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    Section 101 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6411) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following 
        new sentence: ``The Office shall be located in the Office of 
        the Secretary of State.'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end before the 
        period the following: ``, and shall report directly to the 
        Secretary of State'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``responsibility'' and 
                        inserting ``responsibilities'';
                            (ii) by striking ``shall be to advance'' 
                        and inserting the following: ``shall be to--
                    ``(A) advance'';
                            (iii) in subparagraph (A), as so added, by 
                        striking the period at the end and inserting 
                        ``; and''; and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following new 
                        subparagraph:
                    ``(B) integrate United States international 
                religious freedom policies and religious engagement 
                strategies into democracy, civil society, conflict 
                prevention and mitigation, and development efforts 
                funded by the United States and into the 
                counterterrorism policies of Federal agencies, 
                including the Department of Defense, the Department of 
                Homeland Security, the Department of State, and the 
                Department of the Treasury.'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``a principal 
                adviser'' and inserting ``the principal adviser'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``and'' at the end;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following 
                        new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) contacts with nongovernmental organizations 
                that have an impact on the state of religious freedom 
                in their respective societies or regions, or 
                internationally.'';
                    (D) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph 
                (5); and
                    (E) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(4) Coordination responsibilities.--In order to promote 
        religious freedom as an interest of United States foreign 
        policy, the Ambassador at Large shall coordinate religious 
        freedom policies and religious engagement strategies across all 
        programs, projects, and activities of the United States, 
        including any appropriate programs, projects, and activities of 
        the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, 
        the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, and 
        the United States Agency for International Development.''; and
            (4) in subsection (d), by striking ``staff for the Office'' 
        and all that follows through the period at the end and 
        inserting ``individuals to fill at least 20 full-time 
        equivalent staff positions, and other temporary staff positions 
        as needed to compile, edit, and manage the Annual Report, 
        including a senior advisor for the Office, under the direct 
        supervision of the Ambassador at Large, for the conduct of 
        investigations by the Office on conditions of religious freedom 
        on a worldwide basis, and for any necessary travel to carry out 
        the provisions of this Act. The Secretary of State shall also 
        provide to the Ambassador at Large representation funds that 
        are sufficient to carry out the duties described in this 
        section at levels at least equal to the amount of 
        representation funds provided to other Ambassadors at Large in 
        the Department of State.''.

SEC. 102. ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    Section 102(b)(1) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``September 1'' and inserting ``May 1'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) in clause (iii), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                            ``(v) any action taken by a government or 
                        other entity to censor religious content, 
                        communications, or worship activities online, 
                        including descriptions of the targeted 
                        religious group, the content, communication, or 
                        activities censored, the means used, and 
                        government or other entity engaged in such 
                        online censorship activities.'';
            (3) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause 
        (i)--
                    (A) by inserting ``persecution of lawyers, 
                politicians, or other human rights advocates seeking to 
                defend the rights of members of religious groups or 
                highlight religious freedom violations, prohibitions on 
                ritual animal slaughter or male infant circumcision,'' 
                after ``entire religions,''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``policies that ban or restrict 
                the public manifestation of religious belief and the 
                peaceful involvement of religious groups or their 
                members in the political life of each such foreign 
                country,'' after ``such groups,'';
            (4) in subparagraph (C)--
                    (A) by striking ``A description'' and inserting ``A 
                comprehensive description'';
                    (B) by striking ``policies in support'' and 
                inserting ``religious engagement policies in support''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end before the period the 
                following: ``, and a unique, comprehensive, and 
                country-specific analysis of the impact of actions by 
                the United States on the status of religious freedom in 
                each such country''; and
            (5) in subparagraph (F), by adding at the end the following 
        new clause:
                            ``(iii) Special watch list.--A list, to be 
                        known as the `Special Watch List', which shall 
                        identify any country or violent nonstate actor 
                        that has engaged in or tolerates violations of 
                        religious freedom during the previous reporting 
                        year but which the President determines does 
                        not meet, at the time of the publication of the 
                        Annual Report, all of the criteria described in 
                        section 3(11) for designation as a country of 
                        particular concern for religious freedom under 
                        section 402(b)(1).''.

SEC. 103. TRAINING FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS; REPORT.

    (a) Amendment to Foreign Service Act of 1980.--Section 708 of the 
Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
        (d) and (e), respectively;
            (2) in subsection (d), as redesignated, by striking ``The 
        Secretary of State'' and inserting ``Refugees.--The Secretary 
        of State'';
            (3) in subsection (e), as redesignated, by striking ``The 
        Secretary of State'' and inserting ``Child Soldiers.--The 
        Secretary of State'';
            (4) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Development of Curriculum.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall develop a 
        curriculum for training United States Foreign Service officers 
        in the scope and strategic value of international religious 
        freedom, how violations of international religious freedom harm 
        fundamental United States interests, how the advancement of 
        international religious freedom can advance such interests, how 
        United States international religious freedom policy should be 
        carried out in practice by United States diplomats and other 
        Foreign Service officers, and the relevance and relationship of 
        international religious freedom to United States defense, 
        diplomacy, development, and public affairs efforts to combat 
        violent extremism. The Secretary of State shall ensure the 
        availability of sufficient resources to develop and implement 
        such curriculum.
            ``(2) Role of other officials.--The Secretary of State 
        shall carry out paragraph (1)--
                    ``(A) with the assistance of the Ambassador at 
                Large for International Religious Freedom appointed 
                under section 101(b) of the International Religious 
                Freedom Act of 1998;
                    ``(B) in coordination with the Director of the 
                George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training 
                Center and other Federal officials as appropriate; and
                    ``(C) in consultation with the United States 
                Commission on International Religious Freedom 
                established in section 201(a) of the International 
                Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
    ``(b) Training Program.--Not later than the date that is one year 
after the date of the enactment of the Frank R. Wolf International 
Religious Freedom Act of 2015, the Director of the George P. Shultz 
National Foreign Affairs Training Center shall begin mandatory training 
on religious freedom for all Foreign Service officers, including all 
entry level officers, all officers prior to departure for posting 
outside the United States, and all outgoing deputy chiefs of mission 
and ambassadors. Such training shall, at minimum, be a separate, 
independent, and required segment of each of the following:
            ``(1) The A-100 course attended by all Foreign Service 
        officers.
            ``(2) The courses required of every Foreign Service officer 
        prior to a posting outside the United States, with segments 
        tailored to the particular religious demography, religious 
        freedom conditions, religious engagement strategies, and United 
        States strategies for advancing religious freedom, in each 
        receiving country.
            ``(3) The courses required of all outgoing deputy chiefs of 
        mission and ambassadors.
    ``(c) Information Sharing.--The curriculum and training materials 
developed pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) shall be shared with the 
United States Armed Forces, intelligence community (as such term is 
defined in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947), and all 
other Federal departments and agencies whose personnel serve as 
attachees, advisors, or detailees in United States embassies globally 
to provide training and particularized instruction on United States 
religious freedom policies, religious traditions, religious engagement 
strategies, religious and cultural issues, and efforts to combat 
terrorism and violent religious extremism.''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, with the assistance of 
the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, and the 
Director of the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training 
Center, shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
a report containing a comprehensive plan for undertaking training for 
Foreign Service officers as required under section 708 of the Foreign 
Services Act of 1980, as amended by subsection (a) of this section.

SEC. 104. PRISONER LISTS AND ISSUE BRIEFS ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
              CONCERNS.

    Section 108 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6417) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``Sense of the 
                Congress'' and inserting ``Policy Statement on 
                Diplomatic Advocacy for Prisoners of Conscience''; and
                    (B) by striking ``it is the sense of the Congress 
                that officials of the executive branch of Government 
                should promote'' and inserting ``it shall be the policy 
                of the United States Government that all officials of 
                the executive branch, including the Secretary of State, 
                the Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom, and 
                State Department officials from regional bureaus, as 
                appropriate, shall promote'';
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``, as appropriate, 
        provide'' and insert ``make available''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Victims List Maintained by the Commission.--The Commission 
shall make publicly available online and in official publications, 
regularly updated lists of persons it determines are imprisoned, 
detained, disappeared, placed under house arrest, tortured, or subject 
to forced renunciations of faith for their religious activity or 
religious freedom advocacy by a foreign government or violent nonstate 
actor that the Commission recommends for designation as a country of 
particular concern for religious freedom under section 402(b) and 
include as much publically available information as possible on the 
conditions and circumstances of such individuals. In compiling such 
lists, the Commission shall exercise all appropriate discretion, 
including consideration of the safety and security of, and benefit to, 
the persons who may be included on the lists and their families.''.

        TITLE II--COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 201 of the International 
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431) is amended by inserting 
before the period at the end the following: ``, which shall be an 
independent Federal Government advisory body''.
    (b) Selection.--Subsection (b)(2)(A) of such section is amended by 
inserting at the end the following new sentence: ``The Commission as a 
whole shall also have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced 
around the world.''.
    (c) Membership.--Subsection (b)(3) of such section is amended by 
striking ``The appointments required by paragraph (1) shall be made not 
later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.'' and 
inserting the following: ``An appointment required by subparagraph (B) 
of paragraph (1) should be made within 90 days of a vacancy on the 
Commission.''.
    (d) Vacancies.--Subsection (g) of such section is amended by 
striking the second sentence.

SEC. 202. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 204 of the International 
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) is amended in the 
second sentence, by inserting ``voting'' after ``nine''.
    (b) Compensation.--Subsection (b) of such section is amended by 
inserting ``voting members of the'' after ``The''.
    (c) Security Clearances.--Subsection (e) of such section is amended 
by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The Department of 
State is encouraged to allow Commissioners and Commission staff with 
the appropriate security clearance access to classified information, in 
order to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of their positions.''.
    (d) Application of Antidiscrimination Laws.--Subsection (g) of such 
section is amended by inserting ``, including discrimination on the 
basis of religion'' after ``employment discrimination''.

SEC. 203. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 207(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(22 U.S.C. 6435(a)) is amended by striking ``2015'' and inserting 
``2021''.

SEC. 204. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND DISCLOSURE.

    Section 208(d)(2) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6435a(d)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subparagraph:
                    ``(H) Intern, fellowship, and volunteer programs 
                that are primarily of educational benefit to the 
                intern, fellow, or volunteer. Sponsoring private 
                parties may provide compensation and benefits to 
                interns, fellows, and volunteers, provided that no 
                conflict of interest arises. The number, duration, and 
                funding source of any such internship, fellowship, or 
                volunteer programs shall be described in the annual 
                financial report required by subsection (e).''.

SEC. 205. TERMINATION.

    Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6436) is amended by striking ``September 30, 2015'' and 
inserting ``September 30, 2021''.

                  TITLE III--NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

SEC. 301. SPECIAL ADVISER FOR GLOBAL RELIGION ENGAGEMENT AND 
              INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM; INTERAGENCY POLICY 
              COMMITTEES.

    (a) Amendments to National Security Act of 1947.--Section 101 of 
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3021) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (k)--
                    (A) in the first sentence--
                            (i) by striking ``It is the sense of that 
                        there should be'' and inserting ``The President 
                        shall appoint''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``Special Adviser to the 
                        President on International Religious Freedom, 
                        whose position should be comparable to that of 
                        a director'' and inserting ``Special Adviser 
                        for Global Religion Engagement and 
                        International Religious Freedom, whose position 
                        shall be comparable to that of a senior 
                        director''; and
                    (B) by striking the second and third sentences and 
                inserting the following: ``The Special Adviser, shall 
                assist the Ambassador at Large for International 
                Religious Freedom described in section 101 of the 
                International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to 
                coordinate international religious freedom policies and 
                global religion engagement strategies throughout the 
                Executive Branch and develop policy recommendations and 
                strategies relevant to the programs, projects, 
                activities of the Department of Defense, the Department 
                of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the 
                Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, 
                and the United States Agency for International 
                Development. The Special Adviser shall serve as a 
                resource and liaison for executive branch officials, 
                Congress, and nongovernmental organizations as 
                appropriate on matters relating to international 
                religious freedom policy and engagement with religious 
                communities outside the United States.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end, the following new subsections:
    ``(m) Interagency Policy Committee on International Religious 
Freedom and Global Religion Engagement.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There should be established within 
        the National Security Council a permanent interagency policy 
        committee to be known as the `Interagency Policy Committee on 
        International Religious Freedom and Global Religion Engagement' 
        (in this subsection referred to as the `Committee').
            ``(2) Membership.--The Committee should be chaired by the 
        Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom described in section 
        101 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and 
        include all appropriate executive agency officials needed to 
        carry out the functions of this Act.
            ``(3) Functions.--The Committee should develop a global 
        religion engagement strategy globally to advance international 
        religious freedom, develop strategies to better advance 
        international religious freedom policy, and help coordinate 
        such strategies across the Executive Branch.
    ``(n) Interagency Policy Committee on Religion, International 
Religious Freedom, and National Security.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There should be established within 
        the National Security Council a permanent interagency policy 
        committee to be known as the `Interagency Policy Committee on 
        Religion, International Religious Freedom, and National 
        Security' (in this subsection referred to as the `Committee').
            ``(2) Membership.--The Committee should be co-chaired by 
        the Deputy National Security Advisor and the Ambassador at 
        Large for Religious Freedom described in section 101 of the 
        International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
            ``(3) Functions.--The Committee should analyze conditions 
        and trends of international religious freedom and identify 
        potential national security risks related to the absence of 
        religious freedom globally, including threats to stability from 
        authoritarian governments, terrorism, violent religious 
        extremism, sectarian and religiously related violence, and laws 
        that restrict religious freedom and develop strategies to 
        address such threats. In addition, the Committee should 
        coordinate policy on the intersection of religion, 
        international religious freedom, and United States interests in 
        preventing terrorism, countering violent extremism, and 
        mitigating and preventing conflict.''.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President should promulgate regulations to 
carry out subsections (k), (m), and (n) of section 101 of the National 
Security Act of 1947 as amended by subsection (a) of this section.

                     TITLE IV--PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS

SEC. 401. PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS IN RESPONSE TO VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS 
              FREEDOM.

    Section 401(b)(2) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6441(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(2) Deadline for actions.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (B), not later than 90 days after the date 
                on which each of the Annual Reports is submitted under 
                section 102(b), the President shall take 1 or more of 
                the actions referred to in section 405(a) or a 
                commensurate action with respect to each foreign 
                country and violent nonstate actor that has engaged in 
                or tolerated violations of religious freedom at any 
                time since the previous such report was submitted.
                    ``(B) Additional prerequisite.--The President may 
                not take any of the actions described in paragraphs (9) 
                through (15) of section 405(a) or a commensurate action 
                with respect to a foreign country or violent nonstate 
                actor until the President certifies that the 
                requirements under sections 403 and 404 have been 
                satisfied with respect to such country or actor.''.

SEC. 402. PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS IN RESPONSE TO PARTICULARLY SEVERE 
              VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    Section 402 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6442) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as 
                        follows:
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
                date on which each Annual Report is submitted under 
                section 102(b), the President shall--
                            ``(i) review the status of religious 
                        freedom in each foreign country to determine 
                        whether the government of that country has 
                        engaged in or tolerated particularly severe 
                        violations of religious freedom in each such 
                        country during the preceding 12 months or 
                        longer; and
                            ``(ii) designate each country the 
                        government of which has engaged in or tolerated 
                        violations described in clause (i) as a country 
                        of particular concern for religious freedom 
                        under section 402(b).''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``September 1 of the respective year'' and 
                        inserting ``the date on which each Annual 
                        Report is submitted under section 102(b)'';
                    (B) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
            ``(3) Congressional notification.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Whenever the President 
                designates a country as a country of particular concern 
                for religious freedom under paragraph (1)(A), the 
                President shall, not later than 90 days after the 
                designation is made, transmit to the appropriate 
                congressional committees--
                            ``(i) the designation of the country, 
                        signed by the President;
                            ``(ii) the identification, if any, of 
                        responsible parties determined under paragraph 
                        (2); and
                            ``(iii) a description of the actions taken 
                        under subsection (c), the purposes of the 
                        actions taken, and the effectiveness of the 
                        actions taken.
                    ``(B) Removal of designation.--A country that is 
                designated as a country of particular concern for 
                religious freedom under paragraph (1)(A) shall retain 
                such designation until the President determines and 
                reports to the appropriate congressional committees 
                that the country should no longer be so designated.
                    ``(C) Explanation for nondesignation.--If the 
                President does not designate a country as a country of 
                particular concern for religious freedom under 
                paragraph (1)(A) after the Commission has recommended 
                such designation, the President shall provide an 
                explanation for the nondesignation to the appropriate 
                congressional committees.''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end, the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(4) Treatment of countries on special watch list.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The President shall designate as 
                a country of particular concern for religious freedom 
                under paragraph (1)(A) any country that appears on the 
                Special Watch List--
                            ``(i) in more than 2 consecutive Annual 
                        Reports;
                            ``(ii) in any 4 Annual Reports; or
                            ``(iii) in more than 1 Annual Report if the 
                        President has previously designated such 
                        country as a country of particular concern for 
                        religious freedom under paragraph (1)(A).
                    ``(B) Exercise of waiver authority.--The President 
                may waive the application of clauses (i) or (ii) of 
                subparagraph (A) with respect to a country for up to 2 
                years if the President certifies to the appropriate 
                committees of Congress that--
                            ``(i) the country has entered into an 
                        agreement with the United States to carry out 
                        specific and credible actions to improve 
                        religious freedom conditions and end religious 
                        freedom violations;
                            ``(ii) the country has entered into an 
                        agreement with the United Nations, the European 
                        Union, or other ally of the United States, to 
                        carry out specific and credible actions to 
                        improve religious freedom conditions and end 
                        religious freedom violations; or
                            ``(iii) waiver is in the national security 
                        interests of the United States.
                    ``(C) Effect on designation as country of 
                particular concern.--The presence or absence of a 
                country from the Special Watch List in any given year 
                shall not preclude the designation of such country as a 
                country of particular concern for religious freedom 
                under paragraph (1)(A) in any such year.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(5), in the second sentence, by 
        inserting ``and include a description of the impact of the 
        designation of such sanction or sanctions that exist in each 
        country'' after ``determines satisfy the requirements of this 
        subsection''.

SEC. 403. CONSULTATIONS.

    Section 403(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(22 U.S.C. 6443(a)) is amended by striking ``As soon as practicable'' 
and inserting ``Not later than 90 days''.

SEC. 404. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Section 404(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(22 U.S.C. 6444(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``decides to take action under section 
        401'' and inserting ``takes action under section 401'';
            (2) by striking ``decides to take action under paragraphs'' 
        and inserting ``takes the required action under paragraphs''; 
        and
            (3) in paragraph (4)(A)--
                    (A) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                            ``(iv) the impact on other policy tools, 
                        and a description of policy tools being applied 
                        in the country, including programs that target 
                        democratic stability, economic growth, and 
                        counterterrorism.''.

SEC. 405. PRESIDENTIAL WAIVER.

    Section 407 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6447) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``, for a 180-day 
        period,'' after ``may waive''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that ongoing 
and persistent waivers for any country designated as a country of 
particular concern for religious freedom under section 402(b) for 
engaging in or tolerating particularly severe violations of religious 
freedom do not fulfill the purposes of this Act, and, given that 
promotion of religious freedom is a compelling interest of United 
States foreign policy, the President, the Secretary of State, and other 
executive branch officials, in consultation with Congress, should seek 
to find ways to address existing violations, on a country-by-country 
basis, through the actions specified in section 405 or other 
commensurate actions, possibly including through the actions described 
in section 605, or by some other action that addresses the specific 
religious freedom violations of each country designated.''.

SEC. 406. TERMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS.

    Section 409 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6449) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 409. TERMINATION OF PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS.

    ``Any Presidential action taken under this Act with respect to a 
foreign country shall terminate after a determination by the President, 
in consultation with the Commission, and written certification to 
Congress that the foreign government has taken substantial and 
verifiable steps to cease the particularly severe violations of 
religious freedom.''.

SEC. 407. STATEMENT OF POLICY REGARDING COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN 
              DESIGNATION FOR VIOLENT NONSTATE ACTORS.

    Title IV of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6441 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 405 the 
following new section:

``SEC. 405A. STATEMENT OF POLICY REGARDING COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR 
              CONCERN DESIGNATION FOR VIOLENT NONSTATE ACTORS.

    ``(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            ``(1) Since 1998, various administrations have made 
        designations targeting violent nonstate actors who engaged in 
        or tolerated systematic, egregious, or ongoing violations of 
        religious freedom, such as the Taliban and Serbian groups 
        carrying on atrocities against Bosnians.
            ``(2) Over the past 10 years the number of violent nonstate 
        actors has increased, as have violations of religious freedom 
        perpetuated by such actors.
    ``(b) Statement of Policy.--It should be the policy of the United 
States Government that--
            ``(1) violent nonstate actors should be eligible for 
        designation as countries of particular concern described in 
        section 402(b) and that Presidential actions described in 
        section 405, 604, or 605 of this Act should be applicable to 
        violent nonstate actors or individual members of such groups; 
        and
            ``(2) the President should include, in the report to 
        Congress required by section 404, any reasons why violent 
        nonstate actors that engaged in or tolerated restrictions on 
        religious freedom, were not designated as countries of 
        particular concern, particularly if the Commission made a 
        recommendation for such a designation to the President and 
        whether any Presidential actions described in section 405, 604, 
        or 605 were taken against violent nonstate actors or individual 
        members of such groups.''.

                TITLE V--PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

SEC. 501. ASSISTANCE FOR PROMOTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    Section 501 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsections:
    ``(c) Availability of Amounts.--Of the amounts made available for 
fiscal years 2016 through 2021 for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund 
established under section 664 of the Freedom Investment Act of 2002 
(subtitle E of title VI of Public Law 107-228), the Secretary of State 
shall provide to the Office--
            ``(1) not less than 10 percent of such amounts for each 
        such fiscal year for the promotion of international religious 
        freedom through--
                    ``(A) groups that are able to develop legal 
                protections or promote cultural and societal 
                understanding of international norms of religious 
                freedom;
                    ``(B) groups that seek to address and mitigate 
                religiously motivated and sectarian violence and combat 
                violent extremism; and
                    ``(C) those seeking to strengthen investigations, 
                reporting and monitoring of religious freedom 
                violations; and
            ``(2) not less than 2 percent of such amounts for each such 
        fiscal year for the Religious Freedom Defense Fund established 
        under subsection (d).
    ``(d) Religious Freedom Defense Fund.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the 
        Department of State a fund to be known as the `Religious 
        Freedom Defense Fund' (referred to in this subsection as the 
        `Fund') which shall be administered by the Ambassador at Large.
            ``(2) Amounts.--The Fund shall consist of amounts made 
        available under subsection (c)(2).
            ``(3) Use of fund.--The Ambassador at Large shall use 
        amounts in the Fund to issue grants for the following:
                    ``(A) Victims of religious freedom abuses and their 
                families to cover legal and other expenses that may 
                arise from detention, imprisonment, torture, fines, and 
                other restrictions.
                    ``(B) Projects to help create and support training 
                of a new generation of defenders of religious freedom, 
                including legal and political advocates, and civil 
                society projects which seek to create advocacy 
                networks, strengthen legal representation, train and 
                educate new religious freedom defenders, and build the 
                capacity of religious communities and rights defenders 
                to protect against religious freedom violations, 
                mitigate societal or sectarian violence, or minimize 
                legal or other restrictions of the right to the freedom 
                of religion.
            ``(4) Preference.--In issuing grants under paragraph (3), 
        the Ambassador at Large shall, as appropriate, give preference 
        to projects targeting religious freedom violations in countries 
        designated as countries of particular concern for religious 
        freedom under section 402(b) and those included on the Special 
        Watch List.
    ``(e) Consultation.--The Ambassador at Large should consult, in 
developing priorities and policies for disbursing the funds referred to 
in subsection (c), including grant policies and the identification of 
potential grantees, with other Federal agencies, including the 
Commission, and the International Republican Institute, the National 
Democratic Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy and, as 
appropriate, other nongovernmental organizations.''.

            TITLE VI--REFUGEE, ASYLUM, AND CONSULAR MATTERS

SEC. 601. ACTIONS AGAINST PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMITTING 
              PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS 
              FREEDOM.

    Title VI of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6471 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 605 as section 606; and
            (2) by inserting after section 604 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 605. ACTIONS AGAINST PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENGAGING IN OR 
              TOLERATING PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF 
              INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    ``(a) Authority To Sanction Persons Responsible for Engaging in or 
Tolerating Particularly Severe Violations of International Religious 
Freedom.--Notwithstanding section 202 of the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701), the President may exercise the 
authority specified in section 203 of such Act with respect to--
            ``(1) any foreign person that the President determines, 
        based on credible evidence, plays a role in committing, 
        ordering, sponsoring, or materially supporting systemic, 
        egregious, and ongoing violations of religious freedom; or
            ``(2) any foreign person that the President determines to 
        be providing material or other assistance supporting violence 
        or terrorist acts targeting members of religious groups.
    ``(b) Report to Congress on Identification and Sanction of Persons 
Engaging in or Tolerating Particularly Severe Violations of 
International Religious Freedom.--
            ``(1) In general.--Upon exercising the authority described 
        in subsection (a) with respect to a foreign person, the 
        President shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report--
                    ``(A) identifying the foreign persons that the 
                President determines to be subject to action under 
                subsection (a) and the basis for such determination; 
                and
                    ``(B) describing the actions carried out against 
                such foreign persons pursuant to subsection (a).
            ``(2) Report on removal of sanctions.--Upon suspending or 
        terminating any action imposed on a person under the authority 
        of subsection (a), the President shall submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees written notification of 
        such suspension or termination.
            ``(3) Submission of classified information.--Reports 
        submitted under this subsection shall be submitted in 
        unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.
            ``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Appropriate congressional committees.--The 
                term `appropriate congressional committees' means--
                            ``(i) the Committee on Financial Services 
                        and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
                        House of Representatives; and
                            ``(ii) the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
                        and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Foreign 
                        Relations of the Senate.
                    ``(B) Foreign person.--The term `foreign person' 
                means a person that is not a United States person.
                    ``(C) Person.--The term `person' means an 
                individual or entity.
                    ``(D) United states person.--The term `United 
                States person' means--
                            ``(i) a United States citizen or an alien 
                        lawfully admitted for permanent residence to 
                        the United States; or
                            ``(ii) an entity organized under the laws 
                        of the United States or of any jurisdiction 
                        within the United States, including a foreign 
                        branch of such entity.''.

                  TITLE VII--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 701. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

    Title VII of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6481 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
sections:

``SEC. 702. CODES OF CONDUCT FOR UNITED STATES INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 
              EDUCATION OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

    ``(a) Finding.--Congress recognizes the enduring importance of 
United States institutions of higher education worldwide both for their 
potential for shaping positive leadership and new educational models in 
host countries and for their emphasis on teaching universally 
recognized rights of free inquiry and academic freedom.
    ``(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that United 
States institutions of higher education operating campuses outside the 
United States or establishing any educational entities with foreign 
governments, particularly with or in countries the governments of which 
engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom as 
identified in the Annual Report and the annual report of the 
Congressional-Executive Commission on China, should adopt a code of 
conduct--
            ``(1) upholding the right of freedom of religion of their 
        employees and students, including the right to manifest that 
        religion peacefully as protected in international law;
            ``(2) ensuring that the religious views and peaceful 
        practice of religion in no way affect, or be allowed to affect, 
        the status of a worker's or faculty member's employment or a 
        student's enrollment; and
            ``(3) affirming that all negotiations, contracts, or 
        memoranda of understanding engaged in or constructed with a 
        foreign government to establish any educational entity, shall 
        be open, transparent, and made available for public inspection 
        before conclusion and that any such agreement shall affirm, at 
        all times, academic freedom and universal rights to the 
        freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and association.

``SEC. 703. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY TO 
              PROMOTE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM THROUGH UNITED STATES FOREIGN 
              POLICY.

    ``It is the sense of Congress that--
            ``(1) the annual national security strategy report of the 
        President required by section 108 of the National Security Act 
        of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3043) should promote international religious 
        freedom as a foreign policy and national security priority and 
        should articulate that promotion of the right to freedom of 
        religion is a strategy that protects other, related human 
        rights, and advances democracy outside the United States, and 
        make clear its importance to United States foreign policy goals 
        of stability, security, development, and diplomacy; and
            ``(2) the national security strategy report should be a 
        guide for the strategies and activities of relevant Federal 
        agencies and inform the Department of Defense quadrennial 
        defense review under section 118 of title 10, United States 
        Code, and the Department of State Quadrennial Diplomacy and 
        Development Review.''.

SEC. 702. CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.

    The table of contents of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401 note) is amended--
            (1) by inserting after the item relating to section 405 the 
        following:

``Sec. 405A. Statement of policy regarding country of particular 
                            concern designation for violent nonstate 
                            actors.'';
            (2) by striking the item relating to section 605 and 
        inserting the following:

``Sec. 606. Studies on the effect of expedited removal provisions on 
                            asylum claims.'';
            (3) by inserting after the item relating to section 604 the 
        following:

``Sec. 605. Actions against persons responsible for committing 
                            particularly severe violations of 
                            international religious freedom.'';
        and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 702. Codes of conduct for United States institutions of higher 
                            education operating outside the United 
                            States.
``Sec. 703. Sense of Congress regarding national security strategy to 
                            promote religious freedom through United 
                            States foreign policy.''.
                                 <all>