[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6482 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6482

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

                            December 8, 2016

   Mr. Smith of New Jersey 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; policy; sense of Congress.
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.
Sec. 104. Prisoner lists and issue briefs on religious freedom 
                            concerns.
                  TITLE II--NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

Sec. 201. Special Adviser for International Religious Freedom.
                    TITLE III--PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS

Sec. 301. Non-state actor designations.
Sec. 302. Presidential actions in response to particularly severe 
                            violations of religious freedom.
Sec. 303. Report to Congress.
Sec. 304. Presidential waiver.
Sec. 305. Publication in the Federal Register.
                TITLE IV--PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Sec. 401. Assistance for promoting religious freedom.
TITLE V--DESIGNATED PERSONS LIST FOR PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF 
                           RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Sec. 501. Designated Persons List for Particularly Severe Violations of 
                            Religious Freedom.
                   TITLE VI--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Miscellaneous provisions.
Sec. 602. Clerical amendments.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; POLICY; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Section 2(a) of the International Religious Freedom 
Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``The freedom of 
        thought, conscience, and religion is understood to protect 
        theistic and non-theistic beliefs and the right not to profess 
        or practice any religion.'' before ``Governments'';
            (2) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end the following: 
        ``A policy or practice of routinely denying applications for 
        visas for religious workers in a country can be indicative of a 
        poor state of religious freedom in that country.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (6)--
                    (A) by inserting ``and the specific targeting of 
                non-theists, humanists, and atheists because of their 
                beliefs'' after ``religious persecution''; and
                    (B) by inserting ``and in regions where non-state 
                actors exercise significant political power and 
                territorial control'' before the period at the end.
    (b) Policy.--Section 2(b) of the International Religious Freedom 
Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401(b)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
        subparagraphs (A) through (E);
            (2) by striking the matter preceding subparagraph (A), as 
        redesignated, and inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--The following shall be the policy of the 
        United States:''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Evolving policies and coordinated diplomatic 
        responses.--Because the promotion of international religious 
        freedom protects 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 and diplomatic 
        responses that--
                    ``(A) are drawn from the expertise of the national 
                security agencies, the diplomatic services, and other 
                governmental agencies and nongovernmental 
                organizations; and
                    ``(B) are coordinated across and carried out by the 
                entire range of Federal agencies.''.
    (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a policy or practice by the government of any foreign 
        country of routinely denying visa applications for religious 
        workers can be indicative of a poor state of religious freedom 
        in that country; and
            (2) the United States Government should seek to reverse any 
        such policy by reviewing the entirety of the bilateral 
        relationship between such country and the United States.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    Section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6402) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph (16);
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (10), (11), and (12) as 
        paragraphs (12), (13), and (14), respectively;
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
            ``(10) 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).
            ``(11) Non-state actor.--The term `non-state actor' means a 
        nonsovereign entity that--
                    ``(A) exercises significant political power and 
                territorial control;
                    ``(B) is outside the control of a sovereign 
                government; and
                    ``(C) often employs violence in pursuit of its 
                objectives.'';
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (14), as redesignated, the 
        following:
            ``(15) Special watch list.--The term `Special Watch List' 
        means the Special Watch List described in section 
        402(b)(1)(A)(iii).''; and
            (5) in paragraph (16), as redesignated--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) 
                        as clauses (v) and (vi), respectively; and
                            (ii) by inserting after clause (iii) the 
                        following:
                            ``(iv) not professing a particular 
                        religion, or any religion;''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) by inserting ``conscience, non-theistic 
                        views, or'' before ``religious belief or 
                        practice''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``forcibly compelling 
                        non-believers or non-theists to recant their 
                        beliefs or to convert,'' after ``forced 
                        religious conversion,''.

                TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE ACTIVITIES

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

    (a) In General.--Section 101 of the International Religious Freedom 
Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6411) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by inserting ``, and shall report 
        directly to the Secretary of State'' before the period at the 
        end;
            (2) 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 redesignated, 
                        by striking the period at the end and inserting 
                        ``; and''; and
                            (iv) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) integrate United States international 
                religious freedom policies and strategies into the 
                foreign policy efforts of the United States.'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``the principal 
                adviser to'' before ``the Secretary of State'';
                    (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:
                    ``(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:
            ``(4) Coordination responsibilities.--In order to promote 
        religious freedom as an interest of United States foreign 
        policy, the Ambassador at Large--
                    ``(A) shall coordinate international religious 
                freedom policies across all programs, projects, and 
                activities of the United States; and
                    ``(B) should participate in any interagency 
                processes on issues in which the promotion of 
                international religious freedom policy can advance 
                United States national security interests, including in 
                democracy promotion, stability, security, and 
                development globally.''; and
            (3) in subsection (d), by striking ``staff for the Office'' 
        and all that follows and inserting ``appropriate staff for the 
        Office, including full-time equivalent positions and other 
        temporary staff positions needed to compile, edit, and manage 
        the Annual Report under the direct supervision of the 
        Ambassador at Large, and for the conduct of investigations by 
        the Office and for necessary travel to carry out this Act. The 
        Secretary of State should provide the Ambassador at Large with 
        sufficient funding to carry out the duties described in this 
        section, including, as necessary, representation funds. On the 
        date on which the President's annual budget request is 
        submitted to Congress, the Secretary shall submit an annual 
        report to the appropriate congressional committees that 
        includes a report on staffing levels for the International 
        Religious Freedom Office.''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
maintaining an adequate staffing level at the Office, such as was in 
place during fiscal year 2016, is necessary for the Office to carry out 
its important work.

SEC. 102. ANNUAL REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    (a) In General.--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'' and 
                inserting ``as well as the routine denial of visa 
                applications for religious workers;'';
                    (B) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (vii); 
                and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
                            ``(iv) particularly severe violations of 
                        religious freedom in that country if such 
                        country does not have a functioning government 
                        or the government of such country does not 
                        control its territory;
                            ``(v) the identification of prisoners, to 
                        the extent possible, in that country pursuant 
                        to section 108(d);
                            ``(vi) any action taken by the government 
                        of that country to censor religious content, 
                        communications, or worship activities online, 
                        including descriptions of the targeted 
                        religious group, the content, communication, or 
                        activities censored, and the means used; and'';
            (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), by striking ``A description of 
        United States actions and'' and inserting ``A detailed 
        description of United States actions, diplomatic and political 
        coordination efforts, and other''; and
            (5) in subparagraph (F)(i)--
                    (A) by striking ``section 402(b)(1)'' and inserting 
                ``section 402(b)(1)(A)(ii)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following: ``Any 
                country in which a non-state actor designated as an 
                entity of particular concern for religious freedom 
                under section 301 of the Frank R. Wolf International 
                Religious Freedom Act is located shall be included in 
                this section of the report.''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the original intent of the International Religious 
        Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) was to require 
        annual reports from both the Department of State and the 
        Commission on International Religious Freedom to be delivered 
        each year, during the same calendar year, and with at least 5 
        months separating these reports, in order to provide updated 
        information for policymakers, Members of Congress, and 
        nongovernmental organizations; and
            (2) given that the annual Country Reports on Human Rights 
        Practices no longer contain updated information on religious 
        freedom conditions globally, it is important that the 
        Department of State coordinate with the Commission to fulfill 
        the original intent of the International Religious Freedom Act 
        of 1998.

SEC. 103. TRAINING FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS.

    (a) Amendments to Foreign Service Act of 1980.--Section 708 of the 
Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) 
                as subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), respectively;
                    (B) by striking ``(a) The Secretary of State'' and 
                inserting the following:
    ``(a) Human Rights, Religious Freedom, and Human Trafficking 
Training.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Religious freedom training.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In carrying out the training 
                required under paragraph (1)(B), the Director of the 
                George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training 
                Center shall, not later than the one year after the 
                date of the enactment of the Frank R. Wolf 
                International Religious Freedom Act, conduct 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 be included in--
                            ``(i) the A-100 course attended by all 
                        Foreign Service officers;
                            ``(ii) 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, and 
                        United States strategies for advancing 
                        religious freedom, in each receiving country; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) the courses required of all 
                        outgoing deputy chiefs of mission and 
                        ambassadors.
                    ``(B) Development of curriculum.--In carrying out 
                the training required under paragraph (1)(B), the 
                Ambassador at Large for International Religious 
                Freedom, in coordination with the Director of the 
                George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training 
                Center and other Federal officials, as appropriate, and 
                in consultation with the United States Commission on 
                International Religious Freedom established under 
                section 201(a) of the International Religious Freedom 
                Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(a)), shall make 
                recommendations to the Secretary of State regarding a 
                curriculum for the training of United States Foreign 
                Service officers under paragraph (1)(B) on 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. The Secretary of State should ensure the 
                availability of sufficient resources to develop and 
                implement such curriculum.
                    ``(C) Information sharing.--The curriculum and 
                training materials developed under this paragraph shall 
                be shared with the United States Armed Forces and other 
                Federal departments and agencies with personnel who are 
                stationed overseas, as appropriate, to provide training 
                on--
                            ``(i) United States religious freedom 
                        policies;
                            ``(ii) religious traditions;
                            ``(iii) religious engagement strategies;
                            ``(iv) religious and cultural issues; and
                            ``(v) efforts to counter violent religious 
                        extremism.'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``The Secretary of 
        State'' and inserting ``Refugees.--The Secretary of State''; 
        and
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``The Secretary of 
        State'' and inserting ``Child Soldiers.--The Secretary of 
        State''.
    (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 Foreign Service Institute, located at the George P. 
Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center, shall submit a report 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that contains a plan 
for undertaking training for Foreign Service officers under section 708 
of the Foreign Services Act of 1980, as amended by subsection (a).

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 (b), by striking ``faith,'' and inserting 
        ``activities, religious freedom advocacy, or efforts to protect 
        and advance the universally recognized right to the freedom of 
        religion,'';
            (2) in subsection (c), by striking ``, as appropriate, 
        provide'' and inserting ``make available''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Victims List Maintained by the United States Commission on 
International Religious Freedom.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Commission shall make publicly 
        available, to the extent practicable, online and in official 
        publications, lists of persons it determines are imprisoned or 
        detained, have disappeared, been placed under house arrest, 
        been tortured, or subjected to forced renunciations of faith 
        for their religious activity or religious freedom advocacy by 
        the government of a foreign country that the Commission 
        recommends for designation as a country of particular concern 
        for religious freedom under section 402(b)(1)(A)(ii) or by a 
        non-state actor that the Commission recommends for designation 
        as an entity of particular concern for religious freedom under 
        section 301 of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious 
        Freedom Act and include as much publicly available information 
        as practicable on the conditions and circumstances of such 
        persons.
            ``(2) Discretion.--In compiling lists under paragraph (1), 
        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 
        the families of such persons.''.

                  TITLE II--NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL

SEC. 201. SPECIAL ADVISER FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    The position described in section 101(k) of the National Security 
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3021(k)) should assist the Ambassador at Large 
for International Religious Freedom to coordinate international 
religious freedom policies and strategies throughout the executive 
branch and within any interagency policy committee of which the 
Ambassador at Large is a member.

                    TITLE III--PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS

SEC. 301. NON-STATE ACTOR DESIGNATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The President, concurrent with the annual foreign 
country review required under section 402(b)(1)(A) of the International 
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442(b)(1)(A)), shall--
            (1) review and identify any non-state actors operating in 
        any such reviewed country or surrounding region that have 
        engaged in particularly severe violations of religious freedom; 
        and
            (2) designate, in a manner consistent with such Act, each 
        such non-state actor as an entity of particular concern for 
        religious freedom.
    (b) Report.--Whenever the President designates a non-state actor 
under subsection (a) as an entity of particular concern for religious 
freedom, the President, as soon as practicable after the designation is 
made, shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
that describes the reasons for such designation.
    (c) Actions.--The President should take specific actions, when 
practicable, to address severe violations of religious freedom of non-
state actors that are designated under subsection (a)(2).
    (d) Department of State Annual Report.--The Secretary of State 
should include information detailing the reasons the President 
designated a non-state actor as an entity of particular concern for 
religious freedom under subsection (a) in the Annual Report required 
under section 102(b)(1) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)).
    (e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Secretary of State should work with Congress and 
        the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom--
                    (A) to create new political, financial, and 
                diplomatic tools to address severe violations of 
                religious freedom by non-state actors; and
                    (B) to update the actions the President can take 
                under section 405 of the International Religious 
                Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6445);
            (2) governments must ultimately be held accountable for the 
        abuses that occur in their territories; and
            (3) any actions the President takes after designating a 
        non-state actor as an entity of particular concern should also 
        involve high-level diplomacy with the government of the country 
        in which the non-state actor is operating.
    (f) Determinations of Responsible Parties.--In order to 
appropriately target Presidential actions under the International 
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.), the President, 
with respect to each non-state actor designated as an entity of 
particular concern for religious freedom under subsection (a), shall 
seek to determine, to the extent practicable, the specific officials or 
members that are responsible for the particularly severe violations of 
religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by such non-state actor.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section, the terms ``appropriate 
congressional committees'', ``non-state actor'', and ``particularly 
severe violations of religious freedom'' have the meanings given such 
terms in section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(22 U.S.C. 6402), as amended by section 3 of this Act.

SEC. 302. 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;
                            ``(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; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) designate each country that engaged 
                        in or tolerated severe violations of religious 
                        freedom during the previous year, but does not 
                        meet, in the opinion of the President at the 
                        time of publication of the Annual Report, all 
                        of the criteria described in section 3(15) for 
                        designation under clause (ii) as being placed 
                        on a `Special Watch List'.''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 
                        ``prior to September 1 of the respective year'' 
                        and inserting ``before 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)(ii), the 
                President, not later than 90 days after such 
                designation, shall submit 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)(ii) shall 
                retain such designation until the President determines 
                and reports to the appropriate congressional committees 
                that the country should no longer be so designated.''; 
                and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) 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)(ii) in any such 
        year.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(5), by striking ``the President must 
        designate the specific sanction or sanctions which he 
        determines satisfy the requirements of this subsection.'' and 
        inserting ``the President shall designate the specific sanction 
        or sanctions that the President determines satisfy the 
        requirements under this subsection and include a description of 
        the impact of such sanction or sanctions on each country.''.

SEC. 303. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Section 404(a)(4)(A) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6444(a)(4)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) the impact on the advancement of 
                        United States interests in democracy, human 
                        rights, and security, and a description of 
                        policy tools being applied in the country, 
                        including programs that target democratic 
                        stability, economic growth, and 
                        counterterrorism.''.

SEC. 304. PRESIDENTIAL WAIVER.

    Section 407 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6447) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``subsection (b)'' and inserting 
                ``subsection (c)'';
                    (B) by inserting ``, for a single, 180-day 
                period,'' after ``may waive'';
                    (C) by striking paragraph (1); and
                    (D) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively;
            (2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
            (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Additional Authority.--Subject to subsection (c), the 
President may waive, for any additional specified period of time after 
the 180-day period described in subsection (a), the application of any 
of the actions described in paragraphs (9) through (15) of section 
405(a) (or a commensurate substitute action) with respect to a country, 
if the President determines and reports to the appropriate 
congressional committees that--
            ``(1) the respective foreign government has ceased the 
        violations giving rise to the Presidential action; or
            ``(2) the important national interest of the United States 
        requires the exercise of such waiver authority.'';
            (4) in subsection (c), as redesignated, by inserting ``or 
        (b)'' after ``subsection (a)''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            ``(1) ongoing and persistent waivers of the application of 
        any of the actions described in paragraphs (9) through (15) of 
        section 405(a) (or commensurate substitute action) with respect 
        to a country do not fulfill the purposes of this Act; and
            ``(2) because the promotion of religious freedom is an 
        important 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 case-by-case basis, 
        through the actions described in section 405 or other 
        commensurate substitute action.''.

SEC. 305. PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER.

    Section 408(a)(1) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6448(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: ``Any designation of a non-state actor as an entity of 
particular concern for religious freedom under section 301 of the Frank 
R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act and, if applicable and to 
the extent practicable, the identities of individuals determined to be 
responsible for violations described in subsection (f) of such 
section.''.

                TITLE IV--PROMOTION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

SEC. 401. ASSISTANCE FOR PROMOTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    (a) Availability of Assistance.--It is the sense of Congress that 
for each fiscal year that begins on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the President should request sufficient appropriations 
from Congress to support--
            (1) the vigorous promotion of international religious 
        freedom and for projects to advance United States interests in 
        the protection and advancement of international religious 
        freedom, in particular, through grants to groups that--
                    (A) are capable of developing legal protections or 
                promoting cultural and societal understanding of 
                international norms of religious freedom;
                    (B) seek to address and mitigate religiously 
                motivated and sectarian violence and combat violent 
                extremism; or
                    (C) seek to strengthen investigations, reporting, 
                and monitoring of religious freedom violations, 
                including genocide perpetrated against religious 
                minorities; and
            (2) the establishment of an effective Religious Freedom 
        Defense Fund, to be administered by the Ambassador at Large for 
        International Religious Freedom, to provide grants for--
                    (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; and
                    (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 freedom of 
                religion.
    (b) Preference.--It is the sense of Congress that, in providing 
grants under subsection (a), the Ambassador at Large for International 
Religious Freedom should, as appropriate, give preference to projects 
targeting religious freedom violations in countries--
            (1) designated as countries of particular concern for 
        religious freedom under section 402(b)(1) of the International 
        Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442(b)(1)); or
            (2) included on the Special Watch List described in section 
        402(b)(1)(A)(iii) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
        1998, as added by section 302(1)(A)(i) of this Act.
    (c) Administration and Consultations.--
            (1) Administration.--Amounts made available under 
        subsection (a) shall be administered by the Ambassador at Large 
        for International Religious Freedom.
            (2) Consultations.--In developing priorities and policies 
        for providing grants authorized under subsection (a), including 
        programming and policy, the Ambassador at Large for 
        International Religious Freedom should consult with other 
        Federal agencies, including the United States Commission on 
        International Religious Freedom and, as appropriate, 
        nongovernmental organizations.

TITLE V--DESIGNATED PERSONS LIST FOR PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF 
                           RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

SEC. 501. DESIGNATED PERSONS LIST FOR PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS OF 
              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:

``SEC. 605. DESIGNATED PERSONS LIST FOR PARTICULARLY SEVERE VIOLATIONS 
              OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

    ``(a) List.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in coordination 
        with the Ambassador at Large and in consultation with relevant 
        government and nongovernment experts, shall establish and 
        maintain a list of foreign individuals to whom a consular post 
        has denied a visa on the grounds of particularly severe 
        violations of religious freedom under section 212(a)(2)(G) of 
        the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)(G)), 
        or who are subject to financial sanctions or other measures for 
        particularly severe violations of freedom of religion.
            ``(2) Reference.--The list required under paragraph (1) 
        shall be known as the `Designated Persons List for Particularly 
        Severe Violations of Religious Freedom'.
    ``(b) Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State shall submit a 
        report to the appropriate congressional committees that 
        contains the list required under subsection (a), including, 
        with respect to each foreign individual on the list--
                    ``(A) the name of the individual and a description 
                of the particularly severe violation of religious 
                freedom committed by the individual;
                    ``(B) the name of the country or other location in 
                which such violation took place; and
                    ``(C) a description of the actions taken pursuant 
                to this Act or any other Act or Executive order in 
                response to such violation.
            ``(2) Submission and updates.--The Secretary of State shall 
        submit to the appropriate congressional committees--
                    ``(A) the initial report required under paragraph 
                (1) not later than 180 days after the date of the 
                enactment of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious 
                Freedom Act; and
                    ``(B) updates to the report every 180 days 
                thereafter and as new information becomes available.
            ``(3) Form.--The report required under paragraph (1) should 
        be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified 
        annex.
            ``(4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term 
        `appropriate congressional committees' means--
                    ``(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    ``(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                Senate;
                    ``(C) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
                Affairs of the Senate;
                    ``(D) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    ``(E) the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    ``(F) the Committee on Financial Services of the 
                House of Representatives.''.

                   TITLE VI--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 601. 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:

``SEC. 702. VOLUNTARY 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--
            ``(1) for their potential for shaping positive leadership 
        and new educational models in host countries; and
            ``(2) 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, should seek to adopt a voluntary code 
of conduct for operating in such countries that should--
            ``(1) uphold 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) ensure 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) make every effort in all negotiations, contracts, or 
        memoranda of understanding engaged in or constructed with a 
        foreign government to protect academic freedom and the rights 
        enshrined in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

``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 the annual national security 
strategy report of the President required under section 108 of the 
National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3043)--
            ``(1) should promote international religious freedom as a 
        foreign policy and national security priority; and
            ``(2) should articulate that promotion of the right to 
        freedom of religion is a strategy that--
                    ``(A) protects other, related human rights, and 
                advances democracy outside the United States; and
                    ``(B) makes clear its importance to United States 
                foreign policy goals of stability, security, 
                development, and diplomacy;
            ``(3) should be a guide for the strategies and activities 
        of relevant Federal agencies; and
            ``(4) should 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. 602. CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.

    The table of contents of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401 note) is amended--
            (1) 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.'';
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 604 the 
        following:

``Sec. 605. Designated Persons List for Particularly Severe Violations 
                            of Religious Freedom.'';
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 702. Voluntary 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>