[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 136 (Wednesday, September 14, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H6152-H6156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REFORM AND
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2011
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 2867) to reauthorize the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2867
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization
Act of 2011''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION.
(a) Membership.--Section 201(b)(1)(B) of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(b)(1)(B)) is
amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking
``Nine'' and inserting ``five'';
(2) in clause (i), by striking ``Three members'' and
inserting ``One member'';
(3) in clause (ii)--
(A) by striking ``Three members'' and inserting ``Two
members'';
(B) by striking ``two of the members'' and inserting ``one
member''; and
(C) by striking ``one of the members'' and inserting ``the
other member''; and
(4) in clause (iii)--
(A) by striking ``Three members'' and inserting ``Two
members'';
(B) by striking ``two of the members'' and inserting ``one
member''; and
(C) by striking ``one of the members'' and inserting ``the
other member''.
(b) Terms.--Section 201(c) of the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking the last sentence and
inserting the following: ``An individual is not eligible to
serve more than two consecutive terms as a member of the
Commission. Each member serving on the Commission on the date
of enactment of the United States Commission on International
Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011 may
be reappointed to not more than one additional consecutive
term.'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``May 15, 2003,
through May 14, 2005'' and inserting ``May 15, 2012, through
May 14, 2014'';
(B) in subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
``(B) Presidential appointments.--The member of the
Commission appointed by the President under subsection
(b)(1)(B)(i) shall be appointed to a 1-year term.'';
(C) in subparagraph (C)--
(i) by striking ``three members'' and inserting ``two
members'';
(ii) by striking ``the other two appointments'' and
inserting ``the other appointment''; and
(iii) by striking ``2-year terms'' and inserting ``to a 2-
year term'';
(D) in subparagraph (D)--
(i) by striking ``three members'' and inserting ``two
members'';
(ii) by striking ``the other two appointments'' and
inserting ``the other appointment''; and
(iii) by striking ``2-year terms'' and inserting ``to a 2-
year term''; and
(E) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``May 15, 2003, and
shall end on May 14, 2004'' and inserting ``May 15, 2012, and
shall end on May 14, 2013''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) Ineligibility for reappointment.--If a member of the
Commission attends, by being physically present or by
conference call, less than 75 percent of the meetings of the
Commission during one of that member's terms on the
Commission, the member shall not be eligible for
reappointment to the Commission.''.
(c) Election of Chair.--Section 201(d) of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(d)) is amended
by inserting at the end the following: ``No member of the
Commission is eligible to be elected as Chair of the
Commission for a second, consecutive term.''.
(d) Quorum.--Section 201(e) of the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(e)) is amended by
striking ``Six'' and inserting ``Four''.
(e) Applicability.--A member of the United States
Commission on International Religious Freedom who is serving
on the Commission on the date of enactment of this Act shall
continue to serve on the Commission until the expiration of
the current term of the member under the terms and conditions
for membership on the Commission as in effect on the day
before the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. APPLICATION OF ANTIDISCRIMINATION LAWS.
Section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) is amended by inserting after
subsection (f) the following new subsection:
``(g) Application of Antidiscrimination Laws.--For purposes
of providing remedies and procedures to address alleged
violations of rights and protections that pertain to
employment discrimination, family and medical leave, fair
labor standards, employee polygraph protection, worker
adjustment and retraining, veterans' employment and
reemployment, intimidation or reprisal, protections under the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, occupational safety
and health, labor-management relations, and rights and
protections that apply to employees whose pay is disbursed by
the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative
Officer of the House of Representatives, all employees of the
Commission shall be treated as employees whose pay is
disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief
Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives and
the Commission shall be treated as an employing office of the
Senate or the House of Representatives.''.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 207(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act
of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6435(a)) is amended by striking ``for the
fiscal year 2003'' and inserting ``for each of the fiscal
years 2012 and 2013''.
SEC. 5. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND DISCLOSURE.
Section 208 of the International Religious Freedom Act of
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6435a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``$100,000'' and
inserting ``$250,000''; and
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ``International
Relations'' and inserting ``Foreign Affairs''.
SEC. 6. TERMINATION.
Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom Act of
1998 (22 U.S.C. 6436) is amended by striking ``September 30,
2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2013''.
SEC. 7. REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the implementation of this Act and the
amendments made by this Act.
(b) Consultation.--The Comptroller General shall consult
with the appropriate congressional committees and
nongovernmental organizations for purposes of preparing the
report.
(c) Matters To Be Included.--The report shall include the
following:
(1) A review of the effectiveness of all United States
Government programs to promote international religious
freedom, including their goals and objectives.
(2) An assessment of the roles and functions of the Office
on International Religious Freedom established in section
101(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22
U.S.C. 6411(a)) and the relationship of the Office to other
offices in the Department of State.
(3) A review of the role of the Ambassador at Large for
International Religious Freedom appointed under section
101(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22
U.S.C. 6411(b)) and the placement of such position within the
Department of State.
(4) A review and assessment of the goals and objectives of
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)).
[[Page H6153]]
(5) A comparative analysis of the structure of the United
States Commission on International Religious Freedom as an
independent non-partisan entity in relation to other United
States advisory commissions, whether or not such commissions
are under the direct authority of Congress.
(6) A review of the relationship between the Ambassador at
Large for International Religious Freedom and the United
States Commission on International Religious Freedom, and
possible reforms that would improve the ability of both to
reach their goals and objectives.
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' has the meaning given the term in
section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
(22 U.S.C. 6402).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, first of all, let me thank Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the
chairwoman of our committee, and Howard Berman for their fine work in
helping to bring this very important legislation to the floor today.
I want to thank especially Congressman Frank Wolf, the author of this
legislation, who is also the author of the original International
Religious Freedom Act that was passed back in 1998, against
considerable odds, opposition from the Clinton administration, for
example, opposition from a number of people on both sides of the aisle.
But at the end of the day, that legislation, historic, was signed into
law and was signed by President Clinton. So he came around and actually
put his signature on that historic legislation.
So I again want to thank Mr. Wolf for his famous leadership. He has
been a leader on human rights and on religious freedom in particular
for more than 30 years. And that culminated, at least on the religious
freedom side, with the enactment of the International Religious Freedom
Act.
Madam Speaker, religious freedom, the right to worship and practice
one's faith according to the dictates of one's own conscience, is a
foundational human right. Not only is it an essential element in our
Constitution; it is intrinsic to the human dignity of every man and
woman on this Earth and was enshrined in the universal declaration of
human rights.
But it is a right denied or curtailed for millions, really billions,
according to some estimates, even a majority of the people living in
the world. For Copts in Egypt, for Christians, Buddhists, and Uighurs
in China, Montagnards, Evangelical Christians in Central Vietnam, Jews
in Baha'i in Iran, many Buddhist monks in Burma and, of course, this
rising pernicious tide of anti-Semitism, not just in the Middle East
but in many parts of Europe, and even in the United States, the ability
to live their faith without threat of persecution is a distant and
unrealized promise.
I was pleased to work with Mr. Wolf years ago, as I mentioned, on
this legislation. And I actually chaired the hearings on the
legislation. And again, there was considerable opposition that was
turned around, and at the end of the day this legislation did become
law.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was an
important part of this effort. It was created as an independent body of
experts to review the facts and make policy recommendations from a
vantage point outside of our diplomatic corps, where bilateral and
other concerns had sometimes resulted in the soft-pedaling of severe
ongoing violations of religious freedom around the world.
Even today, when the quality of State Department reporting on
religious issues, while it's improved, the commission continues to
serve as a critical role and a sounding board and a catalyst. One
indicator is the fact that the commission's list of recommended, what
is called ``countries of particular concern'' for severe violations of
religious freedom, remains larger than the number actually designated
by the State Department. They ought to be the same, but they are not.
Just yesterday, Secretary Clinton rightfully designated the People's
Republic of China, Burma, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia,
Sudan and Uzbekistan as countries of particular concern. But the State
Department's list does not add any new countries from last year, and
one of the most glaring omissions of all is Vietnam, whose policies
have more than earned that badge of shame.
Secretary Clinton did not designate Egypt either, or Iraq, Nigeria,
Turkmenistan and Pakistan, as recommended by the commission. So,
unfortunately, their recommendations went unheeded. But it does provide
an important backdrop and framework to review and to look at what it is
that the State Department is doing.
We need, Madam Speaker, this commission more than ever. Already in
the Congress, we have had three comprehensive hearings on religious
freedom: one in the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in January
regarding the religious freedom of minorities in the Middle East; one
in the committee that I chair, the Africa Global Health global Human
Rights Committee, regarding the prioritization of religious freedom in
U.S. foreign policy; and one just last month in the Helsinki Commission
on the particular plight of Coptic Christians in Egypt. That hearing
brought to light an egregious policy that is acted out in Egypt each
and every day, where young Coptic Christians girls, some as young as 14
and 15, are kidnapped. They are forced into Islam, and then they are,
at age 18 or thereafter, given in marriage forcibly to an Islamic man.
{time} 1240
That is an outrage against women's rights, human rights, and
religious freedom as well.
The Commission has been an invaluable resource to Congress as we
monitor the protection and promotion of religious freedom around the
world and the response of the administration on this very important
issue. They have also a resource to governments seeking to remedy
religious freedom abuses within their own borders. For instance, in
Indonesia, the Commission worked with members of the Indonesian House
of Representatives and civil society groups and introduced measures to
strengthen provisions in the criminal code regarding attacks on
religious gatherings and amend the law governing the building of
religious venues.
The Commission also continues to help network human rights and legal
advocates in Indonesia and elsewhere around the world working to defend
individuals accused of blasphemy and religious minorities facing
intimidation and violence from extremist groups. The Commission's work
in Indonesia will have practical impact on the exercise of human rights
and the preservation of peace in that country.
Other governments have looked to the Commission as a model for their
own religious freedom commissions.
The bill before us today includes a number of bipartisan reforms to
the Commission authorities and operations to make their work even more
effective.
Again, I want to thank Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, the chairwoman, and thank
Howard Berman for their leadership in ensuring the bill came to the
floor today and for their support for the bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 2867, the United States Commission
on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of
2011.
I would like to thank the sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman
from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), who has been a leader on this issue for, as
my colleague Mr. Smith pointed out, well over a decade on the question
of international religious freedom.
We're fortunate to live in a country that was founded by religious
refugees on principles of tolerance. We strive to adhere to article 18
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that
``everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and
religion. This right includes freedom to
[[Page H6154]]
manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and
observance.''
But elsewhere around the globe, religious freedom and human rights
are routinely violated. Countless men, women, and children face
violence, persecution, and discrimination because of their faith.
Violent extremist attacks have taken place in the Middle East and South
Asia. The regimes in North Korea and Iran actively repress religious
freedom. Apostasy and blasphemy laws have fueled discrimination against
religious minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
Other religious minorities like Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims,
Ahmadis, Baha'is, Assyrian Christians in Iraq, Copts in Egypt face
violence and government restrictions. And anti-Semitism is still
prevalent around the world.
Just yesterday, Secretary Clinton designated Burma, China, Eritrea,
Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan as countries of
particular concern that have ``engaged in or tolerated particularly
severe violations of religious freedom.''
While these may be the worst offenders, we have serious concerns
about religious freedom in many other countries around the world. More
than ever, we need the U.S. Commission on International Religious
Freedom to continue its important work.
The bipartisan bill before us today reauthorizes the Commission, also
known as USCIRF, which is set to expire at the end of the month. The
bill also contains some sensible reforms that will strengthen USCIRF's
efforts to monitor and report on the status of freedom of religion
abroad. These reforms include the process of selecting the chair, terms
of service for members of the Commission, and a GAO study on improving
the effectiveness and coordination of all U.S. Government bodies that
focus on international religious freedom.
In particular, I would like to thank Mr. Wolf for agreeing to include
a provision that clarifies that USCIRF is subject to the same workplace
restrictions and civil rights laws as the rest of the Federal
Government.
Congress has long provided that the Federal Government, including the
executive and legislative branches, is subject to laws intended to keep
the American workplace safe and free from discrimination, including the
Family and Medical Leave Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the
Americans with Disabilities Act, OSHA, and workplace protections for
veterans.
However, under current law, it is unclear whether USCIRF's employees
could resolve disputes over workplace protections through the
procedures designed for executive branch workers or under the
procedures that apply to legislative branch employees through the
Congressional Accountability Act. This legislation will ensure that all
claims will now be resolved under the procedures created by the
Congressional Accountability Act. USCIRF supports this clarifying
position.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, it is a distinct privilege to
yield such time as he may consume to the chairman of the Appropriations
Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, the
author of the original International Religious Freedom Act, an historic
piece of legislation and today's reauthorization, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, before I begin, I want to thank Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Ros-Lehtinen; ranking member, Mr. Berman;
the Human Rights Committee chairman, Mr. Smith, who's been a champion
on all of these issues from the very first day he got in here; and
their staffs. The staffs have made all the difference in the world.
I want to particularly thank the chairman's staff, Yleem Poblete and
Doug Anderson, for their help, and also the leadership on both sides
and my side, and the leadership staff who have really tried to work
this and get this thing through. I'm going to say some things that
hopefully are not too controversial, but I do want to thank them for
getting this thing out and getting it moving because, if it didn't move
today, it may very well come to an end.
I rise in support of this critical legislation to reauthorize and
reform the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The sad
truth, though, Madam Speaker, this bill has been held hostage by the
other body--and keep the word ``hostage'' out there as we think in
terms of what this bill would do and what's taking place around the
world. And if we do not pass this bill in this form today, the
likelihood of this Commission shutting down is very, very high.
I wish I could name--I know the House rule--and I would name the
members over there if anyone asks me, but it's being held hostage. Some
in the other body are now saying that even these are not the changes
that they would like to see to the Commission. And, quite frankly, I
believe that some over there and this very administration would not
mind seeing this Commission shut its doors.
This was a bipartisan issue for years. Scoop Jackson, the leader,
Jackson-Vanik, President Reagan. To my side, Reagan said the words in
the Constitution were a covenant to the entire world, not just to the
people in Philadelphia in 1787 but to the entire world. And yet
religious freedom, often referred to as the first freedom, is central
to our American values and should be featured prominently in foreign
policy.
But, sadly, the constituency for human rights and religious freedom
issues is growing smaller and smaller in Washington and in this
Congress. These issues have become second-class citizens in this
Congress and in this town. There are no big law firms downtown. They're
representing the Saudis. They're representing the Chinese. They're
representing filth and garbage in certain cases, but no one represents
human rights and religious freedom.
So there are all the Members who have agonized and pushed and pulled
and want to kill this. I'm concerned because as we stand here today and
debate, and you've got to know this, Iraqi Christians are being killed.
People who speak the same language as Jesus, the Aramaic language, and
more biblical activity took place in Iraq than almost any other country
other than Israel, they're being killed; and Iraqi women are being
forced to do terrible things in order to keep their families.
And there are some who don't want this bill to pass. They never talk
about the Iraqi Christians. Yet many of them supported the Iraqi war
and yet they say nothing.
The Baha'is in Iran and Egypt are being marginalized, and I never
hear a word said.
Chinese Bishops. I can remember Congressman Smith took Holy Communion
from Bishop Su. Bishop Su was arrested and has never been seen since,
maybe once being forced into a public security police car and taken
away.
{time} 1250
Protestant pastors are being arrested today as we speak in China, and
yet this doesn't really seem to bother this place. It's almost like,
Well, you know, what are we going do? You know, man does not live by
bread alone. These are important issues. Go back to Scoop Jackson. Go
back to Ronald Reagan. Go back to the Constitution. Go back to the
Declaration of Independence.
Shabaz Bhatti, the Christian minister in the government, was gunned
down because of his faith, because he was a Christian. The Ahmadiyya
Muslims in Pakistan are being persecuted. They're going through a very,
very difficult time. There are the Coptic Christians. I was in Egypt in
July, and the Coptic Christians--8.5 million--are going through a very
difficult time.
As Mr. Smith just said, anti-Semitism is running rampant. Anti-
Semitism is running rampant in this world, and yet there are some who
are trying to kill this Commission, for some reason, over in the other
body. We're having such a hard time.
The Buddhists in Tibet, they can't even have a picture of the Dalai
Lama. Hu Jintao, who is the current President of China, was the one who
cracked down on Tibet and raided all those monasteries, and yet, with
this bill, some are just saying, Well, you know, I don't know, and I
don't know, and I don't know.
Though this bill is not what we originally planned, the Commission
has said they can live with these provisions so that the Commission may
remain a reliable voice for the world's persecuted
[[Page H6155]]
people. As Mr. Smith said, there probably is not a time that you do
need this Commission more than now. Since the passage of this
legislation, religious freedom has been elevated at times in U.S.
foreign policy, but it still does not enjoy the preeminence it
deserves.
Sadly, a strong U.S. voice on these critical issues has arguably
never been more needed. The Commission faces extinction at the end of
the month. Members of Congress know, if you knock this bill down, if
you want to kill this Commission and if they vote ``no,'' it will go
out of business by the end of this month if the Congress fails to pass
it.
Just yesterday, as Mr. Smith said, the State Department released its
annual International Religious Freedom Report. In the report, several
challenges to religious freedom were pinpointed. People around the
world continue to face violent extremist attacks, apostasy and
blasphemy laws, repression, and anti-Semitism. According to a Pew
Research Study released in 2009, one-third of all nations, containing
70 percent of the world's population, severely restrict religious
freedom.
I want to thank again Ms. Ros-Lehtinen and Mr. Berman and my good
friend Mr. Smith and their staffs.
I don't know what we would say to the Christian community around the
world and to the Baha'is and to those concerned about anti-Semitism and
the Buddhist community in Tibet and the Uyghurs in China if this thing
fails to pass. They would say, What's taking place in Washington? Why
is this no longer an issue that this Congress and this administration
care about? So I would hope we should pass it. I think we should have a
roll call vote. Every Member should stand up and explain what they're
going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman
Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Member Berman, Human Rights Subcommittee Chairman
Smith, and their staffs for working tirelessly in a bipartisan manner
to continue to fight for those who are persecuted for their religious
beliefs. I would like to particularly thank the chairman's staffers,
Yleem Poblete and Doug Anderson, for their help. Thank you also to our
leadership for bringing this bill to the floor.
I rise in support of this critical legislation to reauthorize and
reform the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The sad truth is that this bill has been held hostage in the other
body, and if we do not pass this bill in the form it is in today, the
commission will shut down.
Some in the other body are now saying that even these are not the
changes they would like to see to the commission, and quite frankly, I
believe that some over there and this very administration would not
mind if the commission were to shut its doors.
Religious freedom, often referred to as the first freedom, is central
to our American values and should be featured prominently in U.S.
foreign policy. Sadly, the constituency for human rights and religious
freedom issues is growing smaller and smaller in Washington and in
Congress. These issues have become second class citizens in this
Congress.
I am deeply concerned because, as we stand here and debate this bill,
Iraqi Christians are being killed, Baha'is are being marginalized in
Iran, Chinese bishops and Protestants pastors sit in jail, Christian
and Ahmadis continue to be repressed in Pakistan, Coptic Christians are
having a difficult time in Egypt, and anti-Semitism is growing around
the world.
Though this bill is not what we originally planned, the commission
has said they can live with these provisions so that the commission may
remain a reliable voice for the world's persecuted people.
Recognizing that this critical issue and other human rights related
issues are often relegated to the sidelines within the State
Department, I authored legislation more than 10 years ago, in 1998, to
establish the International Religious Freedom Office at the State
Department, headed by an ambassador at-large, and to create the U.S.
Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)--an independent,
bipartisan Federal Government commission, charged with monitoring the
status of freedom of religion or belief abroad and providing policy
recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
Since the passage of this legislation religious freedom has been
elevated within U.S. foreign policy. But it still does not enjoy the
preeminence it deserves. And sadly, a strong U.S. voice on this
critical issue has arguably never been more needed. USCIRF faces
extinction at the end of this month if Congress fails to pass the bill
before us today and it is not signed into law.
Just yesterday, the State Department released its annual
International Religious Freedom Report. In the report, several
challenges to religious freedom were pinpointed. People around the
world continue to face violent extremist attacks, apostasy and
blasphemy laws, repression, and anti-Semitism. According to a Pew
Research Study released in December 2009, one-third of all nations,
containing 70 percent of the world's population, severely restrict
religious freedom.
This legislation will reauthorize the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom until September 30, 2013. USCIRF,
unlike the State Department, is unencumbered by the impulse to maintain
good bilateral relations above all else . . . an impulse which sadly
can result in critical issues of religious freedom being sidelined in
the pursuit of broader foreign policy goals.
USCIRF regularly holds briefings and hearings on and off the Hill and
is frequently called upon to provide expert witness testimony to
Congress.
Just in the last year the commission has taken a leadership role on a
series of key issues. It was quick to recognize the strategic
importance and courageous voice of the late Shabaz Bhatti, Pakistan's
federal minister of Minorities Affairs, an outspoken critic of his
nation's draconian blasphemy laws.
During a critical time for the people of Sudan, the USCIRF issued
special recommendations on the implementation of the historic
Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
It made a series of policy recommendations aimed at preserving and
protecting Iraq's besieged religious minorities.
It has actively worked with dozens of Hill offices on combating the
``defamation of religions'' resolution before the United Nations.
In short, ensuring that the commission is reauthorized is of
paramount importance. In a Constitution Day speech, President Ronald
Reagan famously described the United States constitution as ``a
covenant we have made not only with ourselves, but with all of
mankind.''
Passage of this legislation will go a long way in helping us keep
that covenant. I urge my colleagues' support. We must let the world
know that the U.S. Congress continues to believe in the importance of
protecting the first freedom for every person in this world.
Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I yield myself the balance of my time.
I just want to again thank Congressman Frank Wolf, Chairman Wolf, for
his eloquence and for his passion for those men and women and children
of faith who suffer terrible, terrible injustices around the world,
including persecution.
There were two books that got me involved, in all candor, in
religious freedom issues--there were two incidents in my first year in
Congress in 1981--``Tortured for Christ,'' by Richard Wurmbrand, who
was a great evangelical pastor who spent years being tortured by the
Securitate in Romania because of his faith. He made an appeal, and he
said, Do not sit idly by while men and women of any faith are being
tortured and persecuted because of that faith, because it's not just
the individual who suffers; the entire family suffers; and very often
they're incarcerated and tortured as well.
The other was the trip to the Soviet Union with the National
Conference on Soviet Jewry in 1982, January. It was 10 days in Moscow
and Leningrad, meeting Soviet Jewish refusniks who were persecuted, who
were put into psychiatric prisons simply because of their faith.
A couple of years later, Mr. Wolf and I went to Perm Camp 35 in the
Ural Mountains. It took years to negotiate our way in. This was in
1987. We met with persecuted Jewish refusniks and Christians and
political prisoners who were there simply because of their faith. It
was where Natan Sharansky had spent a number of his years incarcerated
by the cruel dictatorship of the Soviet Union.
In China today, the believer Christians, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and
Buddhists are tortured beyond anyone's imagination. It's real. It's
happening today. In Vietnam, there has been a backlash against people
of faith ever since they got trading benefits and the bilateral trade
agreement and MFN were extended to them, or PNTR. They have done a
backlash to men and women of faith that is unprecedented, and ought to
be on the CPC list of the International Religious Freedom Commission. I
hope people will go to the Web site. Check out this wonderful
Commission, which if it is not renewed by the end of this month, goes
out of business.
I would call out our Members on the other side of this Capitol, the
other
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body, to pass this legislation immediately. We ought to be
strengthening and significantly expanding it, not doing less than
status quo, which is what we're doing today because of some budget
concerns that people have. This is the quintessential watchdog agency
in this town. It doesn't get the big press, as Mr. Wolf said. It
doesn't have the big bucks--no K Street lobbyists--but it is a
wonderful and a very important and effective Commission that keeps
track of religious persecution globally, that keeps us in line in the
House and the Senate and also the State Department. I read their
reports. I read them from cover to cover. Please, I would ask the
Members of this body to support this legislation and call on our
friends in the Senate to do likewise.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 2867, ``United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011.'' This legislation
mandates the United States Commission on International Religious
Freedom (Commission) compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws,
restricts the Commissioner to two consecutive terms, and requires the
Commissioner to attend 75 percent of Commission meetings. H.R. 2867,
extends the Commission's sunset date by two years, and appropriates
$4.29 million for FY12 and FY13. In addition, H.R. 2867 requires study
to determine the Commission's effectiveness to ensure that the act is
being implemented properly.
As a senior Member of the Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees,
I understand the importance of protecting the religious rights of men,
women, and children throughout the world. By advocating for religious
stability, we in turn decrease the likelihood of religious extremism
and advance the growth of healthy nations. The United States Commission
on International Religious Freedom serves as an essential fact finder
and impartial advisor on these matters.
The 18th District of Texas is home to many different faiths and
religious backgrounds and welcomes a variety of views on religion. This
reflects the principles of freedom of religion upon which our nation
was founded. The founding fathers understood the importance of freedom
of religion and the perils of religious persecution. Respect for the
religious practices of others is woven into the very fabric of the
United States.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is an
independent, bipartisan commission. The Commissioners are appointed by
the President and Congress. The Commission's core mission is to review
international violations of religion freedom and make policy
recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress.
These recommendations impact the lives of millions of people of faith
around the world. I believe in the importance of protecting those who
are being persecuted based upon their religious beliefs.
According to a Pew Research Study released in December 2009, 198
countries, containing 70 percent of the world's population, severely
restrict religious freedom. The study found that 101 governments used
force against religious groups or individuals. Christians and Muslims,
who make up more than half of the world's population, were harassed in
more countries than other religions, although the study does not
reflect the intensity of the persecution. This study was conducted
prior to the Arab Spring. Many of the nations with increasing religious
restrictions are the very nations that have seen popular uprisings and
subsequent crackdowns--among them Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Libya, a
clear indication that we need this Commission more than ever.
I firmly believe that the Commission has a positive impact on the
lives of millions of people of faith throughout the world, especially
at a time when many governments continue to repress religious freedom
and persecute persons on the basis of their religion. Such repression
only stands to marginalize vulnerable populations, emboldens
extremists, fuels sectarian tensions, and robs societies of the moral
and charitable contributions of faith communities.
Repression of religious freedom runs contrary to shared universal
values and undermines genuine stability. In the words of Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton ``Religious freedom provides a cornerstone
for every healthy society. It empowers faith-based service. It fosters
tolerance and respect among different communities. And it allows
nations that uphold it to become more stable, secure, and prosperous.
The Commission monitors religious freedom through the lens of
international human rights standards, such as those found in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights. Forty-five years ago the nations of the
world signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR), which codified in international law the right to religious
freedom. The ICCPR affirmed under Article 18 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights that ``everyone shall have the right to
freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes
freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either
individually or in community with others and in public or private, to
manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and
teaching.''
The Commission is not a tool to advance religious beliefs or any
specific values. It is focused on addressing the religious climate in
each country based upon the ICCPR. By relying on international human
rights standards as specified in ICCPR, The Commission guards against
any attempts to impose American values on other nations, but rather
examines the actions of foreign governments against these universal
standards and by their freely undertaken international commitments.
This Commission is a vital resource in learning to address conflicts
between religious groups, especially in the wake of the Arab Spring.
As the Commission serves to address the violations of religious
freedom abroad, Congress is charged with ensuring the Commission itself
is in compliance with laws that protect the rights of workers and those
they serve. H.R. 2867 reflects the principle that discrimination has no
place within our government and will ensure that the commission itself
complies with all federal anti-discrimination laws. This is an
essential distinction from the current law, which lacks these robust
discrimination protections. This legislation further underscores the
importance of this Commission by expending the sunset date of the
Commission by 2 years to September 30, 2013. Lastly, the amount of
appropriations allotted for the Commission would be amended by striking
$3,000,000 for the fiscal year 2003, to $4,291,000 for fiscal years
2012 and 2013.
I firmly believe that H.R. 2867 will allow the Commission to continue
to address international religious persecution, provide much needed
discrimination protections, and will garner the appropriate amount of
oversight to ensure that the Commission operates as effectively.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2867, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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