[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 180 (Tuesday, December 13, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H7580-H7584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           FRANK R. WOLF INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take 
from the Speaker's table the bill (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, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the 
Senate amendment.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the Senate amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:
  Senate amendment:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     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

[[Page H7581]]

     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 insert ``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

[[Page H7582]]

       (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),

[[Page H7583]]

     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 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.''.

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (during the reading). Madam Speaker, I ask 
unanimous consent to dispense with the reading of the amendment.
  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. Madam Speaker, eighteen years ago, Congress 
had the foresight to pass the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998. That landmark bill made advancing the right to religious freedom 
a U.S. foreign policy priority.
  The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 needed to be upgraded 
to meet some of the new challenges of the 21st century. This bill, the 
Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016, accomplishes 
that goal by integrating international religious freedom into U.S. 
foreign policy; improving the ability of the U.S. government to advance 
religious freedom globally through enhanced diplomacy, training, 
counterterrorism, and foreign assistance efforts; and giving the 
Secretary of State stronger and more flexible political responses to 
growing religious freedom violations.
  Religion is an even more relevant foreign policy issue today than it 
was eighteen years ago. From China and Vietnam to Syria and Nigeria, we 
are witnessing a tragic, global crisis in religious persecution, 
violence and terrorism, with dire consequences for religious minorities 
and for U.S. national security.
  The biggest threats to our nation often come from those most 
violently opposed to religious freedom. Thus, the promotion of 
religious liberty is not an isolated human rights concern, but a 
fundamental component of our national security.
  The global religious freedom crisis we are experiencing today has 
created millions of victims and undermines liberty, prosperity and 
peace in places vital to U.S. national interests--posing direct 
challenge to the U.S. interests in the Middle East, Russia, China and 
sub-Saharan Africa.
  Ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria are on the verge of 
extinction and other religious minorities in the Middle East face a 
constant assault from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 
(ISIS). ISIS is committing genocide, mass atrocities, and war crimes to 
advance its cause--they must be stopped and those facing genocide must 
be giving the assistance.
  A robust religious freedom diplomacy is necessary to advance U.S. 
interests in stability, security, and economic development. Research 
has shown that where there is more

[[Page H7584]]

religious freedom, there is more economic freedom, more women's 
empowerment, more political stability, more freedom of speech, and less 
terrorism.
  More than ever before, vigorous U.S. leadership and diplomacy are 
needed to address religious freedom violations globally. It is clear 
that our national security will depend on the protection and 
advancement of this fundamental freedom.
  The Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act will upgrade the 
tools and used by the Administration to improve U.S. religious freedom 
diplomacy efforts globally; better trained and equipped diplomats to 
counter extremism; address anti-Semitism and religious persecution, and 
mitigate sectarian conflict.
  The bill does this by:
  Requiring that the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious 
Freedom report directly to the Secretary of State.
  Elevating the position of the Ambassador within the Federal 
Government: Gives the Ambassador responsibilities to coordinate 
religious freedom policy throughout the government; develop training 
curriculum for all Foreign Service officers; and administer grants to 
promote religious freedom policy globally.
  Requiring training in international religious freedom for all Foreign 
Service Officers: Requires development of curriculum and training for 
all incoming Foreign Service Officers and for Deputy Chiefs of Mission 
and Ambassadors going out to new posts. The curriculum used by the 
State Department will be made available to the U.S. Military and other 
relevant government agencies.
  Creating an ``Entity of Particular Concern'' Designation for Non-
State Actors: Gives the Secretary of State authority to designate as 
``entities of particular concern'' in recognition of the fact that in 
the 21st century some of the most egregious religious freedom 
violations are committed by non-state actors.
  Requiring more frequent Presidential actions to counter severe 
religious freedom violations globally: Requires annual Country of 
Particular Concern (CPC) designations. Limits the number of sanctions 
waivers (except in cases of the national interest) and requires more 
frequent reporting on countries where sanction waivers are used.
  Creating a comprehensive Religious Prisoner's List: Lists of 
religious prisoners would be made available upon request from Members 
of Congress.
  Increasing congressional oversight of State Department actions 
against individual religious freedom violators through the creation of 
a ``Designated Persons List:'' The list will include individuals who 
have been denied a visa or sanctioned because of their involvement in 
severe violations of religious freedom. Congress will receive frequent 
and regular updates on the list.
  Requiring the State Department to create a ``Special Watch List'' of 
countries that tolerate severe violations of religious freedom but 
which may fail to meet the CPC threshold.
  Sets Congressional Expectations for Staffing of the IRF Office and 
Expansion of Religious Freedom Program Grants: Requires ``appropriate 
staff' for the IRF office and seeks office staffing at FY 16 levels. 
Urges the State Department to request ``sufficient funding for vigorous 
promotion'' of international religious freedom policy.
  The bill is named after former Congressman Frank Wolf, a tireless 
champion for the rights of the poor and the persecuted globally. 18 
years ago, he had the foresight to make advancing the right to 
religious freedom a high U.S. foreign policy priority. It is largely 
because of his efforts that religious freedom is taken seriously as a 
foreign policy issue. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working 
with him for over thirty years. This bill is a fitting tribute to his 
work and service to our great nation.
  I want to thank Rep. Anna Eshoo for her partnership on this 
legislation and her advocacy on behalf of religious minorities in the 
Middle East and the cause of all those oppressed for the beliefs they 
hold.
  I also want to thank Senator Marco Rubio for his commitment to the 
cause of human rights and international religious freedom and for his 
assistance in getting this bill passed in the Senate.
  As with many pieces of bipartisan legislation, this bill would not 
have gotten this far without the assistance of many individuals and 
groups invested in its passage. I want to thank Senators Bob Corker, 
and Ben Cardin, for assisting with the bill's amendment and passage on 
the Senate side. Congressman Ed Royce and Eliot Engel and their staff 
for helping to move this bill on a bipartisan basis through the House. 
Also, I want to recognize the contribution David Saperstein, the 
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, who's worked 
to strengthen the bill and assure its passage. Finally, I want to 
recognize and thank the many staff members, in the House and Senate, 
who have worked hard for this bill's passage over the past two years 
including, Scott Flipse, Elyse Anderson, Mary Noonan, Hannah Murphy, 
Caleb McCarry, Jaime Fly, Doug Anderson, Piero Tozzi, Sajit Gandhi, and 
Janice Kaguyutan.
  International religious freedom is not a partisan or party issue. The 
freedom to practice a religion without persecution is a precious right 
for everyone, of whatever race, sex, status, or location on earth. This 
human right is enshrined in our own founding documents, in the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is a bedrock principle of 
open and democratic societies for centuries.
  We Americans understand the importance of religious liberty. It is 
the First Freedom on which our nation was founded. We should be united 
in defending it, standing up for those who suffer grievously for its 
absence, and for the noble and essential cause of protecting our own 
country. I urge passage of this bill without objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the original request 
of the gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________