[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3826-S3827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6623. Mr. BOOKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title XII, insert the
following:
SEC. 12___. COMBATING INTERNATIONAL ISLAMOPHOBIA.
(a) Authorization for Establishment of Office to Monitor
and Combat Islamophobia.-- Title I of the State Department
Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 66. MONITORING AND COMBATING ISLAMOPHOBIA.
``(a) Office To Monitor and Combat Islamophobia.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of State
shall establish within the Department of State an Office to
Monitor and Combat Islamophobia (in this section referred to
as the `Office').
``(2) Head of office.--
``(A) Special envoy for monitoring and combating
islamophobia.--The head of the Office shall be the Special
Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia (in this
section referred to as the `Special Envoy') who shall be
appointed by the Secretary of State.
``(B) Appointment of special envoy.--The Secretary may--
``(i) if considered appropriate by the Secretary, appoint
the Special Envoy from among officers and employees of the
Department of State; and
``(ii) allow any such officer or employee appointed as
Special Envoy to retain the position (and the
responsibilities associated with such position) held by such
officer or employee prior to such appointment.
``(b) Purpose of Office.--The Office shall be responsible
for the following:
``(1) Monitoring and combating acts of Islamophobia and
Islamophobic incitement that occur in foreign countries.
``(2) Coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that
portion of the reports required by sections 116(d)(9) and
502B(k) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2151n(d), 2304(k)) relating to an assessment and description
of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and
Islamophobic incitement.
``(3) Coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that
portion of the report required by section 102(b)(1)(A)(viii)
of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C.
6412(b)(1)(A)(viii)) relating to an assessment and
description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia
and Islamophobic incitement.
``(c) Consultations.--The Special Envoy shall consult with
domestic and international nongovernmental organizations and
multilateral organizations and institutions, as the Special
Envoy considers appropriate, to carry out this section.''.
(b) Inclusion in Department of State Annual Reports of
Information Concerning Acts of Islamophobia in Foreign
Countries.--
(1) Inclusion in annual country reports on human rights
practices.--The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2151 et seq.) is amended--
(A) in section 116(d) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d))--
(i) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(ii) in paragraph (12)(C)(ii), by striking the period at
the end and inserting a semicolon;
(iii) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph (14);
(iv) in paragraph (14), as so redesignated, by striking
``Wherever applicable'' and inserting ``wherever
applicable''; and
(v) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following new
paragraph:
``(13) wherever applicable, a description of the nature and
extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement
that occurred during the preceding year, including
descriptions of--
``(A) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of,
members of the Muslim community, and acts of violence
against, or vandalism of, Muslim community institutions,
including schools, mosques, and cemeteries;
``(B) instances of propaganda in government and
nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote racial
hatred or incite acts of violence against members of the
Muslim community;
``(C) the actions, if any, taken by the government of that
country to respond to such violence and attacks or to
eliminate such propaganda or incitement;
``(D) the actions taken by such government to enact and
enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to
religious freedom of members of the Muslim community; and
``(E) the efforts of such government to promote anti-bias
and tolerance education; and''; and
(B) in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304), by--
(i) redesignating the second subsection (i) (relating to
child marriage status) as subsection (j); and
(ii) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(k) Information Concerning Acts of Islamophobia in
Foreign Countries.--The report required by subsection (b)
shall include, wherever applicable, a description of the
nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic
incitement that occurred during the preceding year, including
descriptions of--
``(1) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of,
members of the Muslim community, and acts of violence
against, or vandalism of, Muslim community institutions,
including schools, mosques, and cemeteries;
``(2) instances of propaganda in government and
nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote racial
hatred or
[[Page S3827]]
incite acts of violence against members of the Muslim
community;
``(3) the actions, if any, taken by the government of that
country to respond to such violence and attacks or to
eliminate such propaganda or incitement;
``(4) the actions taken by such government to enact and
enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to
religious freedom of members of the Muslim community; and
``(5) the efforts of such government to promote anti-bias
and tolerance education.''.
(2) Inclusion in annual report on international religious
freedom.--Section 102(b)(1)(A) of the International Religious
Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)(A)) is amended--
(A) in clause (vi), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(B) in clause (vii)(II), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(viii) wherever applicable, an assessment and description
of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and
Islamophobic incitement that occurred in that country during
the preceding the year, including--
``(I) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of,
members of the Muslim community, acts of violence against, or
vandalism of, Muslim community institutions, instances of
propaganda in government and nongovernment media that incite
such acts, and statements and actions relating thereto; and
``(II) the actions taken by the government of that country
to respond to such violence and attacks or to eliminate such
propaganda or incitement, to enact and enforce laws relating
to the protection of the right to religious freedom of
members of the Muslim community, and to promote anti-bias and
tolerance education.''.
(3) Effective date of inclusions.--The amendments made by
subsections (a) and (b) shall apply on the date that is 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
______