[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 13690-13694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1700
              PROVIDING FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL ENVOY

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 301) to provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to 
Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and 
South Central Asia, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 301

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

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) More than 500 Baha'is in Iran have been arbitrarily 
     arrested since 2005. Roughly 100 Baha'is are presently 
     imprisoned because of their religious beliefs.
       (2) In May 2010, suspected terrorists attacked two mosques 
     in Pakistan belonging to the Ahmaddiya minority Muslim sect, 
     killing at least 80 people. Ahmadis consider themselves 
     Muslim, but Pakistani law does not recognize them as such.
       (3) Said Musa, an Afghan Christian convert, was arrested in 
     May 2010 on charges of apostasy, a crime which can carry the 
     death sentence, and was released in February 2011 only after 
     sustained international pressure.
       (4) On October 31, 2010, gunmen laid siege on Our Lady of 
     Salvation Church in Baghdad, Iraq, killing at least 52 police 
     and worshipers, including two priests, making it the worst 
     massacre of Iraqi Christians since 2003.
       (5) Iraq's ancient and once vibrant Christian population 
     that numbered an estimated 1,500,000 out of a total 
     population in Iraq of 30,000,000 in 2003 has been reduced by 
     at least one half, due in significant part to Christians 
     fleeing the violence.
       (6) In November 2010, a Pakistani court sentenced Aasia 
     Bibi, a Christian mother of five, to death under the 
     country's blasphemy law for insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
       (7) Since early 2011, violent sectarian attacks targeting 
     Coptic Orthodox Christians and their property increased 
     significantly, resulting in nearly 100 deaths, mostly Coptic 
     Christians, surpassing the death toll of the 10 previous 
     years combined.
       (8) In Egypt, with the ascent of the Muslim Brotherhood, 
     Coptic Christians, numbering 8 to 10 million, have been under 
     increased threat and many are reported to have fled the 
     country during former President Mohamed Morsi's rule.
       (9) On March 2, 2011, Pakistani Federal Minorities Minister 
     Shahbaz Bhatti, the only Christian member of the Cabinet, who 
     was outspoken in his opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy laws 
     was assassinated by extremists.
       (10) The former Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-
     Semitism, Hannah Rosenthal, has noted that Holocaust 
     glorification ``is especially virulent in Middle Eastern 
     media, some of which is state-owned and operated, which calls 
     for a new Holocaust to finish the job''.
       (11) In the midst of a devastating civil war, Syrian 
     Christians and other religious minorities, which comprise 
     roughly 10 percent of the population, are particularly 
     vulnerable lacking their own militias and regional 
     protectors.
       (12) Many of these ancient faith communities are being 
     forced to flee the lands which they have inhabited for 
     centuries.
       (13) The United States Commission on International 
     Religious Freedom has recommended that Egypt, Tajikistan, 
     Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, and 
     Uzbekistan be designated by the Department of State as 
     Countries of Particular Concern in accordance with the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
       (14) The situation on the ground in the region continues to 
     develop rapidly and the United States Government needs an 
     individual who can respond in kind and focus on the critical 
     situation of religious minorities in these countries.
       (15) There are historical precedents, including the Special 
     Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, the Special Envoy 
     for North Korea Human Rights Issues, and the South Sudan and 
     Sudan Special Envoy, for the Department of State, either as a 
     result of legislative mandate or initiative of the Secretary 
     of State, to create positions with a targeted focus on an 
     area or issue of recognized import.

     SEC. 2. SPECIAL ENVOY TO PROMOTE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OF 
                   RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN THE NEAR EAST AND SOUTH 
                   CENTRAL ASIA.

       (a) Appointment.--The President shall appoint a Special 
     Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in 
     the Near East and South Central Asia (in this Act referred to 
     as the ``Special Envoy'') within the Department of State.
       (b) Qualifications.--The Special Envoy should be a person 
     of recognized distinction in the field of human rights and 
     religious freedom and with expertise in the Near East

[[Page 13691]]

     and South Central Asia regions. The Special Envoy shall have 
     the rank of ambassador and shall hold the office at the 
     pleasure of the President.
       (c) Prohibition.--The person appointed as Special Envoy may 
     not hold any other position of Federal employment for the 
     period of time during which the person holds the position of 
     Special Envoy.

     SEC. 3. DUTIES.

       (a) In General.--The Special Envoy shall carry out the 
     following duties:
       (1) Promote the right of religious freedom of religious 
     minorities in the countries of the Near East and the 
     countries of South Central Asia, denounce the violation of 
     such right, and recommend appropriate responses by the United 
     States Government when such right is violated.
       (2) Monitor and combat acts of religious intolerance and 
     incitement targeted against religious minorities in the 
     countries of the Near East and the countries of South Central 
     Asia.
       (3) Work to ensure that the unique needs of religious 
     minority communities in the countries of the Near East and 
     the countries of South Central Asia are addressed, including 
     the economic and security needs of such communities to the 
     extent that such needs are directly tied to religious-based 
     discrimination and persecution.
       (4) Work with foreign governments of the countries of the 
     Near East and the countries of South Central Asia to address 
     laws that are inherently discriminatory toward religious 
     minority communities in such countries.
       (5) Coordinate and assist in the preparation of that 
     portion of the report required by sections 116(d) and 502B(b) 
     of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d) and 
     2304(b)) relating to the nature and extent of religious 
     freedom of religious minorities in the countries of the Near 
     East and the countries of South Central Asia.
       (6) Coordinate and assist in the preparation of that 
     portion of the report required by section 102(b) of the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
     6412(b)) relating to the nature and extent of religious 
     freedom of religious minorities in the countries of the Near 
     East and the countries of South Central Asia.
       (b) Coordination.--In carrying out the duties under 
     subsection (a), the Special Envoy shall, to the maximum 
     extent practicable, coordinate with the Bureau of Population, 
     Refugees and Migration of the Department of State, the 
     Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, the 
     United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, 
     and other relevant Federal agencies and officials.

     SEC. 4. DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION.

       Subject to the direction of the President and the Secretary 
     of State, the Special Envoy is authorized to represent the 
     United States in matters and cases relevant to religious 
     freedom in the countries of the Near East and the countries 
     of South Central Asia in--
       (1) contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental 
     organizations, and specialized agencies of the United 
     Nations, the Organization of Security and Cooperation in 
     Europe, and other international organizations of which the 
     United States is a member; and
       (2) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to 
     religious freedom in the countries of the Near East and the 
     countries of South Central Asia.

     SEC. 5. PRIORITY COUNTRIES AND CONSULTATION.

       (a) Priority Countries.--In carrying out this Act, the 
     Special Envoy shall give priority to programs, projects, and 
     activities for Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
       (b) Consultation.--The Special Envoy shall consult with 
     domestic and international nongovernmental organizations and 
     multilateral organizations and institutions, as the Special 
     Envoy considers appropriate to fulfill the purposes of this 
     Act.

     SEC. 6. FUNDING.

       (a) In General.--Of the amounts made available for 
     ``Diplomatic and Consular Programs'' for fiscal years 2014 
     through 2018, $1,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated for 
     each such fiscal year to carry out the provisions of this 
     Act.
       (b) Funding Offset.--To offset the costs to be incurred by 
     the Department of State to carry out the provisions of this 
     Act for fiscal years 2014 through 2018, the Secretary of 
     State shall eliminate such positions within the Department of 
     State, unless otherwise authorized or required by law, as the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary to fully offset such 
     costs.
       (c) Limitation.--No additional funds are authorized to be 
     appropriated for ``Diplomatic and Consular Programs'' to 
     carry out the provisions of this Act.

     SEC. 7. SUNSET.

       This Act shall cease to be effective beginning on October 
     1, 2018.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and that they 
also might have the ability to include extraneous material on this 
resolution in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of this legislation because this legislation 
provides for a very needed Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom 
of Religious Minorities in the Near East and in South Central Asia.
  This bill, introduced by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), is 
substantially identical to one which we brought up last year and tried 
to get out of both bodies; it was H.R. 440. This body passed that 
legislation by more than 400 votes.
  Sadly, in the 2 years that have elapsed since then, the dangers 
motivating this bill have only grown more acute. In many areas of the 
Middle East, the first freedom, as we called it, the freedom of 
religious liberty, is disregarded.
  Minority communities are not merely under threat; those communities 
are now under attack. From Afghanistan, to Iran, to Syria, to Egypt and 
elsewhere in these regions, religious minorities have been increasingly 
subjected to unconscionable--often violent--persecution. These alarming 
trends are occurring in the midst of growing regional instability as 
brutal regimes and terrorists and insurgents seek to assert control 
over populations and seek to enforce their ideologies by use of fear, 
by use of brute force.
  As the bloody civil war rages in Syria, ancient Christian communities 
are being forced to flee the lands they have inhabited for centuries in 
the midst of this bloody civil conflict.
  In Egypt, Coptic Christians have experienced unspeakable abuses at 
the hands of radical Muslim groups and have been fleeing their country 
in droves to escape further violence. I have met with many from the 
vibrant Coptic Christian community in southern California.
  In Iran, more than 500 Baha'is have been arbitrarily arrested since 
2005 by the Iranian Government. In Pakistan, 80 members of the Muslim 
Ahmadiyya sect were killed by terrorists in their places of worship in 
2010, in addition to consistent incidents of violence and even judicial 
persecution of Christians there. Many of us are aware of the violations 
of the rights and the deaths of the Shi'a minority there as well.
  For all of these alarming reasons, this legislation is at least as 
timely as it was 2 years ago. I commend our colleague, the gentleman 
from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), for bringing it to our attention.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and yield 
myself such time as I may consume.
  This bipartisan legislation creates a Special Envoy to Promote 
Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South 
Central Asia. Housed at the State Department, the Special Envoy would 
be responsible for monitoring and combating acts of religious 
intolerance, engaging with foreign governments to address laws that 
discriminate against religious minorities, and working to ensure that 
the unique needs of religious minority communities are being addressed.
  This bill is important because religious minority communities all 
around the world--particularly in the Near East and South Central 
Asia--are facing increased attacks and persecution. For example, 
Egypt's recent governments have failed to prevent, investigate, or 
prosecute crimes against members of religious minority groups, 
especially Coptic Christians. Churches have been burned to the ground 
and numerous Christians murdered.
  Iraq used to have a significant number of religious minorities. These 
groups have been subject to escalating violence, persecution, and 
discrimination for their religious beliefs, and

[[Page 13692]]

today they comprise only about 3 percent of Iraq's population. By some 
estimates, half of Iraq's Christian population has fled since 2003.
  In Iran, the arrest and harassment of members of religious 
minorities, including Sunni Muslims and Christians, continues to rise. 
In one notable case last year, an Iranian-American Christian pastor was 
imprisoned for threatening Iranian national security. And what was his 
crime? Helping to set up small churches in people's homes. Iran's 
minority Baha'i community is particularly harassed, punished, 
imprisoned, and even killed simply because of their religion.
  This past August, a Baha'i community leader in Bandar Abbas, Iran--
Mr. Ataollah Rezvani--was found murdered in his car on the outskirts of 
the city, shot in the back of the head. He had been the subject of 
threats and pressure from agents of the Ministry of Intelligence, and 
until shortly before his death he had been receiving menacing phone 
calls from unidentified persons. There is little doubt that his murder 
was religiously motivated. Until now, the Iranian Government has not 
begun a formal investigation into his murder or the murder of many 
other Baha'is that have been killed in recent years. It is past time 
for the Iranian Government to move immediately to seek justice for the 
cruel deaths of its Baha'i citizens. I wish these were isolated cases, 
but countless other examples exist, from Afghanistan to India to Saudi 
Arabia.
  We indeed are fortunate to live in a country that was founded by 
religious refugees on principles of tolerance. But it is important that 
we do everything we can to ensure that religious minorities elsewhere 
in the world enjoy the freedoms and protections they deserve--the 
freedoms and protections enjoyed by all Americans. Appointing this 
Special Envoy would be an important step in that direction, and I urge 
my colleagues to support this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wolf), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on 
Commerce, Justice, and Science, cochairman of the Tom Lantos Human 
Rights Commission, author of this bill, and long a spokesman for 
religious freedom for those of all creeds.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking Chairman Royce for 
swiftly moving the bill and for his comments today. I also thank the 
Republican leadership for recognizing that this simple but critical 
legislation is worthy of making it a priority by this Congress, even as 
there are other issues that face us at this time.
  In January 2011, following a spate of attacks against Christians in 
Iraq and ongoing persecution in Egypt, I convened a Tom Lantos Human 
Rights Commission hearing focusing on the plight of religious 
minorities in Egypt and Iraq. Among the witnesses was Representative 
Anna Eshoo, who ultimately became the lead Democrat on this bill for 
two consecutive Congresses.
  During the hearing we heard sobering testimony about the challenges 
facing these communities. A resounding theme emerged: Chaldo-Assyrian 
Christians and Coptic Christians were being marginalized and targeted 
for violence. These realities were all the more troubling given the 
historic roots of the faith communities in these two countries--
amazingly, many Iraqi Christians today still speak Aramaic, the 
language of Jesus.
  Not only were these communities being threatened in the lands they 
had inhabited for centuries, their plight was largely unknown and 
seemingly unimportant within the broader foreign policy apparatus. 
Notably, at the time of the hearing, the post of the U.S. Ambassador 
for International Religious Freedom had been vacant for 2 years.
  While the hearing predated the so-called ``Arab Spring,'' without 
question the dramatic changes in the region have only further 
jeopardized these communities. I was convinced then and remain 
convinced today that religious minorities in the Middle East and in key 
countries in South Central Asia, such as Pakistan--as the chairman 
mentioned--and Afghanistan need someone who can be their voice both 
within the halls of Foggy Bottom and abroad with foreign governments.
  Last Congress, this legislation overwhelmingly passed the House only 
to stall in the Senate in the face of opposition by the State 
Department--the same State Department which to date has failed to 
designate any Countries of Particular Concern for egregious religious 
freedom violations since August of 2011.
  The administration's opposition is shortsighted and, frankly, 
indefensible. As we debate this legislation, Coptic Christians are 
leaving Egypt in droves. As we debate this legislation, several Baha'i 
leaders languish unjustly in an Iranian prison, as does American 
citizen Saeed Abedini.
  As we debate this legislation, Ahmadi Muslims, as the chairman said, 
in Pakistan are prohibited from voting and their graves are desecrated. 
As we debate this legislation, Syrian Christians fear they too will be 
caught in a crossfire like Iraqi Christians, or worse yet, like the 
Iraqi Jewish community. I am told only a single Jewish person remains 
in the country today where once a vibrant Jewish community flourished.
  This legislation is supported by such diverse groups as faith-based 
organizations, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, United 
Methodist Church, The Ahmadi Muslim community, Southern Baptist 
Convention, and Christians United for Israel, among others, as well as 
a multitude of diaspora organizations which are directly linked with 
the very people the Special Envoy would serve.
  Will a Special Envoy guarantee these communities' survival--and even 
flourishing? I do not know. But I am certain that to do nothing is not 
an option--lest on this administration's and this Congress' watch we 
witness a Middle East emptied of ancient faith communities, foremost 
among them the ``Sunday People.''
  German Lutheran Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, faced with the tyranny of 
and horror of Nazism, famously said: ``Silence in the face of evil is 
itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.''
  I want to thank the chairman again, Mr. Royce, and urge my colleagues 
to join me in sending an undeniable message to persecuted people of 
faith the world over--and just as importantly to the forces that 
oppress them--that America, this shining city on the hill as envisioned 
by our Founders, will not be silent in the face of evil.
  Please vote ``yes'' on H.R. 301.
  Mr. MEEK. Mr. Speaker, at this time I am happy to yield 3 minutes to 
the coauthor of this bill, the gentlelady from California (Ms. Eshoo).
  Ms. ESHOO. I want to begin by thanking the ranking member. I also 
want to thank the chairman of the committee, and most especially my 
colleague and friend, Congressman Wolf.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 301, a bill that 
will create a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious 
Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.
  This legislation responds, as has been said so eloquently by those 
that spoke before me, to the urgent needs of Christians and other 
religious minorities who are really under siege in the Middle East 
precisely because they are Christians and because they are minorities.
  In light of the ongoing events in Syria, this legislation could not 
be more timely. I commend Representative Frank Wolf, whom I have worked 
closely with as cochair of the Religious Minorities Caucus, for his 
partnership in this effort. Most importantly, I thank him for his 
conscience.
  We first introduced this legislation in 2011 after Congressman Wolf 
chaired a hearing to review the violence and the hardship faced by 
Middle Eastern religious minorities. I testified that day about the 
plight of who I am descended from, the Assyrians--the world's oldest 
Christians who have fled and continue to flee Iraq.
  We agreed to press forward with this legislation to create a Special 
Envoy

[[Page 13693]]

at the State Department, the ambassador level, to elevate this issue 
for the attention that it deserves. The United States of America needs 
a high-level official dedicated to religious freedom in the region and 
committed to addressing the concerns of minority communities.
  Appropriately, H.R. 301 has attracted solid bipartisan support, with 
68 cosponsors calling for the State Department to elevate religious 
freedom in the Middle East as a diplomatic priority of our country.

                              {time}  1715

  Just as Senator John Danforth served our Nation as Special Envoy to 
Sudan and Senator George Mitchell Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, 
religious minorities in the Middle East require and deserve a high-
level authoritative voice to address their situation.
  The history of violence against Christians in the Middle East must 
not be allowed to repeat itself, and it is. Notably, Syria's ancient 
Christian population, which makes up 10 percent of the country, has 
been forced to flee their ancestral homeland, as noted in today's New 
York Times in a lengthy article.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlelady an additional 2 
minutes.
  Ms. ESHOO. Churches have been, and continue to be, attacked and 
sacred objects ransacked, and the very lives of those that stand 
against this are being threatened.
  The Christians of Syria, as well as Iraq, Iran, Israel, and Egypt, 
are the oldest in the world. Christianity was from the beginning a 
Middle Eastern religion. The Assyrian Christians, the Chaldeans, 
actually celebrate mass in Aramaic, which is the language Jesus spoke. 
For more than 2,000 years, Christians have been a key part of the 
Middle Eastern community.
  From the founding of our Nation, religious freedom has been a pillar 
of our democracy, and it remains one of the great hallmarks of our 
country.
  I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this critical 
legislation to create a Special Envoy focused on the freedom and 
survival of these ancient faith communities, and I thank Representative 
Wolf most especially for his tireless advocacy.
  I also thank the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for supporting 
this legislation and for writing to every Member of the House urging 
their full support, as well as the honor roll of faith-based 
organizations who support the legislation.
  Let us go forward and send a very clear message, not only to the 
other legislative body, but also to people around the world, that we 
remain the beacon of hope and light and that we uphold this pillar of 
religious freedom, not only in our own Nation but in countries around 
the world where people of faith are under siege.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  In closing, let me thank the authors of this bill, Mr. Wolf and Ms. 
Eshoo, for your dedication, your focus, and your hard work.
  It would seem that in the year of our Lord 2013 we would learn 
religious tolerance by now all over the world, we would have learned 
that it is the right thing to do to be patient with individuals who 
might believe different than we do, to allow them their way of life so 
that they can prosper and grow and pray in their own beliefs. 
Unfortunately, that's not true. For all of us, we should be concerned 
wherever religious tolerance is not adhered to.
  I recall the words--and why it concerns us--Dr. King said once that 
``injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' If we allow 
minorities who believe differently than we do anywhere to think that it 
is okay, and we are not going to use whatever diplomatic or other forms 
of relationships that we have to try to have religious freedoms, 
they're mistaken. We must not allow our voices to be silent, we must 
speak aloud in clear language, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, in the spirit that Mr. Meeks articulated 
there, we Americans who cherish religious liberty and all people of 
goodwill who value the rights of conscience cannot remain silent in the 
face of this rising regional intolerance. I think, as he put it, and as 
Mr. Wolf and Ms. Anna Eshoo put so eloquently, I think it is time to 
bring about this Special Envoy to deploy in the Middle East. I thank 
Mr. Wolf for his leadership and certainly urge passage of H.R. 301.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 301, 
legislation to provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to 
Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and 
South Central Asia. I want to thank my colleagues Congressman Wolf and 
Congresswoman Eshoo for introducing this important legislation, which I 
am proud to cosponsor.
  Ethno-religious minorities face serious threats in many countries in 
the Middle East, and it is critical that U.S. policy is sensitive to 
the needs and concerns of those endangered communities. Years of 
warfare, as well as specific persecution and targeting minority groups, 
has taken a serious toll on once-vibrant communities. While there were 
once over 1.5 million Christians in Iraq, today there are less than 
400,000.
  In October 2010, an attack on the Our Lady of Salvation Assyrian 
Catholic Church in Baghdad left more than 50 clergy, worshipers and 
police dead. This brutal massacre, just one of many in recent years, 
drew international outrage and condemnation. We need a clear strategy 
for the protection of targeted minority communities.
  My district in the Chicagoland area has a large and vibrant Assyrian 
population. In recent years, they have been extremely active in calling 
for greater attention to the ongoing persecution and targeting of their 
brothers and sisters in the Middle East, including a large march in 
Chicago in the wake of the 2010 Baghdad massacre. I am proud to work 
with them on this issue and to push to see H.R. 301 enacted into law.
  Today's legislation will ensure that this serious issue is given the 
high-level attention it deserves within the State Department. A Special 
Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near 
East and South Central Asia will be a voice for persecuted communities, 
ensuring that U.S. policy is responsive to their needs. It is a 
critical step toward protecting these ancient and vibrant communities, 
and toward ensuring a peaceful and secure future for all residents of 
the region.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor of H.R. 301, a 
bill to establish a Special Envoy to promote religious freedom for 
minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia and to applaud 
Representative Frank Wolf for his leadership on this timely and 
important issue.
  No one should be made to feel that the practice of their religion is 
a crime or a source of shame. When people are persecuted in the name of 
one religion against another, such persecution violates their 
inalienable right to worship as they choose and promotes political 
instability. Around the world, many conflicts are rooted in sectarian 
differences and rivalries. Today in Syria, Christians and other 
religious minorities are in direct peril and are the target of abuse 
and persecution as a result of the civil war. On April 22, 2013, Greek 
Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo Boulose Yazigi and the Syriac Archbishop 
of Aleppo, Yohanna Ibrahim were kidnapped by a faction of rebel 
extremists while carrying out humanitarian work in the area around the 
city. To this day they remain missing.
  To the extent the United States can promote religious tolerance, we 
advance the cause of human rights, justice and peace around the globe. 
This bill creates a special envoy in order to monitor and combat acts 
of religious intolerance and incitement targeted against religious 
minorities and to work with foreign governments to address laws that 
are inherently discriminatory toward religious minority communities.
  I encourage my colleagues to support of H.R. 301. By helping protect 
minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia, we contribute to 
the safety of minorities all over the world who live in fear for their 
lives merely because they practice a different religion than those 
around them.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I am an original co-sponsor of this 
legislation and look forward to its passage by the House.
  One of the most important services our State Department Special 
Envoys perform is

[[Page 13694]]

to help highlight the concern of the American people for specific, 
often troubling, developments beyond our shores. Such is the case and 
the need where issues of the persecution of religious minorities are 
concerned.
  During my tenure in Congress, I have heard from many of my 
constituents on the scope and brutality of state-sponsored or state-
sanctioned persecution of religious minorities. Whether it has been 
Coptic Christians in Egypt, Baha'i in Iran, Falun Gong in China, or 
Muslims in Burma, the story is always the same: a violent element of 
the majority religion--or in China and Iran, the state itself--commits 
the most horrific acts of violence against religious minorities in 
their midst, including the destruction of the sacred places of those 
religious minorities. Our government must do more to help combat this 
insidious evil, and one mechanism for doing so is creating and properly 
funding this position.
  As a nation founded by religious minorities seeking a safe haven in a 
new land, we have both a history and an obligation to do all in our 
power to protect the rights and the lives of religious minorities 
around the world. Creating the position of Special Envoy to Promote 
Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South 
Central Asia is one important step in making good on that commitment. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 301, 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. WOLF. Mr. 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 motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________