[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11339-11342]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 
                      REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2014

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4653) to reauthorize the United States Commission 
on International Religious Freedom, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4653

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``United States Commission on 
     International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 
     2014''.

     SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION.

       (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 201 of the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431) 
     is amended by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, which shall be an independent Federal 
     Government advisory body''.
       (b) Selection.--Subparagraph (A) of section 201(b)(2) of 
     the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
     6431(b)(2) is amended by inserting at the end the following 
     new sentence: ``The Commission as a whole shall also have 
     expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the 
     world.''.
       (c) Membership.--Subsection (b)(3) of section 201 of the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431) 
     is amended by striking ``The appointments required by 
     paragraph (1) shall be made not later than 120 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.'' and inserting the 
     following: ``An appointment required by subparagraph (B) of 
     paragraph (1) should be made within 90 days of a vacancy on 
     the Commission.''.
       (d) Vacancies.--Subsection (g) of section 201 of the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431) 
     is amended by striking the second sentence.

     SEC. 3. TRAINING FOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS.

       Subsection (a) of section 708 of the Foreign Service Act of 
     1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1),
       (A) by striking ``and the director'' and inserting ``the 
     director''; and
       (B) inserting ``and members of the United States Commission 
     on International Religious Freedom,'' after ``Training 
     Center,''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by striking ``and the various'' and inserting ``the 
     various''; and
       (B) by inserting ``, the relationship between religious 
     freedom and security, and the role of religious freedom in 
     United States foreign policy'' after ``violations of 
     religious freedom''.

     SEC. 4. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.

       (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 204 of the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) 
     is amended in the second sentence, by inserting ``voting'' 
     after ``nine''.
       (b) Compensation.--Subsection (b) of section 204 of the 
     International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) 
     is amended by inserting ``voting members of the'' after 
     ``The''.
       (c) Security Clearances.--Subsection (e) of section 204 of 
     the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
     6432b) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     sentence: ``The Department of State is encouraged to allow 
     Commissioners and Commission staff with the appropriate 
     security clearance access to classified information, in order 
     to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of their 
     positions.''.
       (d) Application of Antidiscrimination Laws.--Subsection (g) 
     of section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 
     1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) is amended by inserting ``, including 
     discrimination on the basis of religion'' after ``employment 
     discrimination''.

     SEC. 5. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND DISCLOSURE.

       Paragraph (2) of section 208(d)(2) of the International 
     Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6435a(d)(2)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(H) Intern, fellowship, and volunteer programs that are 
     primarily of educational benefit to the intern, fellow, or 
     volunteer. Sponsoring private parties may provide 
     compensation and benefits to interns, fellows, and 
     volunteers, provided that no conflict of interest arises. The 
     number, duration, and funding source of any such internship, 
     fellowship, or volunteer programs shall be described in the 
     annual financial report required by subsection (e).''.

     SEC. 6. EXTENSION AND TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.

       The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a) of section 207 (22 U.S.C. 6435), by 
     striking ``2014'' and inserting ``2019''; and
       (2) in section 209 (22 U.S.C. 6436), by striking 
     ``September 30, 2014'' and inserting ``September 30, 2019''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.

[[Page 11340]]


  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  H.R. 4653 demonstrates--again, introduced by our distinguished friend 
and colleague Frank Wolf--the strong bipartisan support that exists for 
religious freedom, with nearly an equal number of Republican and 
Democrat cosponsors of the legislation.

                              {time}  1545

  I believe this makes a powerful statement in a world where we see the 
rights of religious minorities and conscientious objectors being 
trampled upon in countries where intolerant ideologies, be they of a 
sectarian or secular nature, seek to crush moral and spiritual thought 
and conscience.
  The headlines, indeed, are filled with examples in country after 
country in the world. A 27-year-old mother in Sudan was imprisoned and 
faced a death sentence in Sudan because, under shari'a law, she was 
considered an apostate as the child of a Muslim father, even though the 
only religion she herself had ever practiced was Christianity. To this 
day, Meriam Ibrahim remains unable to leave Sudan.
  Anti-Semitism, pervasive and lethal in the Middle East, has spread 
like a cancer in many parts of Europe, and has resurfaced in Ukraine 
with a series of shocking and violent attacks following the ouster of 
former Prime Minister Yanukovych.
  In communist dictatorships such as China, religious believers are 
imprisoned, tortured, and even executed for attempting to practice 
their faith. In China today, there is a pernicious, escalating war on 
believers, made worse by the wanton brutality of the regime's 
ubiquitous secret police. In North Korea, the situation couldn't be 
more dire, with Christians in particular subject to what human rights 
observers have termed genocide, dying by the tens of thousands from 
starvation and torture in concentration camps for daring to hold true 
to their consciences--that innermost sanctuary of the individual.
  Tragically, many countries of the world are a long way from achieving 
the human right of religious freedom recognized by article 18 of both 
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International 
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1998, with great legislative skill, commitment, and 
driving passion, Chairman Frank Wolf pushed a somewhat supportive 
Congress but highly reluctant White House into enacting a singularly 
important human rights law: the International Religious Freedom Act of 
1998.
  For the first time ever, Frank Wolf's law made the protection and 
promotion of religious freedom a serious priority in U.S. foreign 
policy by creating an Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom; by 
establishing the Office of International Religious Freedom at the 
Department of State, which, among other duties, compiles the 
International Religious Freedom Reports on every country in the world; 
and by crafting the independent-minded U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom, the subject of today's reauthorization.
  Importantly, Frank Wolf's landmark law also created a system for 
naming and taking action against Countries of Particular Concern, or 
CPCs. History has shown that when the U.S. elevates religious freedom--
and that priority is conveyed to Countries of Particular Concern--
conditions often change for the better, prisoners of conscience gain 
their freedom, and progress is made in the free, or at least a freer, 
exercise of religious liberty.
  According to the Commission, three themes guide the nine 
Commissioners' discussions on priority countries with serious 
violations of religious freedom: state-sponsored hostility to and 
repression of religion; state-sponsored extremist ideology and 
education; and state failure to prevent and punish religious freedom 
violations--or, a sense of impunity. Several of the CPC countries that 
systematically violate religious freedom fall into all three of those 
categories.
  Mr. Speaker, when an administration, be it Republican or Democrat, 
demotes or trivializes religious freedom to a minor talking point, 
human rights-abusing nations construe such indifference as license to 
harass, abuse and exploit persons of faith.
  Since its founding, the International Religious Freedom Commission 
has issued 15 annual reports and 14 special reports covering 76 
countries. Of these, the Commission has identified 16 of these as 
countries that ought to be designated as Countries of Particular 
Concern.
  I would also point out the Commission has acted as a true watchdog, 
recommending with incisive commentary--and I read their reports, as I 
know Frank Wolf and many other Members in this Chamber read them--twice 
as many countries as CPCs than the State Department has designated as 
Countries of Particular Concern.
  Our hope is that the State Department will say other diplomatic 
concerns need to be subordinated and just call it the way it is. If a 
designation is warranted, then name them a Country of Particular 
Concern and begin a robust intervention to try to get that nation to 
mitigate and, hopefully, end such egregious practices.
  This includes the Commission's list of eight nations that are not on 
the list currently. One is Vietnam, which is an egregious violator of 
the rights of religious minorities. The Commission always calls it like 
it is and pulls no punches.
  I would hope--and I would add this parenthetically--that when Members 
travel, they ought to look up on the Commission Web site and read what 
the country they are going to visit has said and done about religious 
freedom violations. Read the country specific report on it, and bring 
it up with your interlocutors in the country you are going to.
  It is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, that while the CPC designations 
remain, the penalties associated with the designations have now 
essentially lapsed. The last designations by the Obama administration 
were in 2011, and as 2 years have passed, the sanctions directly linked 
to the International Religious Freedom Act's sanctions authority have 
expired. This failure to implement our law on religious freedom sends a 
deeply troubling message to violators of this fundamental human right. 
It is thus more important than ever that we in Congress speak with a 
clear and loud voice today.
  Two-and-a-half years ago, after passing with strong bipartisan 
support in the House, reauthorization of the Commission got bogged down 
in the Senate. Eventually, through the tenacity of Chairman Wolf, holds 
were lifted and the bill passed and was signed into law. We hope that 
the Senate will move swiftly to passage.
  Mr. Speaker, let me also point out that in the House there has been 
tremendous cooperation on both sides of the aisle. This is, as I said 
at the outset, a truly bipartisan piece of legislation. We have had 
excellent input from the Commission itself throughout this process, 
including testimony from then-Chairman Dr. Robert George of Princeton 
University, who attended my hearing on May 22 and laid out in long, and 
very, I think, precise detail what needs to be done to combat the 
religious intolerance that exists today.
  I would point out parenthetically that on July 1, Dr. Katrina Lantos 
Swett was elected as the new Chairman. Dr. George is now the Vice 
Chairman.
  I would also point out that at my hearing members from the religious 
minority communities--Muslim, Baha'i, Christian, and Jewish--spoke out 
about the importance of the work of the Commission in countries like 
Iran, Pakistan, and China, helping to shine a bright light on the 
serious abuses that take place in all three countries. Of course, they 
raised other concerns as well.
  Therefore, I ask all of our colleagues to join us in supporting this 
fine bipartisan piece of legislation, sending a very important message 
to the world that the United States of America deeply values religious 
liberty, and that it should continue to be a cornerstone of U.S. 
foreign policy.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

[[Page 11341]]


  Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4653, legislation that 
reauthorizes the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
  I would like to begin by commending Representative Frank Wolf, the 
author of this important legislation, along with Representative Chris 
Smith, for their leadership on international religious freedom issues 
and for their hard work on this bill.
  Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights States that:

       Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, 
     and religion; this right includes freedom to . . . manifest 
     his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and 
     observance.

  Yet, every day religious communities around the world are subject to 
escalating violence, persecution, and discrimination.
  In Sudan, a woman just faced a trial for apostasy, and was initially 
sentenced to death. China has banned fasting during Ramadan in Muslim-
majority areas. In Nigeria, Christians and Muslim communities live in 
fear of the fanatical terrorist group Boko Haram. In Iran, the regime 
continues to persecute members of the Baha'i faith.
  These and the many other examples of religious intolerance around the 
world are unacceptable. In keeping with our values, the United States 
has a responsibility to speak out against violations of religious 
freedom wherever they might occur.
  USCIRF's work to defend religious freedom ranges from conducting 
research and publishing reports and analysis for public consumption, to 
offering advice and guidance to lawmakers on religious freedom 
violations around the world.
  I believe religious freedom is a cornerstone of a strong democracy. 
And democracies, especially the United States, have a responsibility to 
support religious freedom around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4653, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), the author of this 
legislation and the man that pushed this bill to enactment, the prime 
author of the International Religious Freedom Act, the chairman of the 
Commerce, Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, and also the cochair of 
the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking Speaker 
Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, and their staff for prioritizing House 
consideration of this important reauthorization, as well as House 
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Congressman Chris Smith 
for shepherding this legislation through the committee process.
  I will say publicly what I said many times privately: no person that 
I have served with in 34 years has done more for human rights and 
religious freedom than Congressman Chris Smith. He is my hero. When I 
see the giants that I have served with in my 34 years, and when you go 
abroad, whether it be in Boko Haram territory in Nigeria or in China, 
no one has a greater reputation for speaking out for the voiceless than 
Congressman Smith. So I appreciate Chris' efforts at moving this thing 
quickly.
  I also want to thank Elyse Anderson from my staff, who has done 
incredible work on this.
  From the start, this bill has enjoyed, as Mr. Smith said, strong 
bipartisan support, including the cosponsorship of Foreign Affairs 
Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel. I want to thank Mr. Engel also 
for his strong support on these issues over the years.
  The broad support for this bill is fitting for an issue so central to 
America's own grand experiment in self-governance--the protection of 
religious freedom--which is often referred to as America's ``first 
freedom.''
  Sadly, one need only pick up the newspaper today to see how religious 
freedom is under assault globally.
  The terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, is gaining 
territory in Iraq and before our eyes is threatening the very existence 
of ancient faith communities in the region, including the centuries-old 
Christian community.
  Tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled Mosul and the 
surrounding region in what the Christian Science Monitor recently 
characterized as a ``cataclysmic restructuring of an area that was home 
to some of the earliest Christians.''
  In addition to the crisis in Iraq, religious minorities are 
marginalized and imperiled in Egypt and Syria. The government of 
Vietnam severely restricts religious activities of all faiths, as does 
the government of China; and religious minorities such as the Ahmadiyya 
Muslims face governmental and social harassment in Pakistan, Saudi 
Arabia, and Indonesia. Countries that we give aid and support to, 
though the Ahmadiyyas in Pakistan cannot even vote.
  These persecuted individuals and communities look to the U.S. above 
all others to champion their cause and to raise their plight with 
repressive governments.
  In May, I introduced H.R. 4653, the bipartisan legislation before us 
today, which reauthorizes the U.S. Commission on International 
Religious Freedom for 5 years.
  First created in 1998 through the International Religious Freedom 
Act, it is an independent, bipartisan Federal Government Commission 
that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief 
abroad, reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom 
violation based on international standards, and makes policy 
recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. 
Without this Commission, there would be nobody around to point out what 
is taking place to these groups.

                              {time}  1600

  Since its inception, the Commission has been an invaluable watchdog 
for global religious freedom conditions. The Commission has been a 
voice for the imprisoned Baha'i leader who is languishing unjustly 
behind bars in Iran. Many Baha'is are behind bars in Iran, and if it 
weren't for the Commission, no one would know.
  The Commission has been a voice of the fearful Iraqi nun who is 
uncertain if there is a future for her in the land of her birth. More 
Biblical activity took place in Iraq than in any other country in the 
world, other than in Israel. Abraham is from Iraq. Ezekiel is buried in 
Iraq. Daniel is from Iraq, as are Jonah and Nineveh. Without the 
Commission, there would be nobody speaking out for the Iraqi nun, who 
is fearful of her life and is fearful of the future for her church.
  The Commission has been a voice of the Buddhist monk, who has watched 
with horror as more than 130 of his fellow Tibetans have set themselves 
aflame in desperation at the abuses they have suffered at the hands of 
the Chinese Government. If it were not for this Commission, nobody 
would know how the Buddhists are being persecuted in Tibet.
  In short, the Commission has been and, with passage of this 
legislation, will continue to be the voice of the marginalized, 
oppressed, and persecuted people who dare to worship according to the 
dictates of their consciences.
  The Commission can be relied upon to consistently give the 
unvarnished truth, as Mr. Smith said, about the true state of religious 
freedom in countries around the globe, whether they are strategic 
allies or adversaries. The Commission is also unhindered by the 
bureaucratic morass that so often stymies the State Department during 
both Republican and Democratic administrations alike.
  Given the state of religious freedom abroad today, the sobering 
reality is that the Commission's voice is needed more now than ever 
before. A vote for this legislation is a vote for America's first 
freedom. With that, I urge its unanimous passage.
  Mr. PETERSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, so I encourage 
all of my colleagues to support H.R. 4653.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.

[[Page 11342]]

  To conclude, I want to thank Chairman Wolf again for, authoring the 
International Religious Freedom Act in 1998. What we reauthorize today 
is just one part of it, and that is the International Religious Freedom 
Commission.
  For the record, the Commission is comprised of nine Commissioners, 
plus the Ambassador at Large. As of July 1, the current Chairman is Dr. 
Katrina Lantos Swett, Dr. Robert George is Vice Chairman; Dr. James 
Zogby is Vice Chairman; and Dr. Zuhdi Jasser and Mary Ann Glendon are 
Commissioners.
  Dean Eric Schwartz--who, as we all know, used to work up on the Hill 
as a staffer on the Democrat side and who went on to work in the NSC 
and work on refugee policies--is also a Commissioner, as are Daniel 
Mark, Father Thomas Reese, and Hannah Rosenthal--who acted as--as point 
person in combating anti-Semitism. They work at their own expense. 
These are very, very dedicated individuals and their work is supported 
by a highly professional staff.
  Again, I would ask Members to read their reports. They are among the 
best reports that have been produced anywhere in Washington. They are 
accurately posting what is going on, and then they go into great depth 
as to what some of the remedies ought to be.
  I want to thank, again, Chairman Wolf for his extraordinary 
leadership for 34 years as a Member of Congress in combating all forms 
of human rights abuse, especially religious persecution. This is just 
another manifestation of his extraordinary leadership.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on this bill.
  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. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary 
Committee, I rise in strong support to H.R. 4653, U.S. Commission on 
International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2014.
  I support this bipartisan legislation which reauthorizes the U.S. 
Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for five years.
  First created in 1998, USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan Federal 
government commission that monitors the universal right to freedom of 
religion or belief abroad, reviews the facts and circumstances of 
religious freedom violations based on international standards and makes 
policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and 
Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, if we are going to have religious freedom then it is 
important that we protect it. Everywhere we look, the choice of worship 
is being challenged.
  For example, we are reminded that significant threats to religious 
freedom persist across the globe.
  In Iraq the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is gaining 
territory in Iraq and threatening the very existence of ancient faith 
communities in the region,
  In addition to the crisis in Iraq, religious minorities are 
marginalized and imperiled in Egypt and Syria; the government of 
Vietnam severely restricts religious activities of all faiths, as does 
the government of China; and religious minorities such as the Ahmadiyya 
Muslims face governmental and social harassment in Pakistan, Saudi 
Arabia and Indonesia.
  Since its inception, USCIRF has been an invaluable watchdog for 
global religious freedom conditions.
  USCIRF commissioners are routinely called upon to testify before 
Congress and provide expert policy recommendations on how to most 
effectively advance this fundamental human right in U.S. foreign 
policy.
  Religious freedom is America's first freedom, part of its history and 
identity as a nation. It also is a core human right recognized by 
international law and treaty; a necessary component of U.S. foreign 
policy and America's commitment to defending democracy and freedom 
globally; and a vital element of national security, critical to 
ensuring a more peaceful, prosperous, and stable world.
  USCIRF champions this issue both at home and abroad and its voice is 
needed as much today as it has ever been.
  I urge you to join me in cosponsoring this bipartisan legislation to 
reauthorize USCIRF.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4653, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________