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“UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REFORM AND REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2011” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H9810-H9812 on Dec. 16, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REFORM AND
REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2011
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 2867) to reauthorize the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendments is as follows:
Senate amendments:
Beginning on page 2, strike line 6 and all that follows through ``(3)'' on page 4, line 18, and insert the following:
(a) Terms.--Section 201(c) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(c)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The term of office of each member of the Commission shall be 2 years. An individual, including any member appointed to the Commission prior to the date of the enactment of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011, shall not serve more than 2 terms as a member of the Commission under any circumstance. For any member serving on the Commission on such date who has completed at least 2 full terms on the Commission, such member's term shall expire 90 days after such date. A member of the Commission may not serve after the expiration of that member's term.''; and
(2)
On page 5, line 3, strike ``(c)'' and insert ``(b)''.
On page 5, strike lines 9 through 19 and insert the following:
(c) Application of Federal Travel Regulation and Department of State Standardized Regulations to the Commission.--Section 201(i) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(i)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Members of the Commission are subject to the requirements set forth in chapters 300 through 304 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations (commonly known as the
`Federal Travel Regulation') and the Department of State Standardized Regulations governing authorized travel at government expense, including regulations concerning the mode of travel, lodging and per diem expenditures, reimbursement payments, and expense reporting and documentation requirements.''.
On page 5, strike line 21 and insert the following:
(a) In General.--Section 204 of the International Religious Freedom
On page 6, between lines 16 and 17, insert the following:
(b) Pending Claims.--Any administrative or judicial claim or action pending on the date of the enactment of this Act may be maintained under section 204(g) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, as added by subsection (a).
On page 6, line 21, strike ``and 2013'' and insert
``through 2014''.
On page 7, line 9, strike ``2013'' and insert ``2014''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.
General Leave
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The right to free religious belief and practice is a fundamental human right. But as Coptic Christians in Egypt and other religious minorities can attest, that right is frequently and tragically denied. It was for this reason that Congress established the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent, bipartisan Federal Commission charged with monitoring and protecting and promoting religious freedom abroad.
Our State Department prioritizes an array of diplomatic, economic, and other issues that sometimes keep it from speaking and acting boldly against religious suppression. For this reason alone, the single-minded role of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as a truth-telling watchdog and policy advocate remains critically important. The commission's annual report, its list of countries meriting CPC designation, and its special reports push American foreign policy to better reflect America's most cherished liberties.
For example, in spite of long-standing abuses, Vietnam has not been redesignated by the State Department as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, for religious freedom violations. But the Commission has built a compelling case for Vietnam's CPC status, reporting on the repression of protestants in the Central Highlands, unregistered Buddhist groups, and others--a call that was echoed by our Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this year in our State authorization bill.
Yet, the Commission will soon have to shut its doors unless Congress acts immediately to reauthorize it.
For this reason, the House overwhelmingly passed H.R. 2867 back in September. This bipartisan bill would reform and reauthorize the Commission and, in recognition of the fiscal challenges we face, includes funding that is a 30 percent cut from current year funding levels.
Finally 3 days ago, the Senate unanimously passed H.R. 2867, along with a brief amendment which is before us today. The Senate amendment adds a few additional reforms, including standard Federal regulation of Commission travel, to those required by our House bill.
I want to thank my good friend from Virginia, Mr. Frank Wolf, for his indispensable leadership in authoring this bill. I also want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Berman of California, and our Senate colleagues for their cooperation.
I urge all of our colleagues to join us in voting ``aye'' and sending H.R. 2867 to the President's desk as soon as possible. Let us remind the world that we stand as one against the persecution of religious believers anywhere.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 2867, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011, and the Senate amendments to the bill.
I want to initially start out by thanking the sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from Virginia, Frank Wolf, for his leadership on the issue of international religious freedom; Senator Durbin for his efforts to strengthen the bill; my chairman, Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen, for her management of this whole process that's finally going to get this reauthorization hopefully passed and sent to the President.
We're fortunate to live in a country that was founded by religious refugees on principles of tolerance. And we strive to adhere to article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This right includes the freedom to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance.
But elsewhere around the world, religious freedom and human rights are routinely violated. Countless men, women, and children face violence, persecution, and discrimination because of their faith. Unfortunately, intolerance is not restricted to just a few countries. Violent extremist attacks have taken place in the Middle East and South Asia. The regimes in North Korea and Iran actively repress religious freedom. Apostasy and blasphemy laws have fueled discrimination against religious minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Other religious minorities like the Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims, Ahmadis, and the Bahais face violence in government restrictions, and anti-Semitism is still prevalent around the world.
{time} 0950
More than ever, we need the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to continue its important work to support the right to practice one's religion freely around the globe.
This bipartisan bill before us today reauthorizes the Commission, known as USCIRF, for another 3 years. The bill also contains some sensible reforms that will strengthen USCIRF's efforts to monitor and report on the status of freedom of religion abroad. These reforms include the process of selecting the chair, term limits for service for the members of the Commission, travel regulations, and a GAO study on improving the effectiveness and coordination of all the U.S. Government bodies that focus on international religious freedom.
In particular, I would like to thank Mr. Wolf for agreeing to include a provision that clarifies that USCIRF is subject to the same workplace protections and civil rights laws as the rest of the Federal Government.
With this piece of legislation, USCIRF will be able to more effectively carry out its mission and be the Commission it was intended to be. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and the author of this bill.
(Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WOLF. I thank the chair very much for yielding.
I want to thank Representative Ros-Lehtinen and her staff for, really, being very dogged and persistent, and I want them to know how grateful I am. As people are for this bill, they should know that had it not been for them, we would not be here.
I also want to thank Mr. Berman and his staff. I want to thank Mr. Cantor and his staff for scheduling this. I want to single out Speaker Boehner and his staff because they were a part of this effort for the last several months, and they were very faithful, so I want to thank them. I also want to thank my staff for being involved in this for well over a year.
The Coptic Christians are going through a very difficult time. The Iraqi Christians are being killed, and difficult things are happening to them. In Tibet, the Buddhists are setting themselves aflame because of the persecution of the Chinese Government. The Catholic Church in China is under stress: 25 bishops are under house arrest. The Protestant House Church in China is being squeezed and persecuted. The Christians in Sudan, in the Blue Nile area, are going through genocide and are being killed because of their faith.
Interestingly enough, the original bill passed on the very last day of Congress a number of years ago, and history is repeating itself. The Commission has been a beacon of hope. With that, I just want to, again, thank all those who helped us get here.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), chairman of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs for yielding me the time.
I rise to congratulate my very good friend, the gentleman from Virginia, Frank Wolf, who has just talked about both Sudan and China as being very key areas where religious persecution has taken place and continues to be a threat. I've been working with the chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and with other Members in a bipartisan way on the situation that exists in Egypt.
One of the reasons I wanted to offer remarks is that, when she stood up and talked about the Coptic Christians in Egypt, we obviously know that there are challenging days ahead; and I think it's very important for us to do everything that we can to encourage those who may have had a history of engaging in religious persecution in the past to recognize religious freedom, human rights, the rights of women, the rule of law, and all of the other very critical items that are a key part of the development of democracy.
So many people believe that you have a democracy if you hold an election. Well, Mr. Speaker, as you know very well, one election a democracy does not make; and there are other very important aspects of the development of democracy, and religious freedom is a key part of that.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, with that, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2867, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act, as amended by the Senate.
Religious freedom--the right to worship and practice one's faith according to the dictates of one's own conscience--is a foundational human right. Many have called religious freedom the first freedom. Not only is it the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, it is intrinsic to the human dignity of every man and woman on this earth.
However, it is a right denied or curtailed for many--and according to some estimates, most--people in the world.
For Copts in Egypt, Uighurs in China, Montagnards in Central Vietnam, Jews and Baha'i in Iran, many Buddhist monks in Burma, and countless millions elsewhere, the ability to live their faith without threat of persecution is a distant and unrealized promise.
Dr. Brian Grim, a witness at a recent hearing I held on religious freedom, has done significant research in this area. In a study he conducted in 2009, he found that nearly 70 percent of the world's 6.8 billion people live in countries with high or very high restrictions on religion. His study specifically cited Iran, Pakistan, China, and Egypt as among the most repressive of religious expression. This is significant not only because it highlights the number of people denied this most fundamental of human rights, but also because religious freedom is comprised of a ``bundle of rights.'' Religious freedom implies freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of association and assembly, and even freedom of the press. Absent freedom of religion, all these other rights are in jeopardy.
In fact, Dr. Grim's research shows that countries that respect these rights reap a host of socio-economic benefits, including better education, better health care, greater equity of pay between men and women, and higher GDP, and these benefits arguably lead to greater social stability. On the other hand, countries without respect for religious freedom do worse on these socio-economic indicators, have greater societal tension, and are more prone to instability. The importance of promoting all components of religious freedom therefore cannot be overstated. Not only is it a moral imperative, but religious freedom keeps extremism and tyranny at bay.
For these reasons, U.S. leadership on religious freedom is desperately needed in many countries around the world, together with a more vigorous utilization of the means provided in the IRF Act for promoting religious human rights.
I was pleased to work with my good friend from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) and to chair the Committee hearings and markup fourteen years ago that led to the enactment of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, which established the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The Act provided our Administration with the tools necessary to make international religious freedom an integral component of the highest priority in U.S. foreign policy.
Contrary to assertions that singling out religious freedom would somehow make it seem more important or separated from other fundamental human rights--the Clinton Administration asserted that its strong opposition to the Act was based on its belief that the Act would result in a ``hierarchy of rights''--those of us who championed the bill argued that it was necessary to ensure that religious freedom is given its rightful place within the framework of human rights promotion.
The law provided a new and bipartisan focus, which has begun to grant religious freedom its rightful stature in the diplomatic and foreign policy of the United States, under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was and is an important part of that effort. It was created as an independent body of experts to review the facts and make policy recommendations from a vantage point outside of our diplomatic corps, where bilateral and other concerns had sometimes resulted in the soft-pedaling of severe, ongoing violations of religious freedom around the world.
Even today, when the quality of State Department reporting on religious freedom issues has improved, the Commission continues to serve a critical role as a sounding board and a catalyst.
One indicator is the fact that the Commission's list of recommended
``Countries of Particular Concern'' for severe violations of religious remains larger than the number designated by the State Department.
In September, Secretary Clinton rightfully designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan as CPCs.
But the State Department's list does not add any new countries from last year, and glaringly omits Vietnam, whose policies have more than earned that badge of shame.
Secretary Clinton also did not designate Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Turkmenistan, and Pakistan as recommended by the Commission.
We need the Commission more than ever. Already in the Congress, we have had six comprehensive hearings on religious freedom: Two in the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission regarding the religious freedom of minorities in the Middle East, especially Egypt; two on the Committee I chair regarding the prioritization of religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy, and two in the Helsinki Commission on the particular plight of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
The Commission has been an invaluable resource to Congress as we monitor the protection and promotion of religious freedom around the world--and the response of the Administration on this very important issue.
They have also been a resource to governments seeking how to remedy religious freedom abuses within their own borders. For instance, in Indonesia, the Commission worked with members of the Indonesian House of Representatives and civil society groups who introduced measures to strengthen provisions in the criminal code regarding attacks on religious gatherings and amend the law governing the building of religious venues.
The Commission also continues to help network human rights and legal advocates in Indonesia working to defend individuals accused of
``blasphemy'' and religious minorities facing intimidation and violence from extremist groups. The Commission's work in Indonesia will have practical impact on the exercise of human rights--and preservation of peace--in Indonesia.
Other governments have looked to the Commission as a model for their own religious freedom Commissions.
The bill before us includes a number of bipartisan reforms to Commission authorities and operations to make their work even more effective.
I want to thank Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and Ranking Member Berman for working to bring to the floor this important bill, which deserves unanimous support. And I would like to extend a special thanks to Representative Wolf, whose tireless efforts on this legislation have brought hope to persecuted people across the world.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the bill, H.R. 2867.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the Senate amendments were concurred in.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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