114 HR 1150 EAS: Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act U.S. House of Representatives 2016-12-10 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. 114th CONGRESS2d SessionH.R. 1150In the Senate of the United States,December 10 (legislative day, December 9), 2016.Amendment:

That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R. 1150) entitled An Act 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., do pass with the following

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following:

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 activitiesSec. 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 CouncilSec. 201. Special Adviser for International Religious Freedom.TITLE III—Presidential actionsSec. 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 freedomSec. 401. Assistance for promoting religious freedom.TITLE V—Designated Persons List for Particularly Severe Violations of Religious FreedomSec. 501. Designated Persons List for Particularly Severe Violations of Religious Freedom.TITLE VI—Miscellaneous provisionsSec. 601. Miscellaneous provisions.Sec. 602. Clerical amendments.

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.

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,.

Secretary