114 HR 1150 IH: Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015 U.S. House of Representatives 2015-02-27 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.

I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1150 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 27, 2015 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Ms. Eshoo) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL 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.

1.

Short title and table of contents

(a)

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015. (b)

Table of contents

The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings; policy. Sec. 3. Definitions. Title I—Department of State activities Sec. 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; report. Sec. 104. Prisoner lists and issue briefs on religious freedom concerns. Title II—Commission on International Religious Freedom Sec. 201. Establishment and composition. Sec. 202. Commission personnel matters. Sec. 203. Authorization of appropriations. Sec. 204. Standards of conduct and disclosure. Sec. 205. Termination. Title III—National Security Council Sec. 301. Special Adviser for Global Religion Engagement and International Religious Freedom; Interagency Policy Committees. Title IV—Presidential actions Sec. 401. Presidential actions in response to violations of religious freedom. Sec. 402. Presidential actions in response to particularly severe violations of religious freedom. Sec. 403. Consultations. Sec. 404. Report to Congress. Sec. 405. Presidential waiver. Sec. 406. Termination of Presidential actions. Sec. 407. Statement of policy regarding country of particular concern designation for violent nonstate actors. Title V—Promotion of religious freedom Sec. 501. Assistance for promoting religious freedom. Title VI—Refugee, asylum, and consular matters Sec. 601. Actions against persons responsible for committing particularly severe violations of international religious freedom. Title VII—Miscellaneous provisions Sec. 701. Miscellaneous provisions. Sec. 702. Clerical amendments.

2.

Findings; policy

Section 2 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401) is amended— (1)in subsection (a)— (A)in paragraph (4), in the fourth sentence, by inserting prohibitions on ritual animal slaughter, male infant circumcision, censorship of religious content, or worship on the Internet, after confiscations of property,; (B)in paragraph (5), by amending the second sentence to read as follows: In many countries, religious believers are forced to meet secretly, and religious leaders and believers are targeted by national security forces, violent nonstate actors, and hostile mobs.; (C)by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (9); and (D)by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new paragraphs: (7)There is growing evidence that demonstrates a connection between the absence of religious freedom and increased levels of persecution of religious minorities, religiously motivated conflict, violent extremism, and terrorism, including the kind of terrorism that has reached the United States. (8)It is increasingly clear that understanding religion and the political and security implications of religious motivation and conviction is critical to the success of United States diplomacy and foreign policy initiatives as there are studies that show— (A)75 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where the right to the freedom of religion and belief is severely restricted, either by the government or violent nonstate actors; and (B)84 percent of the world’s population identifies strongly with a specific religious group.; and (2)in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (6)Because the promotion of international religious freedom is a foreign policy strategy that protects other, related 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, global religion engagement strategies, and diplomatic responses that are drawn from the expertise of the national security agencies, the diplomatic services, Congress, and other governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and are coordinated across and carried out by the entire range of Federal agencies that are engaged with or conduct negotiations or United States Government funded programs with governments or violent nonstate actors that engage in or tolerate violations of religious freedom..

3.

Definitions

Section 3 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6402) is amended— (1)by amending paragraph (12) to read as follows: (12)

Special Adviser

The term Special Adviser means the Special Advisor for Global Religion Engagement and International Religious Freedom described in section 101 of the National Security Act of 1947.; and (2)by adding at the end, the following new paragraphs: (14)

Special Watch List

The term Special Watch List means the Special Watch List described in section 102(b)(1)(F)(iii). (15)

Violent nonstate actor

The term violent nonstate actor means a nonsovereign entity or group that— (A)exercises significant political power or influence at a national or international level; and (B)engages in, finances, or tolerates violations of religious freedom, terrorism, or violence or discrimination targeting religious minorities. (16)

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).