United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015

Summary: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 This bill reauthorizes the U.S.&nbsp;Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through FY2019. The Chair and Vice Chair of USCIRF must at least biennially carry out a strategic policy and organizational review and submit a strategic plan to Congress concerning: (1) prioritized actions for USCIRF, (2) any changes it considers necessary with regard to the scope, content, and timing of USCIRF's annual report; (3) any changes USCIRF considers necessary with regard to personnel matters; and (4) USCIRF's funding requirements. If unanimous agreement is not possible, items for inclusion in the strategic plan may, at the joint discretion of the Chair and Vice Chair, be approved by: (1) a majority of Commissioners appointed by an elected official from the political party of the President, and (2) a majority of Commissioners appointed by an elected official from the political party that is not the party of the President.  The Vice Chair for such purposes must be appointed by an elected official from the political party that is different from the political party of the elected official who appointed the Chair. USCIRF is authorized to implement provisions related to personnel and the annual report that are included in the strategic plan.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Commission on 
International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Commission 
on International Religious Freedom--
            (1) was created by Congress to independently assess and to 
        accurately and unflinchingly describe threats to religious 
        freedom around the world; and
            (2) in carrying out its prescribed duties, should use its 
        authorized powers to ensure that efforts by the United States 
        to advance religious freedom abroad are timely, appropriate to 
        the circumstances, prudent, and effective.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY.

    Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6436) is amended by striking ``September 30, 2015'' and 
inserting ``September 30, 2019''.

SEC. 4. STRATEGIC PLAN.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives;
                    (C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; 
                and
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the United 
        States Commission on International Religious Freedom 
        established under section 201 of the International Religious 
        Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431).
            (3) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means a member 
        of the Commission.
            (4) Vice chair.--The term ``Vice Chair'' means the Vice 
        Chair of the Commission who was appointed to such position by 
        an elected official from the political party that is different 
        from the political party of the elected official who appointed 
        the Chair of the Commission.
    (b) Strategic Policy and Organizational Review Planning Process.--
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and 
not less frequently than biennially thereafter, the Chair and Vice 
Chair of the Commission, in coordination with the Commissioners, the 
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Commission 
staff, and others jointly selected by the Chair and Vice Chair, shall 
carry out a strategic policy and organizational review planning process 
that includes--
            (1) a review of the duties set forth in section 202 of the 
        International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432) 
        and the powers set forth in section 203 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 
        6432a);
            (2) the preparation of a written description of prioritized 
        actions that the Commission is required to complete to fulfill 
        the strategic plan required under subsection (d);
            (3) a review of the scope, content, and timing of the 
        Commission's annual report and any required changes; and
            (4) a review of the personnel policies set forth in section 
        204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
        U.S.C. 6432b) and any required changes to such policies.
    (c) Unanimous Agreement.--
            (1) In general.--To the greatest extent possible, the 
        Chair, Vice Chair, and all of the Commissioners shall ensure 
        that this section is implemented in a manner that results in 
        unanimous agreement among the Commissioners with regard to--
                    (A) the strategic policy and organizational review 
                planning process required under subsection (b); and
                    (B) the strategic plan required under subsection 
                (d).
            (2) Alternative approval process.--If unanimous agreement 
        under paragraph (1) is not possible, items for inclusion in the 
        strategic plan may, at the joint discretion of the Chair and 
        Vice Chair, be approved by an affirmative vote of--
                    (A) a majority of Commissioners appointed by an 
                elected official from the political party of the 
                President; and
                    (B) a majority of Commissioners appointed by an 
                elected official from the political party that is not 
                the party of the President.
    (d) Submission of Strategic Plan.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of the Act, and not less frequently than 
biennially thereafter, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission shall 
jointly submit, to the appropriate congressional committees, a written 
strategic plan that includes--
            (1) a description of prioritized actions for the Commission 
        for a period of time to be specified by the Commissioners;
            (2) a description of any changes the Commission considers 
        necessary with regard to the scope, content, and timing of the 
        Commission's annual report;
            (3) a description of any changes the Commission considers 
        necessary with regard to personnel matters; and
            (4) the Commission's funding requirements for the period 
        covered by the strategic plan.
    (e) Pending Issues.--The strategic plan required under subsection 
(d) may identify any issues or proposals that have not yet been 
resolved by the Commission.
    (f) Implementation of Personnel Provisions and Annual Report.--
Notwithstanding section 204(a) and 205(a) of the International 
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b(a) and 6533(a)), the 
Commission is authorized to implement provisions related to personnel 
and the Commission's annual report that are included in the strategic 
plan submitted pursuant to this section.
    (g) Congressional Oversight.--Upon request, the Commission shall--
            (1) make available for inspection any information and 
        documents requested by the appropriate congressional 
        committees; and
            (2) respond to any requests to provide testimony before the 
        appropriate congressional committees.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 207 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
U.S.C. 6435) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Commission $3,500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2016 to 2019 to 
carry out the provisions of this Act and section 4 of the United States 
Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 
2015.
    ``(b) Availability of Funds.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under subsection (a) shall remain available until the earlier of--
            ``(1) the date on which they have been expended; or
            ``(2) the date on which the Commission is terminated under 
        section 209.
    ``(c) Limitation.--In each fiscal year, the Commission shall only 
be authorized to expend amounts that have been appropriated pursuant to 
subsection (a) if the Commission--
            ``(1) complies with the requirements set forth in section 4 
        of the United States Commission on International Religious 
        Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015; and
            ``(2) submits the annual financial report required under 
        section 208(e) to the appropriate congressional committees.''.