United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015

Summary: . The expanded summary of the Senate reported version is repeated here.)  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. (Sec. 2) It expresses the sense of Congress that USCIRF: (1) was created to independently assess and accurately describe threats to religious freedom around the world; and (2) should ensure that U.S. efforts to advance religious freedom abroad are timely, appropriate to the circumstances, prudent, and effective. (Sec. 3) The termination date of USCIRF is extended to September 30, 2019. (Sec. 4) 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, notwithstanding USCIRF's annual recommendations on U.S. policy options and a current requirement that a decision to employ or terminate an Executive Director be made by an affirmative vote of at least six of USCIRF's nine members.  USCIRF, upon request, must provide testimony and make information available to Congress. (Sec. 5) USCIRF is authorized to expend appropriated amounts only if it complies with this Act and submits its annual financial report identifying expenditures for the preceding fiscal year.

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.''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.