II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2079 

To reauthorize the United States Commission on International Religious 

Freedom, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 

Mr. CORKER (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. RUBIO, and Mr. DURBIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To reauthorize the United States Commission on 

International Religious Freedom, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Commis5 sion on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization 

6 Act of 2015’’. 

7 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

8 It is the sense of the Congress that the United States 

9 Commission on International Religious Freedom— 


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1 (1) was created by Congress to independently 

2 assess and to accurately and unflinchingly describe 

3 threats to religious freedom around the world; and 

4 (2) in carrying out its prescribed duties, should 

5 use its authorized powers to ensure that efforts by 

6 the United States to advance religious freedom 

7 abroad are timely, appropriate to the circumstances, 

8 prudent, and effective. 

9 SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY. 

10 Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom 

11 Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6436) is amended by striking 

12 ‘‘September 30, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 

13 2019’’. 

14 SEC. 4. STRATEGIC PLAN. 

15 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

16 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT17 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com18 mittees’’ means— 

19 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 

20 the Senate; 

21 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 

22 the House of Representatives; 

23 (C) the Committee on Appropriations of 

24 the Senate; and 


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1 (D) the Committee on Appropriations of 

2 the House of Representatives. 

3 (2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

4 means the United States Commission on Inter5 national Religious Freedom established under sec6 tion 201 of the International Religious Freedom Act 

7 of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431). 

8 (3) COMMISSIONER.—The term ‘‘Commis9 sioner’’ means a member of the Commission. 

10 (4) VICE CHAIR.—The term ‘‘Vice Chair’’ 

11 means the Vice Chair of the Commission who was 

12 appointed to such position by an elected official from 

13 the political party that is different from the political 

14 party of the elected official who appointed the Chair 

15 of the Commission. 

16 (b) STRATEGIC POLICY AND ORGANIZATIONAL RE17 VIEW PLANNING PROCESS.—Not later than 60 days after 

18 the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less fre19 quently than biennially thereafter, the Chair and Vice 

20 Chair of the Commission, in coordination with the Com21 missioners, the Ambassador-at-Large for International 

22 Religious Freedom, Commission staff, and others jointly 

23 selected by the Chair and Vice Chair, shall carry out a 

24 strategic policy and organizational review planning process 

25 that includes— 


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1 (1) a review of the duties set forth in section 

2 202 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 

3 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432) and the powers set forth in 

4 section 203 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 6432a); 

5 (2) the preparation of a written description of 

6 prioritized actions that the Commission is required 

7 to complete to fulfill the strategic plan required 

8 under subsection (d); 

9 (3) a review of the scope, content, and timing 

10 of the Commission’s annual report and any required 

11 changes; and 

12 (4) a review of the personnel policies set forth 

13 in section 204 of the International Religious Free14 dom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) and any re15 quired changes to such policies. 

16 (c) UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—To the greatest extent pos18 sible, the Chair, Vice Chair, and all of the Commis19 sioners shall ensure that this section is implemented 

20 in a manner that results in unanimous agreement 

21 among the Commissioners with regard to— 

22 (A) the strategic policy and organizational 

23 review planning process required under sub24 section (b); and 


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1 (B) the strategic plan required under sub2 section (d). 

3 (2) ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS.—If 

4 unanimous agreement under paragraph (1) is not 

5 possible, items for inclusion in the strategic plan 

6 may, at the joint discretion of the Chair and Vice 

7 Chair, be approved by an affirmative vote of— 

8 (A) a majority of Commissioners appointed 

9 by an elected official from the political party of 

10 the President; and 

11 (B) a majority of Commissioners appointed 

12 by an elected official from the political party 

13 that is not the party of the President. 

14 (d) SUBMISSION OF STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later 

15 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, 

16 and not less frequently than biennially thereafter, the 

17 Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission shall jointly sub18 mit, to the appropriate congressional committees, a writ19 ten strategic plan that includes— 

20 (1) a description of prioritized actions for the 

21 Commission for a period of time to be specified by 

22 the Commissioners; 

23 (2) a description of any changes the Commis24 sion considers necessary with regard to the scope, 


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1 content, and timing of the Commission’s annual re2 port; 

3 (3) a description of any changes the Commis4 sion considers necessary with regard to personnel 

5 matters; and 

6 (4) the Commission’s funding requirements for 

7 the period covered by the strategic plan. 

8 (e) PENDING ISSUES.—The strategic plan required 

9 under subsection (d) may identify any issues or proposals 

10 that have not yet been resolved by the Commission. 

11 (f) IMPLEMENTATION OF PERSONNEL PROVISIONS

12 AND ANNUAL REPORT.—Notwithstanding section 204(a) 

13 and 205(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 

14 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b(a) and 6533(a)), the Commission 

15 is authorized to implement provisions related to personnel 

16 and the Commission’s annual report that are included in 

17 the strategic plan submitted pursuant to this section. 

18 (g) CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.—Upon request, 

19 the Commission shall— 

20 (1) make available for inspection any informa21 tion and documents requested by the appropriate 

22 congressional committees; and 

23 (2) respond to any requests to provide testi24 mony before the appropriate congressional commit25 tees. 


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1 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 Section 207 of the International Religious Freedom 

3 Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6435) is amended to read as fol4 lows: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap7 propriated to the Commission $3,500,000 for each of the 

8 fiscal years 2016 to 2019 to carry out the provisions of 

9 this Act and section 4 of the United States Commission 

10 on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act 

11 of 2015. 

12 ‘‘(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Amounts authorized 

13 to be appropriated under subsection (a) shall remain avail14 able until the earlier of— 

15 ‘‘(1) the date on which they have been ex16 pended; or 

17 ‘‘(2) the date on which the Commission is ter18 minated under section 209. 

19 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—In each fiscal year, the Commis20 sion shall only be authorized to expend amounts that have 

21 been appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) if the Com22 mission— 

23 ‘‘(1) complies with the requirements set forth in 

24 section 4 of the United States Commission on Inter25 national Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 

26 2015; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) submits the annual financial report re2 quired under section 208(e) to the appropriate con3 gressional committees.’’. 

Æ 


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