114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2078 

AN ACT 

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, 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States Commis3 sion on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization 

4 Act of 2015’’. 

5 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

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

7 Commission on International Religious Freedom— 

8 (1) was created by Congress to independently 

9 assess and to accurately and unflinchingly describe 

10 threats to religious freedom around the world; and 

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

12 use its authorized powers to ensure that efforts by 

13 the United States to advance religious freedom 

14 abroad are timely, appropriate to the circumstances, 

15 prudent, and effective. 

16 SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY. 

17 Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom 

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

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

20 2019’’. 

21 SEC. 4. STRATEGIC PLAN. 

22 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

23 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT24 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com25 mittees’’ means— 
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1 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 

2 the Senate; 

3 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 

4 the House of Representatives; 

5 (C) the Committee on Appropriations of 

6 the Senate; and 

7 (D) the Committee on Appropriations of 

8 the House of Representatives. 

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

10 means the United States Commission on Inter11 national Religious Freedom established under sec12 tion 201 of the International Religious Freedom Act 

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

14 (3) COMMISSIONER.—The term ‘‘Commis15 sioner’’ means a member of the Commission. 

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

17 means the Vice Chair of the Commission who was 

18 appointed to such position by an elected official from 

19 the political party that is different from the political 

20 party of the elected official who appointed the Chair 

21 of the Commission. 

22 (b) STRATEGIC POLICY AND ORGANIZATIONAL RE23 VIEW PLANNING PROCESS.—Not later than 60 days after 

24 the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less fre25 quently than biennially thereafter, the Chair and Vice 
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1 Chair of the Commission, in coordination with the Com2 missioners, the Ambassador-at-Large for International 

3 Religious Freedom, Commission staff, and others jointly 

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

5 strategic policy and organizational review planning process 

6 that includes— 

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

8 202 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 

9 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432) and the powers set forth in 

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

11 (2) the preparation of a written description of 

12 prioritized actions that the Commission is required 

13 to complete to fulfill the strategic plan required 

14 under subsection (d); 

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

16 of the Commission’s annual report and any required 

17 changes; and 

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

19 in section 204 of the International Religious Free20 dom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) and any re21 quired changes to such policies. 

22 (c) UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—To the greatest extent pos24 sible, the Chair, Vice Chair, and all of the Commis25 sioners shall ensure that this section is implemented 
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1 in a manner that results in unanimous agreement 

2 among the Commissioners with regard to— 

3 (A) the strategic policy and organizational 

4 review planning process required under sub5 section (b); and 

6 (B) the strategic plan required under sub7 section (d). 

8 (2) ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS.—If 

9 unanimous agreement under paragraph (1) is not 

10 possible, items for inclusion in the strategic plan 

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

12 Chair, be approved by an affirmative vote of— 

13 (A) a majority of Commissioners appointed 

14 by an elected official from the political party of 

15 the President; and 

16 (B) a majority of Commissioners appointed 

17 by an elected official from the political party 

18 that is not the party of the President. 

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

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

21 and not less frequently than biennially thereafter, the 

22 Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission shall jointly sub23 mit, to the appropriate congressional committees, a writ24 ten strategic plan that includes— 
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1 (1) a description of prioritized actions for the 

2 Commission for a period of time to be specified by 

3 the Commissioners; 

4 (2) a description of any changes the Commis5 sion considers necessary with regard to the scope, 

6 content, and timing of the Commission’s annual re7 port; 

8 (3) a description of any changes the Commis9 sion considers necessary with regard to personnel 

10 matters; and 

11 (4) the Commission’s funding requirements for 

12 the period covered by the strategic plan. 

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

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

15 that have not yet been resolved by the Commission. 

16 (f) IMPLEMENTATION OF PERSONNEL PROVISIONS

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

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

19 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b(a) and 6533(a)), the Commission 

20 is authorized to implement provisions related to personnel 

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

22 the strategic plan submitted pursuant to this section. 

23 (g) CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.—Upon request, 

24 the Commission shall— 
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1 (1) make available for inspection any informa2 tion and documents requested by the appropriate 

3 congressional committees; and 

4 (2) respond to any requests to provide testi5 mony before the appropriate congressional commit6 tees. 

7 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

8 Section 207 of the International Religious Freedom 

9 Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6435) is amended to read as fol10 lows: 

11 ‘‘SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

12 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap13 propriated to the Commission $3,500,000 for each of the 

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

15 this Act and section 4 of the United States Commission 

16 on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act 

17 of 2015. 

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

19 to be appropriated under subsection (a) shall remain avail20 able until the earlier of— 

21 ‘‘(1) the date on which they have been ex22 pended; or 

23 ‘‘(2) the date on which the Commission is ter24 minated under section 209. 
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1 ‘‘(c) LIMITATION.—In each fiscal year, the Commis2 sion shall only be authorized to expend amounts that have 

3 been appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) if the Com4 mission— 

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

6 section 4 of the United States Commission on Inter7 national Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 

8 2015; and 

9 ‘‘(2) submits the annual financial report re10 quired under section 208(e) to the appropriate con11 gressional committees.’’. 

Passed the Senate September 30, 2015. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2078 

AN ACT 

To reauthorize the United States Commission on 

purposes. International Religious Freedom, and for other