IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 221 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 14, 2019 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

AN ACT 

To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 

1956 to monitor and combat anti-Semitism globally, 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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HR 221 RFS 

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Special Envoy to Mon3 itor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDING. 

5 Congress finds that since the Global Anti-Semitism 

6 Review Act of 2004 was enacted, in many foreign coun7 tries acts of anti-Semitism have been frequent and wide 

8 in scope, the perpetrators and variety of threats to Jewish 

9 communities and their institutions have proliferated, and 

10 in some countries anti-Semitic attacks have increased in 

11 frequency, scope, violence, and deadliness. 

12 SEC. 3. MONITORING AND COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 59 of the 

14 State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 

15 U.S.C. 2731) is amended— 

16 (1) in paragraph (2)— 

17 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 

18 (i) by inserting before the period at 

19 the end the following: ‘‘, who shall be ap20 pointed by the President, by and with the 

21 advice and consent of the Senate’’; and 

22 (ii) by adding at the end the following 

23 new sentence: ‘‘The Special Envoy shall re24 port directly to the Secretary.’’; and 

25 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 


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HR 221 RFS 

1 (i) in the heading, by striking ‘‘AP2 POINTMENT’’ and inserting ‘‘NOMINA3 TION’’; 

4 (ii) by striking the first sentence; 

5 (iii) in the second sentence, by strik6 ing ‘‘If the Secretary determines that such 

7 is appropriate, the Secretary may appoint’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘If the President determines 

9 that such is appropriate, the President 

10 may nominate’’; and 

11 (iv) in the third sentence, by striking 

12 ‘‘The Secretary may allow such officer or 

13 employee to retain the position (and the 

14 responsibilities associated with such posi15 tion) held by such officer or employee prior 

16 to the appointment’’ and inserting ‘‘Such 

17 officer or employee may not retain the po18 sition (or the responsibilities associated 

19 with such position) held by such officer or 

20 employee prior to the nomination’’; and 

21 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

22 paragraphs: 

23 ‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The Special Envoy shall serve 

24 as the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts 

25 across, the United States Government relating to 


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HR 221 RFS 

1 monitoring and combating anti-Semitism and anti2 Semitic incitement that occur in foreign countries. 

3 ‘‘(4) RANK AND STATUS OF AMBASSADOR.— 

4 The Special Envoy shall have the rank of ambas5 sador. 

6 ‘‘(5) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Special Envoy 

7 should be a person of recognized distinction in the 

8 field of— 

9 ‘‘(A) combating anti-Semitism; 

10 ‘‘(B) religious freedom; or 

11 ‘‘(C) law enforcement.’’. 

12 (b) NOMINATION.—Not later than 90 days after the 

13 date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than 120 

14 after any such position becomes vacant, the President 

15 shall nominate the Special Envoy for Monitoring and 

16 Combating anti-Semitism under section 59 of the State 

17 Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, as amended 

18 by subsection (a) of this section. 

Passed the House of Representatives January 11, 

2019. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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