II 

Calendar No. 461 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 238 

To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to monitor 

and combat anti-Semitism globally, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 28, 2019 

Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. MENENDEZ, 

Ms. ROSEN, Ms. WARREN, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. ROUNDS, Mrs. 

MURRAY, Ms. DUCKWORTH, and Mr. MARKEY) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JUNE 3, 2020 

Reported by Mr. RISCH, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

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, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Special Envoy to Mon5 itor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act of 2019’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDING. 

2 Congress finds that since the Global Anti-Semitism 

3 Review Act of 2004 was enacted, in many foreign coun4 tries acts of anti-Semitism have been frequent and wide 

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

6 communities and their institutions have proliferated, and 

7 in some countries anti-Semitic attacks have increased in 

8 frequency, scope, violence, and deadliness. 

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

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

11 State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 

12 U.S.C. 2731) is amended— 

13 (1) in paragraph (2)— 

14 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 

15 (i) by inserting before the period at 

16 the end the following: ‘‘, who shall be ap17 pointed by the President, by and with the 

18 advice and consent of the Senate’’; and 

19 (ii) by adding at the end the following 

20 new sentence: ‘‘The Special Envoy shall re21 port directly to the Secretary.’’; and 

22 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

23 (i) in the heading, but striking ‘‘AP24 POINTMENT’’ and inserting ‘‘NOMINA25 TION’’; 

26 (ii) by striking the first sentence; 


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•S 238 RS

1 (iii) in the second sentence, by strik2 ing ‘‘If the Secretary determines that such 

3 is appropriate, the Secretary may appoint’’ 

4 and inserting ‘‘If the President determines 

5 that such is appropriate, the President 

6 may nominate’’; and 

7 (iv) in the third sentence, by striking 

8 ‘‘The Secretary may allow such officer or 

9 employee to retain the position (and the 

10 responsibilities associated with such posi11 tion) held by such officer or employee prior 

12 to the appointment’’ and inserting ‘‘Such 

13 officer or employee may not retain the po14 sition (or the responsibilities associated 

15 with such position) held by such officer or 

16 employee prior to the nomination’’; and 

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

18 paragraphs: 

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

20 as the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts 

21 across, the United States Government relating to 

22 monitoring and combating anti-Semitism and anti23 Semitic incitement that occur in foreign countries. 


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•S 238 RS

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

2 The Special Envoy shall have the rank of ambas3 sador. 

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

5 should be a person of recognized distinction in the 

6 field of— 

7 ‘‘(A) combating anti-Semitism; 

8 ‘‘(B) religious freedom; or 

9 ‘‘(C) law enforcement.’’. 

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

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

12 after any such position becomes vacant, the President 

13 shall nominate the Special Envoy for Monitoring and 

14 Combating anti-Semitism under section 59 of the State 

15 Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, as amended 

16 by subsection (a) of this section. 

17 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

18 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Special Envoy to Mon19 itor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act’’. 

20 SEC. 2. FINDING. 

21 Congress finds that, since the Global Anti-Semitism 

22 Review Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–332) was enacted, in 

23 many foreign countries acts of anti-Semitism have been fre24 quent and wide in scope, the perpetrators and variety of 

25 threats to Jewish communities and their institutions have 


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•S 238 RS

1 proliferated, and in some countries anti-Semitic attacks 

2 have increased in frequency, scope, violence, and deadliness. 

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

4 Section 59(a) of the State Department Basic Authori5 ties Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2731(a)) is amended— 

6 (1) in paragraph (2)— 

7 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 

8 (i) by inserting before the period at the 

9 end the following: ‘‘, who shall be appointed 

10 by the President, by and with the advice 

11 and consent of the Senate’’; and 

12 (ii) by adding at the end the following 

13 new sentence: ‘‘The Special Envoy shall re14 port directly to the Secretary.’’; and 

15 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

16 (i) in the heading, by striking ‘‘AP17 POINTMENT’’ and inserting ‘‘NOMINATION’’; 

18 (ii) by striking the first sentence; 

19 (iii) in the second sentence, by striking 

20 ‘‘If the Secretary determines that such is 

21 appropriate, the Secretary may appoint’’ 

22 and inserting ‘‘If the President determines 

23 that such is appropriate, the President may 

24 nominate’’; and 


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•S 238 RS

1 (iv) in the third sentence, by striking 

2 ‘‘The Secretary may allow such officer or 

3 employee to retain the position (and the re4 sponsibilities associated with such position) 

5 held by such officer or employee prior to the 

6 appointment’’ and inserting ‘‘Such officer 

7 or employee may not retain the position (or 

8 the responsibilities associated with such po9 sition) held by such officer or employee 

10 prior to the nomination’’; and 

11 (2) by adding at the end the following new para12 graphs: 

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

14 the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts across, 

15 the United States Government relating to monitoring 

16 and combating anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic in17 citement that occur in foreign countries. 

18 ‘‘(4) RANK AND STATUS OF AMBASSADOR.—The 

19 Special Envoy shall have the rank of ambassador. 

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

21 should be a person of recognized distinction in the 

22 field of combating anti-Semitism.’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS

pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 461 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 238 

A BILL 

To amend the State Department Basic Authorities 

tism globally, and for other purposes. Act of 1956 to monitor and combat anti-SemiJUNE 3, 2020 

Reported with an amendment 


pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS