I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 221 
To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to monitor 
and combat anti-Semitism globally, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 3, 2019 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. 
KING of New York, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. ZELDIN, Mrs. LOWEY, and Ms. 
GRANGER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
1956 to monitor and combat anti-Semitism globally, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Special Envoy to Mon-
itor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDING. 
Congress finds that since the Global Anti-Semitism 
Review Act of 2004 was enacted, in many foreign coun-
tries acts of anti-Semitism have been frequent and wide 
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in scope, the perpetrators and variety of threats to Jewish 
communities and their institutions have proliferated, and 
in some countries anti-Semitic attacks have increased in 
frequency, scope, violence, and deadliness. 
SEC. 3. MONITORING AND COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 59 of the 
State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 
U.S.C. 2731) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by inserting before the period at 
the end the following: ‘‘, who shall be ap-
pointed by the President, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following 
new sentence: ‘‘The Special Envoy shall re-
port directly to the Secretary.’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) in the heading, by striking ‘‘AP-
POINTMENT’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘NOMINA-
TION’’; 
(ii) by striking the first sentence; 
(iii) in the second sentence, by strik-
ing ‘‘If the Secretary determines that such 
is appropriate, the Secretary may appoint’’ 
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and inserting ‘‘If the President determines 
that such is appropriate, the President 
may nominate’’; and 
(iv) in the third sentence, by striking 
‘‘The Secretary may allow such officer or 
employee to retain the position (and the 
responsibilities associated with such posi-
tion) held by such officer or employee prior 
to the appointment’’ and inserting ‘‘Such 
officer or employee may not retain the po-
sition (or the responsibilities associated 
with such position) held by such officer or 
employee prior to the nomination’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The Special Envoy shall serve 
as the primary advisor to, and coordinate efforts 
across, the United States Government relating to 
monitoring and combating anti-Semitism and anti- 
Semitic incitement that occur in foreign countries. 
‘‘(4) RANK
AND
STATUS
OF
AMBASSADOR.— 
The Special Envoy shall have the rank of ambas-
sador. 
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‘‘(5) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Special Envoy 
should be a person of recognized distinction in the 
field of— 
‘‘(A) combating anti-Semitism; 
‘‘(B) religious freedom; or 
‘‘(C) law enforcement.’’. 
(b) NOMINATION.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, and not later than 120 
after any such position becomes vacant, the President 
shall nominate the Special Envoy for Monitoring and 
Combating anti-Semitism under section 59 of the State 
Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, as amended 
by subsection (a) of this section. 
Æ 
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