•HRES 1024 IH 
Whereas the United States Congress affirmed in 2016, with 
passage of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious 
Freedom Act (Public Law 114–281), that because the 
promotion of international religious freedom protects 
human rights, advances democracy abroad, and advances 
United States interests in stability, security, and develop-
ment globally, the promotion of international religious 
freedom requires new and evolving policies and diplomatic 
responses that are drawn from the expertise of the na-
tional security agencies, the diplomatic services, and 
other governmental agencies and nongovernmental orga-
nizations, and are coordinated across and carried out by 
the entire range of Federal agencies; 
Whereas the 2018 National Security Strategy of the United 
States recognized the strategic importance of inter-
national religious freedom, making the advancement of 
religious freedom and the protection of religious minori-
ties from violence a ‘‘priority’’ of the Administration’s 
foreign policy; 
Whereas in the annual proclamation recognizing ‘‘Religious 
Freedom Day’’ on January 16, 2018, President Trump 
affirmed that the ‘‘United States is . . . the paramount 
champion for religious freedom around the world because 
we do not believe that conscience rights are only for 
Americans. . . . We will be undeterred in our commit-
ment to monitor religious persecution and implement 
policies that promote religious freedom. Through these 
efforts, we strive for the day when people of all faiths can 
follow their hearts and worship according to their con-
sciences.’’; and 
Whereas Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, announced a first 
ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom which will 
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•HRES 1024 IH 
be held from July 24 to July 26, 2018, as foreign min-
isters, civil society, and parliamentarians will convene to 
discuss shared strategies to advance and protect inter-
national religious freedom: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) marks the 20th anniversary of the passage 
of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
(22 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.) by reaffirming the commit-
ment of the United States to advance religious free-
dom as a fundamental part of United States foreign 
policy; 
(2) commends the Administration for its strong 
commitment to protect religious freedom globally 
and efforts to prioritize the protection of religious 
minorities from violence and other serious human 
rights abuses; 
(3) commends the Department of State, the 
Secretary of State, and the Ambassador-at-Large for 
International Religious Freedom for hosting the 
Ministerial to Advance International Religious Free-
dom from July 24 to July 26, 2018, and for all their 
efforts to engage like-minded allies globally to ad-
vance religious freedom and protect vulnerable reli-
gious minorities; 
(4) commends United States allies that are 
working to protect religious freedom globally and 
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•HRES 1024 IH 
those providing humanitarian aid and technical as-
sistance to vulnerable religious minorities; 
(5) calls on the President, the Secretary of 
State, the Ambassador-at-Large for International 
Religious Freedom, and Members of Congress to le-
verage the growing network of foreign religious free-
dom focused institutions and parliamentary groups 
including such bodies as the International Contact 
Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, the Panel 
of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief at the 
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and 
Human Rights, the European Parliament Intergroup 
on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tol-
erance, the International Panel of Parliamentarians 
for Freedom of Religion or Belief, and the Common-
wealth Initiative for Freedom of Religion or Belief, 
among others; 
(6) calls on the President and the Secretary of 
State, in accordance with the International Religious 
Freedom Act of 1998, as amended by the Frank R. 
Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016 
(Public Law 114–281), to continue strengthening 
United States religious freedom diplomacy and the 
training of United States diplomats in religious free-
dom; 
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•HRES 1024 IH 
(7) reaffirms the commitment of Congress to 
work with the Administration to carry out the reli-
gious freedom priorities made in the 2018 National 
Security Strategy of the United States and develop 
a coordinated strategy to advance international reli-
gious freedom and protect vulnerable religious mi-
norities globally; 
(8) calls on the President, the Secretary of 
State, the Secretary of Defense, the Ambassador-at- 
Large for International Religious Freedom, and 
other relevant agencies, and working closely with 
like-minded allies, to develop a comprehensive re-
sponse plan to protect and assist the victims of 
genocide, crimes against humanity, forced disloca-
tions, mass detentions, and violence from extremist 
actors or terrorists, including in, among other 
places, Iraq, Syria, China, Burma, North Korea, Ni-
geria, and Somalia; and 
(9) calls on the President, the Secretary of 
State, and the United States Trade Representative 
to ensure that trade negotiations include religious 
freedom conditions as mandated by the Bipartisan 
Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability 
Act of 2015 (title I of Public Law 114–26). 
Æ 
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