Combating International Islamophobia Act
Bill: H.R.6204 | Sponsor: Rep. Omar, Ilhan (D-MN)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Combating International Islamophobia Act
This bill establishes within the Department of State the Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia and addresses related issues.
The office shall monitor and combat acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement in foreign countries. The bill establishes the position of Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia, who shall head the office.
The bill also requires certain existing annual reports to Congress about human rights and religious freedom in foreign countries to include information about Islamophobia, such as information about (1) acts of physical violence or harassment of Muslim people, (2) instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote hatred or incite violence against Muslim people, and (3) actions taken by a country's government to respond to such acts. The office shall coordinate and assist in preparing these portions of the reports.

To establish in the Department of State the Office to Monitor and 
              Combat Islamophobia, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Combating International Islamophobia 
Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT 
              ISLAMOPHOBIA.

     Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 
U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 64. MONITORING AND COMBATING ISLAMOPHOBIA.

    ``(a) Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of State shall 
        establish within the Department of State an Office to Monitor 
        and Combat Islamophobia (in this section referred to as the 
        `Office').
            ``(2) Head of office.--
                    ``(A) Special envoy for monitoring and combating 
                islamophobia.--The head of the Office shall be the 
                Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia 
                (in this section referred to as the `Special Envoy').
                    ``(B) Appointment of special envoy.--The Secretary 
                of State shall appoint the Special Envoy. If the 
                Secretary determines that such is appropriate, the 
                Secretary may appoint the Special Envoy from among 
                officers and employees of the Department of State. The 
                Secretary may allow such officer or employee to retain 
                the position (and the responsibilities associated with 
                such position) held by such officer or employee prior 
                to such appointment.
    ``(b) Purpose of Office.--Upon establishment, the Office shall 
assume primary responsibility for the following:
            ``(1) Monitoring and combating acts of Islamophobia and 
        Islamophobic incitement that occur in foreign countries.
            ``(2) Coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that 
        portion of the reports required by paragraph (9) of section 
        116(d) and subsection (k) of section 502B of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d) and 2304) relating 
        to an assessment and description of the nature and extent of 
        acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement.
            ``(3) Coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that 
        portion of the report required by clause (viii) of section 
        102(b)(1)(A) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
        (22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)(A)) relating to an assessment and 
        description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia 
        and Islamophobic incitement.
    ``(c) Consultations.--The Special Envoy shall consult with domestic 
and international nongovernmental organizations and multilateral 
organizations and institutions, as the Special Envoy considers 
appropriate, to carry out this section.''.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION IN DEPARTMENT OF STATE ANNUAL REPORTS OF INFORMATION 
              CONCERNING ACTS OF ISLAMOPHOBIA IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

    (a) Inclusion in Annual Country Reports on Human Rights 
Practices.--The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) 
is amended--
            (1) in section 116(d) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d))--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (9), (10), (11), 
                and (12), as paragraphs (10), (11), (12), and (13), 
                respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(9) wherever applicable, a description of the nature and 
        extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement that 
        occur during the preceding year, including descriptions of--
                    ``(A) acts of physical violence against, or 
                harassment of, Muslim people, and acts of violence 
                against, or vandalism of, Muslim community 
                institutions, including schools, mosques, and 
                cemeteries;
                    ``(B) instances of propaganda in government and 
                nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote 
                racial hatred or incite acts of violence against Muslim 
                people;
                    ``(C) the actions, if any, taken by the government 
                of the country to respond to such violence and attacks 
                or to eliminate such propaganda or incitement;
                    ``(D) the actions taken by such government to enact 
                and enforce laws relating to the protection of the 
                right to religious freedom of Muslim people; and
                    ``(E) the efforts of such government to promote 
                anti-bias and tolerance education;''; and
            (2) in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304), by--
                    (A) redesignating the second subsection (i) 
                (relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j); 
                and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subsection:
    ``(k) Information Concerning Acts of Islamophobia in Foreign 
Countries.--The report required by subsection (b) shall include, 
wherever applicable, a description of the nature and extent of acts of 
Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement that occur during the 
preceding year, including descriptions of--
            ``(1) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, 
        Muslim people, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, 
        Muslim community institutions, including schools, mosques, and 
        cemeteries;
            ``(2) instances of propaganda in government and 
        nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote racial 
        hatred or incite acts of violence against Muslim people;
            ``(3) the actions, if any, taken by the government of the 
        country to respond to such violence and attacks or to eliminate 
        such propaganda or incitement;
            ``(4) the actions taken by such government to enact and 
        enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to 
        religious freedom of Muslim people; and
            ``(5) the efforts of such government to promote anti-bias 
        and tolerance education.''.
    (b) Inclusion in Annual Report on International Religious 
Freedom.--Section 102(b)(1)(A) of the International Religious Freedom 
Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (vi), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in clause (vii)(II), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new clause:
                            ``(viii) wherever applicable, an assessment 
                        and description of the nature and extent of 
                        acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic 
                        incitement that occur in that country during 
                        the preceding the year, including--
                                    ``(I) acts of physical violence 
                                against, or harassment of, Muslim 
                                people, acts of violence against, or 
                                vandalism of, Muslim community 
                                institutions, instances of propaganda 
                                in government and nongovernment media 
                                that incite such acts, and statements 
                                and actions relating thereto; and
                                    ``(II) the actions taken by the 
                                government of that country to respond 
                                to such violence and attacks or to 
                                eliminate such propaganda or 
                                incitement, to enact and enforce laws 
                                relating to the protection of the right 
                                to religious freedom of Muslims, and to 
                                promote anti-bias and tolerance 
                                education.''.
    (c) Effective Date of Inclusions.--The amendments made by 
subsections (a) and (b) shall apply beginning with the first reports 
required under sections 116(d) and 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n and 2304) and section 102(b)(1)(A) of the 
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6312(b)(1)(A)) 
that are submitted after the date that is 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
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