United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-2037
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2015-04-27
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Executive agency funding and structure

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Human rights

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Religion

Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Latest action: action_date: 2015-05-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-04-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015</b></p> <p>Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as an independent federal government advisory body through FY2021.</p> <p>Requires the USCIRF as a whole to have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world.</p> <p>Requires appointments to the USCIRF to be made within 90 days of a vacancy. Removes authority under which a USCIRF member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office.</p> <p>Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to require the Secretary of State to receive assistance from the USCIRF when establishing training for Foreign Service officers in the field of internationally recognized human rights, including instruction regarding the relationship between religious freedom and security, as well as the role of religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy.</p> <p>Encourages the Department of State to allow classified information to be accessed by USCIRF Commissioners and staff with the appropriate security clearance.</p> <p>Requires discrimination on the basis of religion to be treated as a category of employment discrimination for purposes of the employment protections for USCIRF employees.</p> <p>Revises restrictions on the USCIRF's acceptance of gifts and donations to permit sponsoring private parties to provide compensation and benefits to interns, fellows, and volunteers. Requires the number, duration, and funding source of any such internship, fellowship, or volunteer programs to be described in the USCIRF's annual financial report.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2037 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 27, 2015 Mr. Smith of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To reauthorize the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 . 2. Establishment and composition (a) In general Subsection (a) of section 201 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6431 ) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: , which shall be an independent Federal Government advisory body . (b) Selection Subparagraph (A) of section 201(b)(2) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6431(b)(2) ) is amended by inserting at the end the following new sentence: The Commission as a whole shall also have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world. . (c) Membership Subsection (b)(3) of section 201 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6431 ) is amended by striking The appointments required by paragraph (1) shall be made not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. and inserting the following: An appointment required by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) should be made within 90 days of a vacancy on the Commission. . (d) Vacancies Subsection (g) of section 201 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6431 ) is amended by striking the second sentence. 3. Training for Foreign Service officers Subsection (a) of section 708 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 ( 22 U.S.C. 4028 ) is amended— (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), (A) by striking and the director and inserting the director ; and (B) inserting and members of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, after Training Center, ; and (2) in paragraph (2)— (A) by striking and the various and inserting the various ; and (B) by inserting , the relationship between religious freedom and security, and the role of religious freedom in United States foreign policy after violations of religious freedom . 4. Commission personnel matters (a) In general Subsection (a) of section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432b ) is amended in the second sentence, by inserting voting after nine . (b) Compensation Subsection (b) of section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432b ) is amended by inserting voting members of the after The . (c) Security clearances Subsection (e) of section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432b ) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: The Department of State is encouraged to allow Commissioners and Commission staff with the appropriate security clearance access to classified information, in order to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of their positions. . (d) Application of antidiscrimination laws Subsection (g) of section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432b ) is amended by inserting , including discrimination on the basis of religion after employment discrimination . 5. Standards of conduct and disclosure Paragraph (2) of section 208(d)(2) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6435a(d)(2) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (H) Intern, fellowship, and volunteer programs that are primarily of educational benefit to the intern, fellow, or volunteer. Sponsoring private parties may provide compensation and benefits to interns, fellows, and volunteers, provided that no conflict of interest arises. The number, duration, and funding source of any such internship, fellowship, or volunteer programs shall be described in the annual financial report required by subsection (e). . 6. Extension and termination of authority The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is amended— (1) in subsection (a) of section 207 ( 22 U.S.C. 6435 ), by striking 2015 and inserting 2021 ; and (2) in section 209 ( 22 U.S.C. 6436 ), by striking September 30, 2015 and inserting September 30, 2021 .