United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1798
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Introduced: 2015-07-16
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advisory bodies

Congressional oversight

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Executive agency funding and structure

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government studies and investigations

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: 2015-07-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-07-16
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
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 President's annual review of the status of religious freedom in each foreign country to include determinations regarding religious freedom violations being engaged in or tolerated in territories in which a government does not exist or does not exercise control. Directs the President to designate nonstate actors that have engaged in particularly severe violations as entities of particular concern for religious freedom.</p> <p>Requires USCIRF as a whole to have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world.</p> <p>Requires appointments to USCIRF to be made not later than 90 days after the creation of a vacancy.</p> <p>Directs USCIRF, during its first meeting after May 30, 2016, to elect: (1) as Chair, a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President; and (2) as Vice Chair, a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President (or on the occasion of two Vice Chairs, one Vice Chair appointed by an elected official of the President's party and the other Vice Chair appointed by an elected official of the other party). Sets forth a process for future elections in which the positions of Chair and Vice Chair rotate annually between Commissioners appointed by elected officials of each political party. </p> <p>Allows the Ambassador at Large to attend all meetings as a nonvoting member.</p> <p>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>Requires (currently, allows) USCIRF to hold hearings, take actions and testimony, and receive evidence.</p> <p>Requires USCIRF to conduct an annual review of the Executive Director.</p> <p>Directs USCIRF to work with the Executive Director to establish internal hiring practices for professional staff.</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>Prohibits Commissioners from permitting any person, entity, or special interest group, including foreign governments and state-owned enterprises, to inappropriately influence or pose a conflict of interest with a Commissioner's official duties. Requires Commissioners to recuse themselves from related discussions or decisions if such an inappropriate influence or conflict is discovered.</p> <p>Revises restrictions on USCIRF's acceptance of gifts and donations to permit sponsoring private parties to provide compensation and benefits to interns, fellows, and volunteers under specified conditions.</p> <p>Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to require the State Department to receive assistance from 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>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1798 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 16, 2015 Mr. Rubio introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 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. Designation of entities of particular concern for religious freedom Section 402(b)(1) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6442(b)(1) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; (2) in subparagraph (A)— (A) by inserting , or whether such violations are occurring in territories in which a government does not exist or does not exercise control, after religious freedom in that country ; and (B) by striking The President and inserting the following: (B) Designations (i) Governments The President ; and (3) in subparagraph (B), as redesignated, by adding at the end the following: (ii) Non-state actors The President shall designate each non-state actor that has engaged in particularly severe violations of religious freedom as entities of particular concern for religious freedom. . 3. Establishment and composition Section 201 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6431 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by inserting , which shall be an independent Federal Government advisory body before the period at the end; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting at the end the following: The Commission as a whole shall also have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world. ; and (B) in paragraph (3), 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 An appointment required under paragraph (1)(B) should be made not later than 90 days after a vacancy is created on the Commission. ; (3) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: (d) Election of Chair and Vice Chair (1) In general Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), at the first meeting of the Commission after May 30 of each year, a majority of the members of the Commission present and voting shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission. (2) Political party balance At the first meeting of the Commission after May 30, 2016, the members of the Commission shall elect— (A) as Chair, a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President; and (B) (i) as Vice Chair, a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President; or (ii) in the occasion of 2 Vice Chairs— (I) 1 Vice Chair appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President; and (II) 1 Vice Chair appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President. (3) Rotation After the election described in paragraph (1), the positions of Chair and Vice Chair shall rotate on an annual basis between Commissioners appointed by elected officials of each political party. ; (4) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following: The Ambassador at Large shall be given advance notice of all Commission meetings and may attend all Commission meetings as a non-voting member of the Commission ; and (5) in subsection (g), by striking the second sentence. 4. Powers of the Commission Section 203(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432a(a) ) is amended by striking may and inserting shall . 5. Commission personnel matters Section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432b ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the second sentence, by inserting voting after nine ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: The Commission shall conduct an annual review of the Executive Director. ; (2) in subsection (b), by inserting voting members of the after The ; (3) in subsection (c), by inserting The Commission, working with the Executive Director, shall establish internal hiring procedures and practices for professional staff that reflect the collaborative nature of the hiring process. after qualifications. ; and (4) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the following: 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. . 6. Standards of conduct and disclosure Section 208 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6435a ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and (B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: (2) Conflict of interest It is unlawful for a Commissioner to permit any person, entity, or special interest group, including foreign governments and state-owned enterprises, to inappropriately influence the Commissioner or to pose a conflict of interest with his or her official duties. If such inappropriate influence or conflict of interest is discovered, the affected Commissioner shall recuse himself or herself from any discussion, decision, recommendation, or vote relating to such person, entity, or special interest group. ; and (2) in subsection (d)(2), by adding at the end the following: (H) Intern, fellowship, and volunteer programs that are primarily of educational benefit to the intern, fellow, or volunteer if the number, duration, and funding source of any such internship, fellowship, or volunteer program is described in the annual financial report required under subsection (e) and the funding source has been approved by a majority vote of the Commission. Sponsoring private parties may provide compensation and benefits to interns, fellows, and volunteers if no conflict of interest arises and the Commissioners are notified by any such sponsoring private parties of such compensation and benefits. . 7. Extension and termination of authority The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( Public Law 105–292 ) is amended— (1) in section 207(a) ( 22 U.S.C. 6435(a) ), 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 . 8. Training for Foreign Service officers Section 708(a) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 ( 22 U.S.C. 4028(a) ) is amended— (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— (A) by striking and the director and inserting the director ; and (B) by 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 .