A bill to prohibit assistance to foreign governments that violate human rights with respect to religious freedom.

Bill: 116-s-4685
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
Introduced: 2020-09-24
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Criminal procedure and sentencing

Foreign aid and international relief

Human rights

Marriage and family status

Religion
Latest action: action_date: 2020-09-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-09-24
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill requires the President to submit a report listing each foreign government that imposes a death sentence or life imprisonment pursuant to laws against apostasy, blasphemy, or interfaith marriages, and it prohibits the United States from using any funds to provide assistance to the government of a country identified in the report.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4685 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 24, 2020 Mr. Paul introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To prohibit assistance to foreign governments that violate human rights with respect to religious freedom.

1. Identification of countries with laws imposing severe criminal penalties for apostasy, blasphemy, or interfaith Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that lists each foreign government that the President determines, based on credible information, imposes a death sentence or life imprisonment on the basis of— (1) anti-apostasy laws that explicitly prohibit disaffiliation from a particular religion; (2) anti-blasphemy laws; or (3) laws prohibiting marriage between individuals of different religious faiths. 2. Prohibition on assistance to foreign governments that violate human rights with respect to religion The United States Government is prohibited from obligating or expending any Federal funds to provide assistance to the government of any country identified in the report submitted by the President pursuant to section 1.