Coptic Solidarity fully supports the reauthorization of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as this unique entity performs a critical function in reporting and advocating for greater religious freedom worldwide.

Last Friday, July 17^th, Senator Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill (S.1798), to reauthorize the USCIRF for an additional six years. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations where it will remain until scheduled for a mark-up and vote.

Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced the House version of this bill – H.R. 2037 on April 27^th, 2015, The bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations where it will remain until scheduled for a mark-up.

If Congress fails to endorse these bills, this will lead to the very unfortunate shut down of this crucial agency.

The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA),that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad. The first such entity in the world, USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations based on international standards and makes policy recommendations to the U.S. President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leaders of both political parties. The State Department’s Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom is a non-voting ex officio Commissioner, and USCIRF is separate and independent from the State Department.

The last two USCIRF authorizations have been for much shorter periods (last was for 9 months and the previous one negotiated in 2012 for 3 years) and required extensive advocacy to negotiate the terms of the renewal. This is unfortunate given the dire state of religious freedom worldwide and the job insecurity it creates amongst USCIRF staff who are some of the most knowledgeable international religious freedom experts. An entity which provides such valuable reporting, Congressional testimony and outreach, and diplomatic activities should have the stability to attract and retain top experts who can focus on their jobs rather than frequent political battles to keep USCIRF in existence.

The USCIRF also plays a critical role in providing accountability to the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom who also issues annual reports on religious freedom worldwide. The USCIRF does not publish reports on as many counties, but it does so on the most egregious violators and also issues more in depth reporting on relevant themes such as blasphemy laws. The USCIRF also makes annual recommendations regarding which countries should be added to the ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) list. This designation made by the Secretary of State denotes particularly severe violators of religious freedom .The term "particularly severe violations of religious freedom" refers to systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. The Secretary of State is not required to follow USCIRF’s recommendations and each year designates fewer countries than USCIRF has recommended.

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As the text of both bills are mostly technical, we have provided an overview of each below, explaining the main points of the reauthorization legislation.

S. 1798, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2015

Section-by-Section Summary Introduced by Sen. Rubio

Section 1: Title

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015

Section 2: Designation of Entities of Particular Concern for Religious Freedom

· Expands definition of Countries of Particular Concern to include countries where violations occur in territories in which a government does not exist or does not exercise control over such area.

· Creates new designation for “Non-State Actors”, whereby the president shall designate as “Entities of Particular Concern for Religious Freedom” non-state actors who have engaged in particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

Section 3: Establishment and Composition

· States that USCIRF is an independent Federal advisory body, clarifying that it is separate and distinct from the State Department.

· Makes clear that the Commission as a whole shall also have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world.

· Requires appointments to 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.

· Codifies current Commission practice of electing the co-chairs(s), along with the Chair, at the first Commission meeting after May 30 of each year.

· Codifies current Commission practice of rotating the chair and vice chair positions between Commissioners appointed from different political parties and stipulates that, on the occasion of two vice chairs, the vice chairs should be from different political parties.

· Codifies current Commission practice of notifying the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom in advance of all Commission meetings.

Section 4: Powers of the Commission

· Stipulates that USCIRF shall hold hearings.

Section 5: Commission Personnel Matters

· Requires that the Commission conduct an annual review of the Executive Director.

· States that the Commission, working with the Executive Director, shall establish internal hiring procedures and practices that reflect the collaborative nature of the hiring process.

· Encourages the State Department to allow Commissioners and staff with appropriate security clearance access to classified information.

Section 6: Standards of Conduct and Disclosure

· Creates a “Conflict of Interest” provision whereby it is made clear that it is unlawful for a Commissioner to permit any person, entity, or special interest group, to include foreign governments and state-owned enterprises, to inappropriately influence the commissioner. If such a conflict is discovered, the Commissioner must recuse himself or herself from relevant discussions, decisions, recommendations or votes.

· 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, provided no conflict of interest arises. Requires the number, duration and funding source of any such internship, fellowship, or volunteer program to be described in USCIRF’s annual financial report. Requires that the funding source be approved by a majority vote of the Commission.

Section 7: Extension and Termination of Authority

· Reauthorizes the Commission for six years until September 30, 2021

Section 8: Training for Foreign Service Officers

· Requires the Secretary of State to receive assistance from USCIRF when establishing training for Foreign Service Officers in internationally recognized human rights, including on the relationship between religious freedom and security and the role of religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy.

H.R. 2037 – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015

Introduced by Representative Chris Smith, (R-NJ) on April 27, 2015

· 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.

· Requires the USCIRF as a whole to have expertise on the variety of faiths practiced around the world.

· 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.

· 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.

· Encourages the Department of State to allow classified information to be accessed by USCIRF Commissioners and staff with the appropriate security clearance.

· 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.

· 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.