Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act
Sponsored By: Representative Smith (NJ)
Unknown
Summary
Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2015 Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) to locate the Office on International Religious Freedom in the Office of the Secretary of State. Directs the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom to seek to coordinate religious freedom policies and religious engagement strategies across all U.S. programs, projects, and activities. Specifies additional foreign government actions violating religious freedom for the Ambassador's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, including a Special Watch List of countries or violent nonstate actors that have engaged in or tolerated such violations but do not yet meet the criteria for designation as countries of particular concern for religious freedom. Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to direct the Secretary to develop a curriculum for, and the Director of the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center to begin, mandatory training on religious freedom for all Foreign Service officers. Amends IRFA to require the Commission on International Religious Freedom to compile and make publicly available regularly updated lists of persons imprisoned, detained, disappeared, placed under house arrest, tortured, or subject to forced renunciations of faith by: (1) a foreign government recommended for designation as a country of particular concern for religions freedom, or (2) a violent nonstate actor. Extends the Commission's termination date. Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to direct the President to appoint in the National Security Council a Special Adviser for Global Religion Engagement and International Religious Freedom (in lieu of the Special Adviser to the President on International Religious Freedom) who shall assist the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom to coordinate executive branch international religious freedom policies and global religion engagement strategies. Establishes within the National Security Council: (1) the Interagency Policy Committee on Religious Freedom and Engagement; and (2) the Interagency Policy Committee on Religion, International Religious Freedom, and National Security. Amends IRFA to revise requirements, including reporting requirements, for presidential actions with respect to country and violent nonstate actor designations, in particular those countries on the Special Watch List. Declares the sense of Congress that: ongoing and persistent waivers for designated countries, especially those engaging in particularly severe violations of religious freedom, do not fulfill IRFA purposes; and the President, the Secretary, and other executive branch officials, in consultation with Congress, should seek to find ways to address existing violations, on a country-by-country basis, through specified actions. Repeals the automatic termination of a presidential designation after two years. States that it should be U.S. policy that violent nonstate actors should be eligible for designation as countries of particular concern and that specified presidential actions should apply to them or individual members of such groups. Makes funds available for FY2016-FY2021 for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund. Establishes in the State Department the Religious Freedom Defense Fund, to be administered by the Ambassador at Large. Authorizes the President to take specified actions against foreign persons: (1) responsible for committing or supporting systemic violations of religious freedom, or (2) supporting violence or terrorist acts targeting members of religious groups. Declares the sense of Congress about: (1) adoption of codes of conduct by U.S. institutions of higher education outside the United States, and (2) national security strategy to promote religious freedom through U.S. foreign policy.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Smith (NJ)
NJ • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/27/2015
Rep. Comstock, Barbara [R-VA-10]
VA • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Rep. Pittenger, Robert [R-NC-9]
NC • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Rep. Jenkins, Lynn [R-KS-2]
KS • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Aderholt
AL • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5]
IN • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Fleischmann
TN • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Rep. Trott, David A. [R-MI-11]
MI • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Rep. Pompeo, Mike [R-KS-4]
KS • R
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18]
TX • D
Sponsored 3/23/2015
Carter (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Lamborn, Doug [R-CO-5]
CO • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Holding, George [R-NC-2]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Woodall, Rob [R-GA-7]
GA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Marsha Blackburn
TN • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Wilson (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Walberg
MI • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Webster (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2]
NM • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Forbes, J. Randy [R-VA-4]
VA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Scott, Austin
GA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Reichert, David G. [R-WA-8]
WA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Fortenberry, Jeff [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Rohrabacher, Dana [R-CA-48]
CA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4]
IA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rouzer
NC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Cole
OK • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5]
WA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Hultgren, Randy [R-IL-14]
IL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7]
OH • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Sessions
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Stutzman
IN • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2]
UT • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Stivers, Steve [R-OH-15]
OH • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Williams (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Franks, Trent [R-AZ-8]
AZ • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Lipinski, Daniel [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Esty, Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14]
MI • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3]
SC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Walorski, Jackie [R-IN-2]
IN • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Joyce (OH)
OH • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Walker, Mark [R-NC-6]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Meadows, Mark [R-NC-11]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Thompson (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Fleming, John [R-LA-4]
LA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Delaney, John K. [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Weber (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Conaway, K. Michael [R-TX-11]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Hartzler, Vicky [R-MO-4]
MO • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Shimkus, John [R-IL-15]
IL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1]
WV • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Barton, Joe [R-TX-6]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Turner (OH)
OH • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Mulvaney, Mick [R-SC-5]
SC • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Barr
KY • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Carter (GA)
GA • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Vargas
CA • D
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Mica, John L. [R-FL-7]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Messer, Luke [R-IN-6]
IN • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2]
NY • R
Sponsored 4/14/2015
Rep. Gowdy, Trey [R-SC-4]
SC • R
Sponsored 4/14/2015
Hill (AR)
AR • R
Sponsored 4/14/2015
Rep. Neugebauer, Randy [R-TX-19]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/14/2015
Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6]
WA • D
Sponsored 4/14/2015
Rep. Culberson, John Abney [R-TX-7]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/14/2015
Rep. Black, Diane [R-TN-6]
TN • R
Sponsored 4/21/2015
Rep. Marino, Tom [R-PA-10]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/21/2015
Babin
TX • R
Sponsored 4/21/2015
Rep. Goodlatte, Bob [R-VA-6]
VA • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Latta
OH • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Rep. Poe, Ted [R-TX-2]
TX • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Rep. Johnson, Bill [R-OH-6]
OH • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [R-FL-27]
FL • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Rep. Benishek, Dan [R-MI-1]
MI • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Rep. Polis, Jared [D-CO-2]
CO • D
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Rep. Costello, Ryan A. [R-PA-6]
PA • R
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 5/21/2015
Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 5/21/2015
Rep. Bridenstine, Jim [R-OK-1]
OK • R
Sponsored 5/21/2015
Grothman
WI • R
Sponsored 5/21/2015
Rep. Dold, Robert J. [R-IL-10]
IL • R
Sponsored 6/2/2015
Wittman
VA • R
Sponsored 6/2/2015
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 6/2/2015
Rep. Guinta, Frank C. [R-NH-1]
NH • R
Sponsored 7/9/2015
Rep. Hunter, Duncan D. [R-CA-50]
CA • R
Sponsored 7/9/2015
Rep. Lowenthal, Alan S. [D-CA-47]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/9/2015
Rep. Olson, Pete [R-TX-22]
TX • R
Sponsored 7/9/2015
Rep. Collins, Chris [R-NY-27]
NY • R
Sponsored 7/9/2015
Rep. Hice, Jody B. [R-GA-10]
GA • R
Sponsored 7/28/2015
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 7/28/2015
Rep. Duffy, Sean P. [R-WI-7]
WI • R
Sponsored 7/28/2015
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 7/29/2015
Rep. Barletta, Lou [R-PA-11]
PA • R
Sponsored 9/17/2015
Rep. Hanna, Richard L. [R-NY-22]
NY • R
Sponsored 10/28/2015
Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]
FL • R
Sponsored 11/19/2015
Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16]
IL • R
Sponsored 11/19/2015
Rep. Salmon, Matt [R-AZ-5]
AZ • R
Sponsored 2/1/2016
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 2/1/2016
Rep. Tipton, Scott R. [R-CO-3]
CO • R
Sponsored 2/9/2016
Rep. Cook, Paul [R-CA-8]
CA • R
Sponsored 4/19/2016
Rep. Donovan, Daniel M., Jr. [R-NY-11]
NY • R
Sponsored 4/19/2016
Sherman
CA • D
Sponsored 4/20/2016
Rep. Nugent, Richard B. [R-FL-11]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1]
TN • R
Sponsored 4/13/2015
Adam Schiff
CA • D
Sponsored 5/5/2015
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in