PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Commission can hold hearings, meet, take testimony, and collect evidence anywhere in the United States when needed to do its work. It can ask federal departments and agencies for information, and those agencies must provide it when the Chair asks, as allowed by law. The Commission may use the U.S. mail like other federal agencies and make reasonable internal rules for its procedures. Members may speak as private citizens, but any official statement for the Commission must be written, attach the members’ names, and explain the Commission’s legal authority. When speaking as a Commissioner, a member must tell the other Commissioners and the Executive Director about the invitation as soon as possible. The Commission must share prepared remarks in advance for official events. Members (except the Ambassador-at-Large) may travel for Commission work with majority approval, but neither members nor staff can accept non‑Federal payment for official travel. By March 1 each year, each Member must report to the proper congressional committees any foreign travel paid or reimbursed by someone else, saying who paid, a cost estimate if the payer is not the Member’s employer, and brief trip details.

Title 22, §6432a

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Hearings and sessions

The Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out its duties under this subchapter, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places in the United States, take testimony and receive evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(b)Information from Federal agencies

The Commission may secure directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the Commission considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission, subject to applicable law.

(c)Postal services

The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

(d)Administrative procedures

The Commission may adopt such rules and regulations, relating to administrative procedure, as may be reasonably necessary to enable it to carry out the provisions of this subchapter.

(e)Views of the Commission

The Members of the Commission may speak in their capacity as private citizens. Statements on behalf of the Commission shall be issued in writing over the names of the Members. The Commission shall in its written statements clearly describe its statutory authority, distinguishing that authority from that of appointed or elected officials of the United States Government. Oral statements, where practicable, shall include a similar description. If a Member of the Commission is invited to speak at an event in his or her capacity as a Commissioner, the Member shall provide notice of the request to all Commissioners and the Executive Director as soon as the Commissioner becomes aware of such invitation. Speeches and responses to questions at official events shall reflect the views of the Commission. Official speeches and other prepared materials shall be made available to all Commissioners in advance of the event. If a Commissioner is speaking in his or her private capacity, he or she shall include qualifying language that the views they are representing are his or her own views and not the views of the Commission.

(f)Travel

(1)In general

The Members of the Commission may, with the approval of the Commission, conduct such travel as is necessary to carry out the purpose of this subchapter. Each trip must be approved by a majority of the Commission. This provision shall not apply to the Ambassador-at-Large, whose travel shall not require approval by the Commission.

(2)Prohibition against payment of official travel by non-Federal sources

Members of the Commission and Commission staff may not accept payment from a non-Federal source for expenses related to official travel on behalf of the Commission.

(g)Annual disclosures

Not later than March 1 of each year, each Member of the Commission shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees (as defined in section 6433a(a) of this title) with respect to the most recently concluded 12-month period, that discloses any travel by the Member outside of the United States that was paid for or reimbursed by a person or entity other than the Member, a relative of the Member, or the Federal Government, including—

(1)who paid for or reimbursed the travel;

(2)a good faith estimate of the cost of the travel, if the travel was funded by a person or entity that does not employ the Member; and

(3)brief details of the travel and events related to such travel.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 105–292, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2787, known as the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6401 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 203 of Pub. L. 105–292 was renumbered section 205 and is classified to section 6433 of this title.

Amendments

2019—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–94, § 804(b), inserted at end “If a Member of the Commission is invited to speak at an event in his or her capacity as a Commissioner, the Member shall provide notice of the request to all Commissioners and the Executive Director as soon as the Commissioner becomes aware of such invitation. Speeches and responses to questions at official events shall reflect the views of the Commission. Official speeches and other prepared materials shall be made available to all Commissioners in advance of the event. If a Commissioner is speaking in his or her private capacity, he or she shall include qualifying language that the views they are representing are his or her own views and not the views of the Commission.” Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116–94, § 806(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted heading, and added par. (2). Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 116–94, § 806(c), added subsec. (g).

§6432a Powers of the Commission