US Bishops, Religious Leaders: Congress Must Re-Authorize International Religious Freedom Commission

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) joined other civic and religious leaders last weekurging Congress to re-authorize the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) with only a month remaining before its mandate expires. The bishops called the re-authorization “vital” at a time when religious freedom is “imperiled globally.”

 

USCIRF, a nine-member independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, is dedicated to “defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.” The Commission reviews religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the president, the secretary of State, and Congress. The Commission has documented many abuses against Christians and other religious groups around the world since its inception as part of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act.

 

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