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United States · Law · HR

H.R. 1150 (114th)

Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

27 February 2015

Last action

16 December 2016 · Became law

Status

Became Public Law No: 114-281.

Sponsors

Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4], Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18], Rep. Comstock, Barbara [R-VA-10], Rep. Pittenger, Robert [R-NC-9], Rep. Jenkins, Lynn [R-KS-2], Rep. Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4], Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5], Rep. Fleischmann, Charles J. "Chuck" [R-TN-3], David Trott, Rep. Pompeo, Mike [R-KS-4], Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18], Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31], Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16], Rep. Lamborn, Doug [R-CO-5], Rep. Holding, George [R-NC-2], Rep. Woodall, Rob [R-GA-7], Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2], Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-5], Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11], Rep. Burgess, Michael C. [R-TX-26], Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2], Rep. Forbes, J. Randy [R-VA-4], Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8], Rep. Reichert, David G. [R-WA-8], Rep. Fortenberry, Jeff [R-NE-1], Rep. Rohrabacher, Dana [R-CA-48], Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4], Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7], Rep. Nugent, Richard B. [R-FL-11], Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4], Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5], Rep. Hultgren, Randy [R-IL-14], Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7], Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17], Rep. Stutzman, Marlin A. [R-IN-3], Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-32], Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8], Rep. Stewart, Chris [R-UT-2], Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17], Rep. Stivers, Steve [R-OH-15], Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25], Rep. Franks, Trent [R-AZ-8], Rep. Lipinski, Daniel [D-IL-3], Rep. Esty, Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5], Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15], Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14], Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3]

Subjects

Defence, Education

Source updated

4 March 2026

Defence · Education

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

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.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 27 February 2015

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 27 February 2015

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 27 February 2015

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 27 February 2015

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 20 March 2015

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

    Source: Committee

  6. 15 April 2015

    Committee

    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Unanimous Consent .

    Source: Committee

  7. 15 April 2015

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  8. 20 April 2016

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  9. 20 April 2016

    Reported

    Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Committee

  10. 16 May 2016

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  11. 16 May 2016

    Passed

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2399-2403)

    Source: Floor

  12. 16 May 2016

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H2399-2403)

    Source: Floor

  13. 16 May 2016

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1150.

    Source: Floor

  14. 16 May 2016

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2399-2406)

    Source: Floor

  15. 16 May 2016

    Floor

    Mr. Royce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

    Source: Floor

  16. 17 May 2016

    Introduced

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

    Source: IntroReferral

  17. 6 December 2016

    Reported

    Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

    Source: Committee

  18. 7 December 2016

    Calendars

    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 705.

    Source: Calendars

  19. 7 December 2016

    Reported

    Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

    Source: Committee

  20. 7 December 2016

    Reported

    Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

    Source: Committee

  21. 10 December 2016

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Floor

  22. 10 December 2016

    Reported

    Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S7123-7127; text as reported to Senate: CR S7123-7127)

    Source: Floor

  23. 12 December 2016

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

  24. 13 December 2016

    Passed

    On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection. (consideration: CR H7580-7584; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H7580-7583)

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  25. 13 December 2016

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  26. 13 December 2016

    ResolvingDifferences

    Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and agree to the Senate amendment.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

  27. 13 December 2016

    Passed

    Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.(consideration: CR H7580-7584; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H7580-7583)

    Source: NotUsed

  28. 15 December 2016

    Floor

    Presented to President.

    Source: Floor

  29. 15 December 2016

    President

    Presented to President.

    Source: President

  30. 16 December 2016

    President

    Signed by President.

    Source: President

  31. 16 December 2016

    Became law

    Became Public Law No: 114-281.

    Source: President

  32. 16 December 2016

    Became law

    Signed by President.

    Source: BecameLaw

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

17 official files

Enrolled Bill (text)

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  • Enrolled Bill (text)

    Enrolled Bill · EN

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  • Enrolled Bill (PDF)

    Enrolled Bill · EN

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  • Public Law (text)

    Public Law · EN · 16 December 2016

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  • Public Law (PDF)

    Public Law · EN · 16 December 2016

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  • Public Law

    summary · EN · 16 December 2016

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  • Engrossed Amendment Senate (text)

    Engrossed Amendment Senate · EN · 10 December 2016

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  • Engrossed Amendment Senate (PDF)

    Engrossed Amendment Senate · EN · 10 December 2016

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  • Reported to Senate (text)

    Reported to Senate · EN · 7 December 2016

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  • Reported to Senate (PDF)

    Reported to Senate · EN · 7 December 2016

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  • Referred in Senate (text)

    Referred in Senate · EN · 17 May 2016

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  • Referred in Senate (PDF)

    Referred in Senate · EN · 17 May 2016

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  • Engrossed in House (text)

    Engrossed in House · EN · 16 May 2016

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  • Engrossed in House (PDF)

    Engrossed in House · EN · 16 May 2016

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  • Passed House amended

    summary · EN · 16 May 2016

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 27 February 2015

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 27 February 2015

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 27 February 2015

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