Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2014
Public Law 113-161 · S. 653 · 113th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Aug 8, 2014 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Cosponsors (22): Sen. Carl Levin, Sen. Richard Blumenthal,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Authorizes the President to appoint a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia within the Department of State. Requires the Special Envoy to have the rank of ambassador.
(Sec. 3) Requires the Special Envoy to: (1) promote the right of religious freedom of religious minorities in the countries of the Near East and South Central Asia, denounce the violation of such right, and recommend appropriate U.S government responses to such violations; (2) monitor and combat acts of religious intolerance and incitement targeted against such religious minorities; (3) ensure that the needs of such religious minority communities are addressed, including economic and security needs directly tied to religious-based discrimination and persecution; (4) work with foreign governments of such countries to address inherently discriminatory laws; and (5) coordinate and assist in the preparation of specified reports required by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
(Sec. 4) Authorizes the Special Envoy, subject to direction by the President and the Secretary of State, to represent the United States in matters and cases relevant to religious freedom in: (1) contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations (U.N.), the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international organizations; and (2) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to religious freedom.
(Sec. 5) Provides for the Special Envoy to consult, as appropriate, with domestic and international nongovernmental organizations and multilateral organizations and institutions.
(Sec. 6) Terminates this Act on October 1, 2019.
(Sec. 7) Authorizes the Secretary of State to provide specified amounts to the Special Envoy from amounts appropriated for FY2015-FY2019.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 301Related bill
To provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.
- Aug 8, 2014Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 113-161.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 29, 2014FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jul 25, 2014FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- Jul 14, 2014FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jul 10, 2014FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Dec 18, 2013CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 268.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Menendez without amendment. Without written report.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Mar 22, 2013CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 3556SenateSen. Roy BluntR-MO· offered Jul 10, 2014Agreed to
To improve the bill.
Jul 10, 2014: Amendment SA 3556 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.