United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015
Public Law 114-71 · S. 2078 · 114th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Oct 16, 2015 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015
This bill reauthorizes the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through FY2019.
(Sec. 2) It expresses the sense of Congress that USCIRF: (1) was created to independently assess and accurately describe threats to religious freedom around the world; and (2) should ensure that U.S. efforts to advance religious freedom abroad are timely, appropriate to the circumstances, prudent, and effective.
(Sec. 3) The termination date of USCIRF is extended to September 30, 2019.
(Sec. 4) The Chair and Vice Chair of USCIRF must at least biennially carry out a strategic policy and organizational review and submit a strategic plan to Congress concerning: (1) prioritized actions for USCIRF, (2) any changes it considers necessary with regard to the scope, content, and timing of USCIRF's annual report; (3) any changes USCIRF considers necessary with regard to personnel matters; and (4) USCIRF's funding requirements.
If unanimous agreement is not possible, items for inclusion in the strategic plan may, at the joint discretion of the Chair and Vice Chair, be approved by: (1) a majority of Commissioners appointed by an elected official from the political party of the President, and (2) a majority of Commissioners appointed by an elected official from the political party that is not the party of the President.
The Vice Chair for such purposes must be appointed by an elected official from the political party that is different from the political party of the elected official who appointed the Chair.
USCIRF is authorized to implement provisions related to personnel and the annual report that are included in the strategic plan, notwithstanding USCIRF's annual recommendations on U.S. policy options and a current requirement that a decision to employ or terminate an Executive Director be made by an affirmative vote of at least six of USCIRF's nine members.
USCIRF, upon request, must provide testimony and make information available to Congress.
(Sec. 5) USCIRF is authorized to expend appropriated amounts only if it complies with this Act and submits its annual financial report identifying expenditures for the preceding fiscal year.
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.
S. 2079Identical bill
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015
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. 15 actions.
- Oct 16, 2015Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-71.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 8, 2015FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Oct 6, 2015FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2078.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Royce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Oct 1, 2015FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Sep 30, 2015FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 24, 2015CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 238.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Corker. Without written report.
- 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
No amendments to this bill are on record.
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.