http://www.state.gov/g/drl/irf/The Office of International Religious Freedom has the mission of promoting religious freedom as a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. Headed by Ambassador-at-Large John Hanford for International Religious Freedom, its Office Director and staff monitor religious persecution and discrimination worldwide, recommend and implement policies in respective regions or countries, and develop programs to promote religious freedom.
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The office carries out its mission through:
The Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. The report contains an introduction, executive summary, and a chapter describing the status of religious freedom in each of 195 countries throughout the world. Mandated by, and presented to, the U.S. Congress, the report is a public document available online and in book form from the U.S. Government Printing Office.
The designation by the Secretary of State (under authority delegated by the President) of nations guilty of particularly severe violations of religious freedom as "countries of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (H.R. 2431)and its amendment of 1999 (Public Law 106-55). Nations so designated are subject to further actions, including economic sanctions, by the United States.
eta a bit more background
http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_uslaw.htmsnip>
The main source of support for the bill comes from Conservative Christian organizations:
Christian Coalition
Evangelicals for Social Action
Family Research Council
National Association of Evangelicals
Prison Fellowship
Salvation Army
Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference
Additional support has been given by the International Campaign for Tibet, and a number of Jewish groups:
Anti-Defamation League
National Jewish Coalition
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregation
There appears to be no formal support from mainline and liberal Christian faith groups, or from other religions.
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Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich (R, GA) commented: "I think we're going to work in both the House and Senate to convince the Clinton administration to withdraw its opposition to an office in the White House, to recognize the need for America to take a leading role, not a passive role, not a tentative role, but a leading role in being a witness around the world on behalf of religious liberty."
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, (R, MS) predicted that the Senate would "address this question legislatively, and we're going to do it now. We're going to do it this year,"
The House bill was modified slightly and approved by the International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee of the House's International Relations Committee on 1997-SEP-18. (6) The bill would retain its main features: create a new office in the White House, provide for sanctions, and improve proceedings for refugees fleeing religious persecution. However, some extremely important changes were made to the bill. It would:
allow the President to waive sanctions, if he provides a written explanation to Congress.
more clearly state that the law would all victims of religious persecution, not just to Christians.
not give precedence to victims of religious persecution over those who are fleeing other forms of oppression.
not block loans and humanitarian aid that assist people directly.
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