Sec. 5. Reform and reauthorization of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
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Section 201(d) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6431(d) ) is amended to read as follows: At the first meeting of the Commission after May 30 of each year, a majority of the members of the Commission present and voting shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair of the Commission, subject to the following requirements: At the first meeting of the Commission after May 30, 2016, the members of the Commission shall elect— as Chair, a member of the Commission who was appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President; and as Vice Chair, a member of the Commission who was appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President.
At the first meeting of the Commission after May 30, 2017, the members of the Commission shall elect— as Chair, a member of the Commission who was appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President; and as Vice Chair, a member of the Commission who was appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President. After the election described in subparagraph (A), the positions of Chair and Vice Chair shall continue to rotate on an annual basis between members of the Commission appointed by elected officials of each political party.
No member of the Commission is eligible to be elected as— Chair of the Commission for a second term; or Vice Chair of the Commission for a second term. . Section 201(f) of such Act ( 22 U.S.C. 6431(f) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: The Ambassador at Large shall be given advance notice of all Commission meetings and may attend all Commission meetings as a nonvoting member of the Commission. . Section 201(g) of such Act ( 22 U.S.C. 6431(g) ) is amended by striking the second sentence.
Section 203(e) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432a(e) ) is amended to read as follows: Members of the Commission may speak in their capacity as private citizens. A member of the Commission may be identified as a member of the Commission when making oral or written statements in their private or other professional capacity if the member states clearly that the statement— is not on behalf of the Commission; and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission.
All statements on behalf of the Commission shall be issued in writing over the names of the members of the Commission. In its written statements, the Commission shall clearly describe its statutory authority, distinguishing that authority from that of appointed or elected officials of the United States Government. Oral statements of the Commission shall include a similar description, to the extent practicable. Members of the Commission shall make every effort to reach consensus on all oral or written statements on behalf of the Commission.
All views of the Commission on pending legislation or any other matter under the jurisdiction of the Commission shall be approved by an affirmative vote of at least 6 of the 9 members of the Commission. Each member of the Commission may include the individual or dissenting views of the member. All oral or written statements by members or staff of the Commission on behalf of the Commission, including testimony, press releases, articles, and public or private correspondence, shall accurately reflect approved views of the Commission in accordance with subparagraph (D). .
Section 204 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6432b ) is amended— in subsection (a)— by striking or terminate an Executive Director and inserting an Executive Director and additional personnel ; and by adding at the end the following: The decision to terminate an Executive Director and additional personnel shall be made by an affirmative vote of at least 5 of the 9 members of the Commission. ; by redesignating subsections
(b)through
(g)as subsections
(c)through (h); by inserting after subsection
(a)the following: Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of the FIRST Freedom Act , the Commission shall appoint an Executive Director by an affirmative vote of at least 6 of the 9 members of the Commission. Each Executive Director— may serve for a 4-year term; and may serve an additional, consecutive 4-year term if reappointed by the Commission by an affirmative vote of at least 6 of the 9 members of the Commission. ; in subsection (d), as redesignated, by striking and the Executive Director ; in subsection (g), as redesignated, by striking the commission, for the executive director, and inserting the Commission, for the Executive Director, ; and in subsection (h), as redesignated— by striking For purposes and inserting the following: For purposes ; by inserting (including discrimination on the bases of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability) after employment discrimination ; and by adding at the end the following: In applying paragraph
(1)to rights and protections that pertain to employment discrimination on the basis of sex, and the remedies and procedures available to address alleged violations of such rights and protections, the laws, rules, and regulations that provide such rights and protections to employees whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives shall be deemed to recognize discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity as forms of discrimination on the basis of sex and shall treat such discrimination in the same manner as discrimination on the basis of sex. . Section 205 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6433 ) is amended— in subsection (a), by striking Not later than May 1 of each year, and inserting Each year, between 30 and 90 days after the publication of the Department of State’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, ; and by amending subsection
(c)to read as follows: Members of the Commission shall make every effort to reach consensus on the report under this section. When such consensus is not possible, the report shall be approved by an affirmative vote of at least 6 of the 9 members of the Commission. Each member of the Commission may include the individual or dissenting views of the member in the report. . Section 206 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6434 ) is amended— by inserting
(a)before Federal Advisory Committee Act .— The ; and by adding at the end the following: Notwithstanding section 551 of title 5, United States Code, the Commission shall be considered to be an agency for purposes of section 552 of such title. . Section 207(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6435(a) ) is amended by striking 2015 and inserting 2017 . Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6436 ) is amended by striking September 30, 2015 and inserting September 30, 2017 .
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Sec. 5
Reform and reauthorization of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
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