H.R. 959

119 HR 959 IH: Combating International Islamophobia Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2025-02-04
 text/xml
 EN
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 I  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  H. R. 959  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   February 4, 2025   Ms. Omar  (for herself,  Ms. Schakowsky ,  Ms. Tlaib ,  Mr. Casar ,  Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania ,  Mr. Grijalva ,  Ms. Jacobs ,  Mr. Johnson of Georgia ,  Ms. McCollum ,  Mr. Pocan ,  Ms. Sánchez , and  Mr. McGovern ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Foreign Affairs    A BILL
To establish in the Department of State the Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Combating International Islamophobia Act  .
2.
Authorization for establishment of Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia
 Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 ( 22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
66.
Monitoring and combating Islamophobia
(a)
Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia
(1)
Establishment
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of State shall establish within the Department of State an Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia (in this section referred to as the  Office ).
(2)
Head of Office
(A)
Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia
The head of the Office shall be the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia (in this section referred to as the  Special Envoy ) who shall be appointed by the Secretary of State.
(B)
Appointment of Special Envoy
The Secretary may—
(i)
if considered appropriate by the Secretary, appoint the Special Envoy from among officers and employees of the Department of State; and
(ii)
allow any such officer or employee appointed as Special Envoy to retain the position (and the responsibilities associated with such position) held by such officer or employee prior to such appointment.
(b)
Purpose of Office
The Office shall be responsible for the following:
(1)
Monitoring and combating acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement that occur in foreign countries.
(2)
Coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that portion of the reports required by sections 116(d)(9) and 502B(k) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2151n(d) , 2304(k)) relating to an assessment and description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement.
(3)
Coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that portion of the report required by section 102(b)(1)(A)(viii) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)(A)(viii) ) relating to an assessment and description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement.
(c)
Consultations
The Special Envoy shall consult with domestic and international nongovernmental organizations and multilateral organizations and institutions, as the Special Envoy considers appropriate, to carry out this section.
 .
3.
Inclusion in Department of State annual reports of information concerning acts of Islamophobia in foreign countries
(a)
Inclusion in annual country reports on human rights practices
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq. ) is amended—
(1)
in section 116(d) ( 22 U.S.C. 2151n(d) )—
(A)
in paragraph (11), by striking  and  at the end;
(B)
in paragraph (12), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(13)
wherever applicable, a description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement that occurred during the preceding year, including descriptions of—
(A)
acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, members of the Muslim community, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, Muslim community institutions, including schools, mosques, and cemeteries;
(B)
instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote racial hatred or incite acts of violence against members of the Muslim community;
(C)
the actions, if any, taken by the government of that country to respond to such violence and attacks or to eliminate such propaganda or incitement;
(D)
the actions taken by such government to enact and enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to religious freedom of members of the Muslim community; and
(E)
the efforts of such government to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.
 ; and
(2)
in section 502B ( 22 U.S.C. 2304 ), by—
(A)
redesignating the second subsection (i) (relating to child marriage status) as subsection (j); and
(B)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(k)
Information concerning acts of Islamophobia in foreign countries
The report required by subsection (b) shall include, wherever applicable, a description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement that occurred during the preceding year, including descriptions of—
(1)
acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, members of the Muslim community, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, Muslim community institutions, including schools, mosques, and cemeteries;
(2)
instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote racial hatred or incite acts of violence against members of the Muslim community;
(3)
the actions, if any, taken by the government of that country to respond to such violence and attacks or to eliminate such propaganda or incitement;
(4)
the actions taken by such government to enact and enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to religious freedom of members of the Muslim community; and
(5)
the efforts of such government to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.
 .
(b)
Inclusion in annual report on international religious freedom
Section 102(b)(1)(A) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 ( 22 U.S.C. 6412(b)(1)(A) ) is amended—
(1)
in clause (vi), by striking  and  at the end;
(2)
in clause (vii)(II), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following new clause:
(viii)
wherever applicable, an assessment and description of the nature and extent of acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement that occurred in that country during the preceding the year, including—
(I)
acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, members of the Muslim community, acts of violence against, or vandalism of, Muslim community institutions, instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that incite such acts, and statements and actions relating thereto; and
(II)
the actions taken by the government of that country to respond to such violence and attacks or to eliminate such propaganda or incitement, to enact and enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to religious freedom of members of the Muslim community, and to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.
 .
(c)
Effective date of inclusions
The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.