Marco Rubio Champions International Religious Freedom Commission

On Friday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a measure to reauthorize United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for six years while offering some internal reforms to it. 

“As religious freedom continues to be threatened around the world, the commission’s defense of the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad is more important than ever,” said Rubio. “Religious freedom, often referred to as America’s first freedom, must be a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. The commission plays a vital role in ensuring that the plights of the beleaguered Iraqi Christian nun, the imprisoned Baha’i leader in Iran and the repressed Tibetan Buddhist monk are not forgotten. Its mandate is too important to keep subjecting the commission to constant reauthorizations, which distract from the vital work they are charged with undertaking.
 
“This bill would strengthen the commission and give its work greater relevance by empowering both USCIRF and the State Department to assess the religious freedom violations of non-state entities like ISIS and Boko Haram, which are increasingly among the most severe violators globally,” Rubio aded. “I encourage my colleagues to support this bill so we can send a clear message to those who threaten religious freedom that the United States is committed to shining a light on these cases of injustice and to standing with those who desire nothing more than to worship and peacefully live out their faith as they choose.”