US Congress House Bill 440 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Engrossed on July 29 2011 - 50% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2012-01-23 - Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

(Sec. 2) Directs the President to appoint a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia within the Department of State. (Sec. 3) Requires the Special Envoy to: (1) promote the right of religious freedom of religious minorities in the countries of the Near East and South Central Asia, denounce the violation of such right, and recommend appropriate U.S government responses to such violations; (2) monitor and combat acts of religious intolerance and incitement targeted against such religious minorities; (3) ensure that the needs of such religious minority communities are addressed, including economic and security needs directly tied to religious-based discrimination and persecution; (4) work with foreign governments of such countries to address inherently discriminatory laws; and (5) coordinate and assist in the preparation of specified reports required by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Special Envoy, subject to direction by the President and the Secretary of State, to represent the United States in matters and cases relevant to religious freedom in: (1) contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations (U.N.), the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international organizations; and (2) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to religious freedom. (Sec. 5) Requires the Special Envoy to give priority to programs, projects, and activities for Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. (Sec. 6) Authorizes, from amounts available for Diplomatic and Consular Programs, $1 million to be appropriated each fiscal year from FY2011-FY2015. Provides that no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for such Programs to carry out this Act. Directs the Secretary, unless otherwise authorized or required by law, to eliminate positions within the Department as necessary to offset the costs to be incurred for hiring staff, conducting investigations, and for the necessary travel to carry out this Act. (Sec. 7) Declares that this Act shall cease to be effective on October 1, 2015.

To provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.

Rep. Frank Wolf [R-VA]	Rep. Robert Aderholt [R-AL]	Rep. Spencer Bachus [R-AL]	Rep. Lou Barletta [R-PA]
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett [R-MD]	Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R-FL]	Rep. Rob Bishop [R-UT]	Rep. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]
Rep. Leonard Boswell [D-IA]	Rep. Dan Burton [R-IN]	Rep. Ken Calvert [R-CA]	Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D-CA]
Rep. John Carter [R-TX]	Sen. Bill Cassidy [R-LA]	Rep. Steve Chabot [R-OH]	Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D-MO]
Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]	Rep. Gerald Connolly [D-VA]	Rep. Peter DeFazio [D-OR]	Rep. Sean Duffy [R-WI]
Rep. Jeff Duncan [R-SC]	Rep. Renee Ellmers [R-NC]	Rep. Anna Eshoo [D-CA]	Rep. Eni Faleomavaega [D-AS]
Rep. Bob Filner [D-CA]	Rep. Randy Forbes [R-VA]	Rep. Jeff Fortenberry [R-NE]	Rep. Trent Franks [R-AZ]
Rep. Trey Gowdy [R-SC]	Rep. Morgan Griffith [R-VA]	Rep. Michael Grimm [R-NY]	Rep. Vicky Hartzler [R-MO]
Rep. Alcee Hastings [D-FL]	Rep. Rush Holt [D-NJ]	Rep. Michael Honda [D-CA]	Rep. Tim Huelskamp [R-KS]
Rep. Jesse Jackson [D-IL]	Rep. Bill Johnson [R-OH]	Rep. Mike Kelly [R-PA]	Rep. Dale Kildee [D-MI]
Rep. Doug Lamborn [R-CO]	Rep. Tom Latham [R-IA]	Rep. Sander Levin [D-MI]	Rep. Frank LoBiondo [R-NJ]
Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D-CA]	Rep. Stephen Lynch [D-MA]	Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D-NY]	Rep. Tom Marino [R-PA]
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter [R-MI]	Rep. Jim McDermott [D-WA]	Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]	Rep. Candice Miller [R-MI]
Rep. James Moran [D-VA]	Sen. Christopher Murphy [D-CT]	Rep. Sue Myrick [R-NC]	Rep. Grace Napolitano [D-CA]
Rep. Eleanor Norton [D-DC]	Rep. John Olver [D-MA]	Rep. Donald Payne [D-NJ]	Rep. Mike Pence [R-IN]
Sen. Gary Peters [D-MI]	Rep. Thomas Petri [R-WI]	Rep. Joseph Pitts [R-PA]	Rep. Mike Pompeo [R-KS]
Rep. Scott Rigell [R-VA]	Rep. Mike D. Rogers [R-AL]	Rep. Peter Roskam [R-IL]	Rep. Dennis Ross [R-FL]
Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D-IL]	Rep. James Sensenbrenner [R-WI]	Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA]	Rep. Albio Sires [D-NJ]
Rep. Christopher Smith [R-NJ]	Rep. Jackie Speier [D-CA]	Rep. Betty Sutton [D-OH]	Rep. Edolphus Towns [D-NY]
Sen. Chris Van Hollen [D-MD]	Rep. Tim Walberg [R-MI]	Rep. Joe Wilson [R-SC]	Rep. David Wu [D-OR]
Rep. Kevin Yoder [R-KS]

2011-07-29 - House - On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended (Y: 402 N: 20 NV: 10 Abs: 0) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2012-01-23	Senate	Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.
2011-12-17	Senate	Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
2011-07-29	Senate	Received in the Senate.
2011-07-29	House	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2011-07-29	House	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 - 20 (Roll no. 673). (text: CR 7/27/2011 H5595-5596)
2011-07-29	House	Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5750)
2011-07-27	House	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
2011-07-27	House	DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 440.
2011-07-27	House	Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5595-5600)
2011-07-27	House	Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
2011-03-01	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights.
2011-03-01	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia .
2011-01-25	House	Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2011-01-25	House	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E106-107)
2011-01-24	House	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H402)

SB1245 (Related) 2011-06-22 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/440/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr440/BILLS-112hr440ih.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr440/BILLS-112hr440eh.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr440/BILLS-112hr440pcs.pdf
Roll Call	https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2011673