,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cja  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #ae1 #bjac    
,mr4 ,wolf 7= himself1 ,ms4 ,e%oo1 ,mr4 
,holt1 ,mr4 ,griffi? ( ,virg9ia1 ,mr4   
,pet]s ( ,mi*igan1 ,mr4 ,pitts1 ,mr4    
,franks ( ,arizona1 ,mr4 ,duncan ( ,s\? 
,c>ol9a1 & ,mr4 ,smi? ( ,new ,j]sey7    
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to provide = ! e/abli%m5t ( !  
,special ,envoy to ,promote ,religi\s   
,fre$om ( ,religi\s ,m9orities 9 ! ,ne> 
,ea/ & ,s\? ,c5tral ,asia4  #a4 ,f9d+s  
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,m ?an   
#ejj ,baha'is 9 ,iran h be5 arbitr>ily  
arre/$ s9ce #bjje4 ,r\ghly #ajj ,baha'is
 are pres5tly imprison$ because ( _!    
religi\s beliefs4  7#b7 ,9 ,may #bjaj1  
suspect$ t]rori/s attack$ two mosques 9 
,paki/an belong+ to ! ,ahmaddiya m9ority
 ,muslim sect1 kill+ at lea/ #hj p4     
,ahmadis consid] !mselves ,muslim1 b    
,paki/ani law does n recognize !m z su*4
  7#c7 ,said ,musa1 an ,afghan ,*ri/ian 

conv]t1 0 arre/$ 9 ,may #bjaj on *>ges (
 apo/asy1 a crime :i* c c>ry ! dea?     
s5t5ce1 & 0 releas$ 9 ,febru>y #bjaa    
only aft] su/a9$ int]national pressure4 
7#d7 ,on ,octob] #ca1 #bjaj1 gunm5 laid 
siege on ,our ,lady ( ,salvation ,*ur* 9
 ,baghdad1 ,iraq1 kill+ at lea/ #eb     
police & wor%ip]s1 includ+ two prie/s1  
mak+ x ! wor/ massacre ( ,iraqi         
,*ri/ians s9ce #bjjc4  7#e7 ,iraq's     
anci5t & once vibrant ,*ri/ian          
population t numb]$ an e/imat$          
#a1ejj1jjj out ( a total population 9   
,iraq ( #cj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjjc has be5     
r$uc$ by at lea/ "o half1 due 9         
significant "p to ,*ri/ians flee+ !     
viol5ce4  7#f7 ,9 ,novemb] #bjaj1 a     
,paki/ani c\rt s5t5c$ ,aasia ,bibi1 a   
,*ri/ian "m ( five1 to dea? "u !        
c\ntry's blasphemy law = insult+ !      
,prophet ,muhammad4  7#g7 ,s9ce e>ly    
#bjaa1 viol5t sect>ian attacks t>get+   
,coptic ,or?odox ,*ri/ians & _! prop]ty 
increas$ significantly1 result+ 9 ne>ly 
#ajj dea?s1 mo/ly ,coptic ,*ri/ians1    

surpass+ ! dea? toll ( ! #aj previ\s    
ye>s comb9$4  7#h7 ,9 ,egypt1 ) ! asc5t 
( ! ,muslim ,bro!rhood1 ,coptic         
,*ri/ians1 numb]+ r\ghly #h to #aj      
million1 are leav+ 9 droves4  7#i7 ,on  
,m>* #b1 #bjaa1 ,paki/ani ,f$]al        
,m9orities ,m9i/] ,%ahbaz ,bhatti1 !    
only ,*ri/ian memb] ( ! ,cab9et1 :o 0   
outspok5 9 8 opposition to ,paki/an's   
blasphemy laws 0 assass9at$ by          
extremi/s4  7#aj7 ,! ,special ,envoy =  
,anti-,semitism1 ,hannah ,ros5?al1 has  
not$ t ,holocau/ glorification is       
especially virul5t 9 ,middle ,ea/]n     
m$ia1 "s ( :i* is /ate-own$ & op]at$1   
:i* calls = a new ,holocau/ to f9i% !   
job4  7#aa7 ,9 ! mid/ ( a deva/at+ civil
 w>1 ,syrian ,*ri/ians & o!r religi\s   
m9orities1 :i* comprise r\ghly #aj p]c5t
 ( ! population1 are p>ticul>ly         
vuln]able lack+ _! own militias &       
regional protectors4  7#ab7 ,_m ( ^!    
anci5t fai? communities are be+ =c$ to  
flee ! l&s :i* !y h inhabit$ = c5turies4
  7#ac7 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates ,commission on 

,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om has     
recomm5d$ t ,egypt1 ,tajiki/an1 ,iran1  
,iraq1 ,paki/an1 ,saudi ,arabia1        
,turkm5i/an1 & ,uzbeki/an be designat$  
by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate z ,c\ntries (    
,p>ticul> ,conc]n 9 accordance ) !      
,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om ,act (  
#aiih4  7#ad7 ,! situation on ! gr\nd 9 
! region cont9ues to develop rapidly & !
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t ne$s an        
individual :o c respond 9 k9d & focus on
 ! critical situation ( religi\s        
m9orities 9 ^! c\ntries4  7#ae7 ,!re are
 hi/orical prec$5ts1 includ+ ! ,special 
,envoy to ,monitor & ,combat            
,anti-,semitism1 ! ,special ,envoy =    
,nor? ,korea ,human ,rights ,issues1 & !
 ,s\? ,sudan & ,sudan ,special ,envoy1 =
 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 ei!r z a result ( 
legislative m&ate or initiative ( !     
,secret>y ( ,/ate1 to create positions )
 a t>get$ focus on an area or issue (   
recogniz$ import4  #b4 ,special ,envoy  
to ,promote ,religi\s ,fre$om (         
,religi\s ,m9orities 9 ! ,ne> ,ea/ &    

,s\? ,c5tral ,asia  7a7 ,appo9tm5t ,!   
,presid5t %all appo9t a ,special ,envoy 
to ,promote ,religi\s ,fre$om (         
,religi\s ,m9orities 9 ! ,ne> ,ea/ &    
,s\? ,c5tral ,asia 79 ?is ,act ref]r$ to
 z ! ,special ,envoy7 )9 ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,/ate4  7b7 ,qualifications ,! ,special 
,envoy %\ld be a p]son ( recogniz$      
di/9ction 9 ! field ( human rights &    
religi\s fre$om & ) exp]tise 9 ! ,ne>   
,ea/ & ,s\? ,c5tral ,asia regions4 ,!   
,special ,envoy %all h ! rank (         
ambassador & %all hold ! (fice at !     
pleasure ( ! ,presid5t4  7c7            
,prohibition ,! p]son appo9t$ z ,special
 ,envoy may n hold any o!r position (   
,f$]al employm5t = ! p]iod ( "t dur+ :i*
 ! p]son holds ! position ( ,special    
,envoy4  #c4 ,duties  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!   
,special ,envoy %all c>ry out ! foll[+  
duties3  7#a7 ,promote ! "r ( religi\s  
fre$om ( religi\s m9orities 9 ! c\ntries
 ( ! ,ne> ,ea/ & ! c\ntries ( ,s\?      
,c5tral ,asia1 d5\nce ! violation ( su* 
"r1 & recomm5d appropriate responses by 

! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t :5 su* "r is  
violat$4  7#b7 ,monitor & combat acts ( 
religi\s intol]ance & incitem5t t>get$  
aga9/ religi\s m9orities 9 ! c\ntries ( 
! ,ne> ,ea/ & ! c\ntries ( ,s\? ,c5tral 
,asia4  7#c7 ,"w to ensure t ! unique   
ne$s ( religi\s m9ority communities 9 ! 
c\ntries ( ! ,ne> ,ea/ & ! c\ntries (   
,s\? ,c5tral ,asia are address$1 includ+
 ! economic & security ne$s ( su*       
communities to ! ext5t t su* ne$s are   
directly ti$ to religi\s-bas$           
discrim9ation & p]secution4  7#d7 ,"w ) 
=eign gov]nm5ts ( ! c\ntries ( ! ,ne>   
,ea/ & ! c\ntries ( ,s\? ,c5tral ,asia  
to address laws t are inh]5tly          
discrim9atory t[>d religi\s m9ority     
communities 9 su* c\ntries4  7#e7       
,coord9ate & assi/ 9 ! prep>ation ( t   
portion ( ! report requir$ by sections  
#aaf7;d7 & #ejb;,b7b7 ( ! ,=eign        
,assi/ance ,act ( #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4  
#baean7d7 & #bcjd7;b77 relat+ to !      
nature & ext5t ( religi\s fre$om (      
religi\s m9orities 9 ! c\ntries ( ! ,ne>

 ,ea/ & ! c\ntries ( ,s\? ,c5tral ,asia4
  7#f7 ,coord9ate & assi/ 9 ! prep>ation
 ( t portion ( ! report requir$ by      
section #ajb7;b7 ( ! ,int]national      
,religi\s ,fre$om ,act ( #aiih 7#bb     
,u4,s4,c4 #fdab7;b77 relat+ to ! nature 
& ext5t ( religi\s fre$om ( religi\s    
m9orities 9 ! c\ntries ( ! ,ne> ,ea/ & !
 c\ntries ( ,s\? ,c5tral ,asia4  7b7    
,coord9ation ,9 c>ry+ out ! duties "u   
subsection 7a71 ! ,special ,envoy %all1 
to ! maximum ext5t practicable1         
coord9ate ) ! ,bureau ( ,population1    
,refugees & ,migration ( ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,/ate1 ! ,ambassador at ,l>ge =         
,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om1 !      
,unit$ ,/ates ,commission on            
,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om1 & o!r  
relevant ,f$]al ag5cies & (ficials4  #d4
 ,diplomatic repres5tation ,subject to !
 direction ( ! ,presid5t & ! ,secret>y (
 ,/ate1 ! ,special ,envoy is au?oriz$ to
 repres5t ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 matt]s &    
cases relevant to religi\s fre$om 9 !   
c\ntries ( ! ,ne> ,ea/ & ! c\ntries (   

,s\? ,c5tral ,asia 9--  7#a7 contacts ) 
=eign gov]nm5ts1 int]gov]nm5tal         
organizations1 & specializ$ ag5cies ( ! 
,unit$ ,nations1 ! ,organization (      
,security & ,coop]ation 9 ,europe1 & o!r
 int]national organizations ( :i* !     
,unit$ ,/ates is a memb]2 &  7#b7       
multilat]al conf]5ces & meet+s relevant 
to religi\s fre$om 9 ! c\ntries ( ! ,ne>
 ,ea/ & ! c\ntries ( ,s\? ,c5tral ,asia4
  #e4 ,priority c\ntries & consultation 
7a7 ,priority c\ntries ,9 c>ry+ out ?is 
,act1 ! ,special ,envoy %all give       
priority to programs1 projects1 &       
activities = ,egypt1 ,iran1 ,iraq1      
,afghani/an1 & ,paki/an4  7b7           
,consultation ,! ,special ,envoy %all   
consult ) dome/ic & int]national        
nongov]nm5tal organizations &           
multilat]al organizations & in/itutions1
 z ! ,special ,envoy consid]s           
appropriate to fulfill ! purposes ( ?is 
,act4  #f4 ,fund+  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,( !    
am\nts made available = ,diplomatic &   
,consul> ,programs = fiscal ye>s #bjad  

?r\gh #bjah1 #a1jjj1jjj is au?oriz$ to  
be appropriat$ = ea* su* fiscal ye> to  
c>ry out ! provisions ( ?is ,act4  7b7  
,fund+ (fset ,to (fset ! co/s to be     
incurr$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate to c>ry  
out ! provisions ( ?is ,act = fiscal    
ye>s #bjad ?r\gh #bjah1 ! ,secret>y (   
,/ate %all elim9ate su* positions )9 !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 unless o!rwise       
au?oriz$ or requir$ by law1 z !         
,secret>y det]m9es to be necess>y to    
fully (fset su* co/s4  7c7 ,limitation  
,no additional funds are au?oriz$ to be 
appropriat$ = ,diplomatic & ,consul>    
,programs to c>ry out ! provisions ( ?is
 ,act4  #g4 ,sunset ,?is ,act %all cease
 to be effective beg9n+ on ,octob] #a1  
#bjah4