S. 2466 — Introduced in Senate

II 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2466 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 11, 2014 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Risch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to include the desecration of cemeteries among the many forms of violations of the right to religious freedom. 1. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Cemeteries are sacred sites that are of great spiritual, cultural, and historical significance to many religious and ethnic groups. (2) Congress is committed to protecting and preserving the heritage and sacred sites of national, religious, and ethnic groups, which include cemeteries in the United States and abroad. (3) Cemeteries around the world have, and continue to be, defaced or destroyed as a direct result of their affiliation with a particular religious or spiritual group. (4) Such attacks constitute an assault on the fundamental right to freedom of religion, and are especially egregious when sponsored or tolerated by the local or national governments in the countries in which such offenses occur. 2. Amendment to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 Section 2(a)(4) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401(a)(4)) is amended by inserting desecration of cemeteries, after confiscations of property,.