,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bgaa ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #cj1 #bjad ,mr4 ,durbin introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to reauthorize the ,united ,states ,commission on ,international ,religious ,freedom1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,united ,states ,commission on ,international ,religious ,freedom ,reform and ,reauthorization ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,establishment and composition 7a7 ,leadership ,subsection 7d7 of section #bja of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdca7;d77 is amended to read as follows3 7d7 ,election of chair ,at the first meeting of the ,commission after ,may #cj of each year1 a majority of the ,members of the ,commission present and voting shall elect the ,chair and ,vice ,chair of the ,commission1 subject to the following requirements3 7#a7 ,initial elections ,at the first meeting of the ,commission after ,may #cj1 #bjae1 the ,members of the ,commission shall elect as ,chair a ,commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the ,president1 and as ,vice ,chair a ,commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the ,president4 7#b7 ,future elections ,at the first meeting of the ,commission after ,may #cj1 #bjaf1 the ,members of the ,commission shall elect as ,chair a ,commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the ,president1 and as ,vice ,chair a ,commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the ,president4 ,thereafter1 positions of ,chair and ,vice ,chair shall continue to rotate on an annual basis between ,commissioners appointed by elected officials of each political party4 7#c7 ,term limits ,no ,member of the ,commission is eligible to be elected as ,chair of the ,commission for a second term1 and no ,member of the ,commission is eligible to be elected as ,vice ,chair of the ,commission for a second term4 4 7b7 ,attendance at meetings of ambassador at large for international religious freedom ,subsection 7f7 of such section 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdca7;f77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,the ,ambassador at ,large shall be given advance notice of all ,commission meetings and may attend all ,commission meetings as a non-voting ,member of the ,commission44 7c7 ,appointments in cases of vacancies ,subsection 7g7 of such section 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdca7;g77 is amended by striking the second sentence4 #c4 ,powers of the commission ,section #bjc7;e7 of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdcb;a7 is amended to read as follows3 7e7 ,views of the commission ,the ,members of the ,commission may speak in their capacity as private citizens4 ,statements on behalf of the ,commission shall be issued in writing over the names of the ,members4 ,members of the ,commission shall make every effort to reach consensus on all statements on behalf of the ,commission1 including testimony1 press releases1 and articles by ,commissioners or ,commission staff4 ,when a statement supported by all ,commissioners is not possible1 the ,commission shall issue a statement only if such statement is approved by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine ,members of the ,commission and each ,member of the ,commission may include the individual or dissenting views of the ,member4 ,the ,commission shall in its written statements clearly describe its statutory authority1 distinguishing that authority from that of appointed or elected officials of the ,united ,states ,government4 ,oral statements1 where practicable1 shall include a similar description4 4 #d4 ,commission personnel matters 7a7 ,staff directors ,section #bjd of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdcb;b7 is amended by striking subsections 7a71 7b71 and 7c7 and inserting the following new subsections3 7a7 ,committee functions ,subject to subsection 7c71 the ,commission may appoint and fix the pay of such staff personnel as it deems desirable4 ,all decisions pertaining to the hiring1 firing1 and fixing of pay of personnel of the ,commission shall be by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine ,members of the ,commission1 except that-- 7#a7 ,members of the ,commission appointed by an elected official of the political party of the ,president1 by a majority vote thereof1 shall be entitled to appoint1 terminate1 and fix the pay of a ,majority ,staff ,director and shall have the authority to appoint1 terminate1 and fix the pay of three professional staff members who shall be responsible to the ,members of the ,commission of the political party of the ,president2 and 7#b7 ,members of the ,commission appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the ,president1 by a majority vote thereof1 shall be entitled to appoint1 terminate1 and fix the pay of a ,minority ,staff ,director and shall have the authority to appoint1 terminate1 and fix the pay of three professional staff members who shall be responsible to the ,members of the ,commission of the political party that is not the political party of the ,president4 7b7 ,staff appointments and compensation ,all staff appointments shall be made without regard to the provisions of chapter #ea and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of title #e relating to classification of positions and ,general ,schedule pay rates1 except that the rate of pay for the ,majority ,staff ,director1 ,minority ,staff ,director1 and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level ,v of the ,executive ,schedule under section #ecaf of such title4 7c7 ,qualifications of professional staff ,the ,commission shall ensure that the professional staff of the ,commission consists of persons with expertise in areas relevant to the issue of international religious freedom1 including foreign affairs1 direct experience abroad1 human rights1 and international law4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendments ,subsection 7e7 of such section 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdcb;b7e77 is amended by striking ,the ,executive ,director both places it appears and inserting ,the ,majority ,staff ,director and the ,minority ,staff ,director4 #e4 ,report of commission 7a7 ,report publication date ,section #bje7;a7 of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdcc7;a77 is amended by striking ,not later than ,may #a of each year and inserting ,each year1 not earlier than #cj days after1 and not later than #ij days after1 the publication of the ,department of ,state's ,annual ,report on ,international ,religious ,freedom4 7b7 ,consensus on reports ,section #bje7;c7 of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdcc7;c77 is amended to read as follows3 7c7 ,individual or dissenting views ,members of the ,commission shall make every effort to reach consensus on the report4 ,when a report supported by all ,commissioners is not possible1 the report shall be approved by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine ,members of the ,commission and each ,member of the ,commission may include the individual or dissenting views of the ,member4 4 #f4 ,authorization of appropriations ,section #bjg7;a7 of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdce7;a77 is amended by striking #bjad and inserting #bjaf4 #g4 ,termination ,section #bji of the ,international ,religious ,freedom ,act of #aiih 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #fdcf7 is amended by striking ,september #cj1 #bjad and inserting ,september #cj1 #bjaf4