Signed by President Bill Clinton

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes an Office on Religious Persecution Monitoring and calls for sanctions against countries engaged in religious persecution.

Highlights:

• Establishes within the Department of State an Office on Religious Persecution Monitoring.

• Stipulates the duties of the Department, including advising the President and Secretary of State on the status of religious freedom abroad and the creation of an annual report to Congress on governments promoting or tolerating religious persecution.

• Instructs the President to impose sanctions against countries listed in the annual report as grievous offenders of religious freedom.

• Imposes multilateral sanctions upon Sudan in response to religious persecution.

• Bans sales of crime control, detection, torture, and electroshock instruments and equipment to countries known for using them to conduct religious persecution.

• Gives victims of religious persecution easier access to the United States as refugees and denies visas to violators of religious freedom.

• Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to encourage spending on programs promoting the right to free religious belief and practice.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text