United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011

Floor Speech

* Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2867, a bill to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

* Around the world, millions of people suffer persecution merely because they practice a different religion than other people around them. No one should be made to feel that the practice of their religion is a crime or a source of shame. Such persecution violates their inalienable human right to practice the religion of their own choosing and promotes political instability. The historical record is replete with incidents of violence and conflicts that have their source in sectarian and religious differences and rivalries.

* The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an important advocate for the freedom of religion and helps promote the issue as an integral part of the U.S. foreign policy and national security agendas. Additionally, by providing data analysis and assessment of conditions in affected areas, USCIRF enables the U.S. to impact acts of religious repression and intolerance in countries around the world.

* USCIRF helps to advance the visibility of religious freedom as a priority of U.S. foreign policy and helps to address the challenges of religious extremism, intolerance, and repression throughout the globe.

* I support the USCIRF and its mission and I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 2867.

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