Religious Freedom Legislation Stalls under Senator’s Hold

on February 21, 2014

Two members of the United States Senate say they want further study on a bill designed to protect religious minorities across the Middle East.

The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed the Near East and South Central Asia Religious Freedom Act of 2013.

Christians United for Israel (CUFI) organized an aggressive campaign to encourage members of the House of Representatives to support the measure. CUFI has garnered support for the bill from groups such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Coptic Solidarity, and the North American Religious Liberty Association.

Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) say they want further study of the legislation. The Bill would instruct the U.S. State Department to create a position for defending religious minorities in countries such as Egypt, Iran and Syria.

The Washington Free Beacon reports the bill stalled several times in the House last year and passed by almost a unanimous vote after the intense lobbying campaign from Christian groups including CUFI.

Supporters of the legislation say they are upset with the Senators for placing a hold on the bill. This measure cannot move ahead until the indefinite holds are lifted. Christian groups say many Christian minorities are being killed and Congress needs to take action.

Both Senators have told the Washington Free Beacon they are not opposed to legislation to protect Christian minorities but they do have some questions about the bill and want more time to study the measure.

Some staff members at the U.S. Senate say the Senators are concerned the bill would cost too much money and create another office in the State Department which would contain too much bureaucracy.

Christians United for Israel argues that the United States should be doing more to fight back against Christian persecution.

David Brog is the CUFI executive director. He states “the persecution of Christians in the Middle East is one of the great humanitarian tragedies of our day.” Brog went on to tell the Free Beacon “This bill won’t stop the bloodshed, but it will shine a bright light on it. Brog says the cost of the new office will be paid for entirely from funds already appropriated to the State Department.

Brog feels blocking the measure “is the refusal to stand by our brothers’ blood.”Brog charges that “there will be some very difficult questions for whoever blocks the effort.”

Brog says an additional position is needed to focus on the Middle East because the current U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom position has a “broad global focus.”

“Given the extraordinary circumstances, “I would hope that everyone in Washington recognizes the need for an envoy whose sole focus is to put the full diplomatic weight of the U.S. government before the effort to stop this tragedy.”

Staff members at the U.S. Senate say the Senators are concerned the bill would cost too much money and create another office in the State Department which would contain too much bureaucracy.

Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced this bill with cosponsors Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

S. 653 has nineteen co-sponsors.

Coptic Solidarity says it is pleased with the support for the measure. Coptic  Solidarity says the crisis for religious minorities has deepened in countries such as Egypt, Syria and Libya and says it is imperative that US policy address the  grievous violence and mass exodus of religious minorities from these countries.

The House version of this bill, H.R. 301, passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support in a vote of 402-22 on September 18.  It was sponsored by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) with original co-sponsor Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

Wolf and Eshoo both say “A special envoy could help develop policy options to ensure the protection and preservation of these ancient faith communities while also serving as a high-level advocate within our own government and with foreign governments.”

  1. Comment by Daniel on February 21, 2014 at 9:51 am

    So what happens when Obama doesn’t like the bill and decides not to “enforce” it? I don’t expect he would veto it – too much negative publicity, but I bet he and John Kerry will do nothing to implement it unless they can use it to spout meaningless rhetoric and then claim for political gain that they are doing something meaningful, kind of like what they are doing with Syria, Iran, Egypt, etc.

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