View source for Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act

{{Short description|United States legislation}}
{{Infobox U.S. legislation
| name = Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act
| fullname = To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to improve the ability of the United States to advance religious freedom globally through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign assistance efforts, and through stronger and more flexible political responses to religious freedom violations and violent extremism worldwide, and for other purposes.
| enacted by = 114th
| effective date = December 16, 2016
| public law url = https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1150enr/html/BILLS-114hr1150enr.htm
| cite public law = 114-281
| leghisturl = 
| introducedin = [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| introducedbill = {{USBill|114|HR|1150}}
| introducedby = [[Chris Smith (New Jersey politician)|Chris Smith]] (R–[[New Jersey|NJ]])
| introduceddate = February 27, 2015
| committees = House - Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Oversight and Government Reform; Senate - Foreign Relations
| passedbody1 = House of Representatives
| passeddate1 = May 16, 2016
| passedvote1 = 
| passedbody2 = Senate
| passeddate2 = December 10, 2016
| passedvote2 = 
| signedpresident = [[Barack Obama]]
| signeddate = December 16, 2016
| amendments = 
}}

The '''Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act''' ({{USBill|114|HR|1150}}, {{USPL|114|281}}) amended "the [[International Religious Freedom Act of 1998]] (IRFA) to state in the congressional findings that the freedom of thought and religion is understood to protect theistic and nontheistic beliefs as well as the right not to profess or practice any religion". The bill was named after [[Frank Wolf (politician)|Frank Wolf]], a Republican Congressman for [[Virginia]] and supporter of religious freedom, who, along with [[Arlen Specter]], introduced the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act of 1997 in May of 1997, which didn't pass in the Senate. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 was introduced by Senator [[Don Nickles]] on March 26, 1998, and was passed by the Senate on October 8, 1998, then passed without conference by the House on October 10, 1998. IRFA was passed as an amendment in the nature of a substitute (in its entirety, including the title) to H.R. 2431, the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act of 1997.

While both religious and non-religious groups have signaled approval for the 2016 amendment,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Emery|first1=David|title=Obama Signs Law Protecting Atheists from Religious Persecution|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/12/21/obama-signs-law-protecting-atheists/|website=snopes.com|date=20 December 2016 |accessdate=January 2, 2017}}</ref> it has received particular attention for specifically protecting [[Nontheism|nontheists]] and those who claim no religion at all.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Winston|first1=Kimberly|title=New International Religious Freedom Act a first for atheists|date=19 December 2016|url=http://religionnews.com/2016/12/19/new-international-religious-freedom-act-a-first-for-atheists/|publisher=Religion News Service|accessdate=January 2, 2017}}</ref> The Frank Wolf Act does not materially change the 1998 IRFA legislation, which already contained the authority to enact the 2016 provisions, but it spells out certain provisions in greater detail and specificity.