View source for International Religious Freedom Act of 1998

{{Infobox U.S. legislation
| shorttitle = International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
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| longtitle = An Act to express United States foreign policy with respect to, and to strengthen United States advocacy on behalf of, individuals persecuted in foreign countries on account of religion; to authorize United States actions in response to violations of religious freedom in foreign countries; to establish an Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom with the Department of State, a Commission on International Religious Freedom, and a Special Adviser on International Religious Freedom with the National Security Council; and for other purposes.
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| enacted by = 105th
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| cite public law = {{USPL|105|292}}
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| introducedin = Senate
| introducedbill = [https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/1868/actions S.1868 - International Religious Freedom Act of 1998]
| introducedby = [[Don Nickles]] (R–[[Oklahoma|OK]])
| introduceddate = March 26, 1998
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| passedbody1 = Senate
| passeddate1 = October 8, 1998
| passedvote1 = S.Amdt.3789   — 105th Congress (1997–1998)
Purpose: In the nature of a substitute.
Sponsor: Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK]
| passedbody2 = House
| passeddate2 = October 10, 1998
| passedvote2 = Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote.(consideration: CR H10434-10447)
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| signedpresident = [[Bill Clinton]]
| signeddate = October 27, 1998
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The '''International Religious Freedom Act of 1998''' ([[Act of Congress|Public Law]] 105–292, as amended by Public Law 106–55, Public Law 106–113, Public Law 107–228, Public Law 108–332, and Public Law 108–458)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uscirf.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=349&Itemid=45 |title= United States Commission on International Religious Freedom | access-date = August 1, 2006}}</ref> was passed to promote [[freedom of religion|religious freedom]] as a [[foreign policy of the United States]], to promote greater religious freedom in countries which engage in or tolerate violations of religious freedom, and to advocate on the behalf of individuals persecuted for their religious beliefs and activities in foreign countries. The Act was signed into law by [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]] on October 27, 1998.<ref name=GPOmeta>GPO [https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-105publ292 Public Law 105–292 - International Religious Freedom Act of 1998] Page accessed June 3, 2016</ref><ref name=IRFAtext>GPO [https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-105publ292/html/PLAW-105publ292.htm International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 text] Page accessed June 3, 2016</ref> Three cooperative entities have been maintained by this act to monitor religious persecution.
#An [[Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom]] within the [[United States Department of State|Department of State]], who is the highest-ranking US diplomat on international religious freedom, and who is tasked with carrying out the provisions of IRFA: the Annual Report, negotiations with foreign governments to bring about greater religious freedom, and the determination of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC's) under IRFA, which entails further actions.
#A [[Bipartisanship|bipartisan]] [[United States Commission on International Religious Freedom]], designed to provide independent policy recommendations and fact-finding, and
#A Special Adviser on International Religious Freedom within the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]].<ref name=IRFAtext/>

IRFA was introduced on March 26, 1998, by Senator Don Nickles (R-OK), Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and others, as a far-reaching policy response to the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act of 1997, introduced by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Senator [[Arlen Specter]] on May 27, 1997, as H.R.1685/S.772, and subsequently reintroduced on September 8, 1997, as H.R. 2431, the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act. H.R. 2431 affected only a handful of countries, with a narrow range of measures; IRFA based its measures on international human rights law and created a structure to address religious freedom issues in depth all over the world. On October 8, 1998, the Senate passed IRFA by a vote of 98–0. IRFA was renumbered as Amendment S. 3789 to H.R.2431, so that the Senate version could be adopted in its entirety as an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R.2431, including its title, the "International Religious Freedom Act." IRFA was passed in full by the House on the consent calendar on October 10, 1998.