Duval Times

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), established by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, is a bipartisan commission that monitors and reports on international religious freedom. The commission’s authorization is set to expire on September 30, 2024. Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 3764, a bill introduced by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to reauthorize USCIRF for two years. The bill now awaits the President’s signature.

Senator Rubio expressed his approval of the House's decision to pass his legislation.

“Let us take a moment to recognize the importance of USCIRF’s mission of defending and protecting religious freedoms worldwide. From the ongoing persecution of Catholics both in Nicaragua and in Cuba, to the forced abortions and sterilizations against Uyghurs by Communist China, to the rise of antisemitism, religious freedoms, worldwide, are at stake. At the same time, it is imperative to ensure that USCIRF adheres to its original mandate of focusing on these threats towards religious freedom. This reauthorization does just that, and demonstrates our nation’s firm commitment to defending our God-given right to freely live out our faith.” – Senator Rubio