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Version 20 · Reported to House amended, Part III · May 8, 1998
Freedom From Religious Persecution Act of 1998 - Declares the purpose of this Act is to reduce and eliminate the widespread and ongoing religious persecution taking place throughout the world today. (Sec. 5) Establishes in the Department of State the Office of Religious Persecution Monitoring, whose Director, appointed by the President, with Senate consent, shall: (1) consider the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom presented in certain annual reports on human rights by the Department of State; and (2) make findings of fact on violations of religious freedom based on information from such reports or presented by independent human rights groups, nongovernmental organizations, or other interested parties. Requires the Director, based on such findings, to: (1) make policy recommendations to the Secretary of State for consideration in making determinations of countries in which there is category 1 religious persecution (conducted by government officials or agents) or category 2 religious persecution (conducted by non-government entities or persons, but which the government fails to undertake serious and sustained efforts to eliminate); (2) identify the responsible entities within such countries; and (3) report annually to specified congressional committees. Requires the Director to: (1) maintain lists of religious persecution facilitating products, and the responsible entities within countries engaged in religious persecution; and (2) make recommendations to the President regarding U.S. policies toward governments engaged in religious persecution. Directs the Secretary to determine whether category 1 or category 2 persecution exists in a foreign country (including the communities that are subject to such persecution). (Sec. 6) Requires the Director to report to specified congressional committees on countries and entities engaged in religious persecution, identifying the category of persecution and listing persecution facilitating products. (Sec. 7) Prohibits: (1) Federal agencies and U.S. persons from exporting goods, including religious persecution facilitating products, to countries and responsible entities engaged in religious persecution; and (2) U.S. assistance to such countries. Requires the U.S. Executive Director of each multilateral development bank and of the International Monetary Fund to oppose multilateral assistance to such countries. (Sec. 8) Provides for the waiver of such sanctions. (Sec. 9) Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make ineligible for a visa and inadmissible into the United States any alien who carried out or directed the carrying out of category 1 or category 2 persecution. Directs the Attorney General and the Secretary jointly to promulgate and implement guidelines for identifying and addressing improper biases on the part of immigration officers (and any assisting individuals and entities) that affect the treatment of any person who may be eligible for admission into, or asylum in, the United States as a refugee based upon a claim of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of religion. Directs the Attorney General to invite the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, alone or in cooperation with the U.S. Comptroller General, to study whether immigration officers who inspect aliens arriving in the United States (including those who have not been admitted or paroled) for possible asylum are engaging in improper conduct, including: (1) improperly encouraging aliens to withdraw their applications for admission; (2) incorrectly failing to refer such aliens for an interview by an asylum officer for a determination of whether they have a credible fear of persecution; (3) incorrectly removing them to a country where they may be persecuted; or (4) detaining such aliens improperly or in inappropriate conditions. Requires the Comptroller General to report study results to specified congressional committees. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Attorney General to provide training on religious persecution to immigration officers (including training in country conditions) and immigration judges who inspect aliens for admission into the United States. (Sec. 10) Sets forth requirements with respect to certain State Department human rights reports. Directs the Secretary of State to provide training on the right to religious freedom to chiefs of missions as well as certain Department officials. (Sec. 11) Provides for the termination of sanctions. (Sec. 12) Extends certain existing trade and economic sanctions against Sudan for supporting acts of international terrorism until the Secretary determines that Sudan has substantially eliminated religious persecution, or no longer supports acts of international terrorism, whichever occurs later. Imposes additional trade, economic, and cultural sanctions against Sudan. Sets forth penalties for violations of certain sanctions. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President, or, at his discretion, the Secretary of State should convene an international conference of the industrialized democracies to reach an international agreement to bring about an end to religious persecution in Sudan. Prescribes congressional procedures for implementing such an agreement. Expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should instruct the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations (UN) to propose that the UN Security Council impose measures against Sudan. Makes it U.S. policy to impose additional measures against Sudan if its policy of religious persecution has not ended on or before December 25, 1998. (Sec. 13) Declares that nothing in this Act shall restrict the importation of gum Arabic from Sudan during a calendar year if, during the preceding calendar year, a supply of gum Arabic in unprocessed form of equal quality to that cultivated in Sudan and not attributable to Sudan is not available in sufficient supply to meet the needs of U.S. consumers, processors, and manufacturers.
People & committees
Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10] · R–VA
Legislative record
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Became Public Law No: 105-292.
Became Public Law No: 105-292.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments Agreed to by voice vote. (consideration: CR H10434-10447)
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)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Mr. Gilman moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendments.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Yea-Nay Vote. 98-0. Record Vote No: 310.
Senate roll call 310 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Yea-Nay Vote. 98-0. Record Vote No: 310.
Senate roll call 310 · Individual votesConsidered by Senate. (consideration: CR S12091-12100)
Amendment SP 3789 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Amendment SP 3789 proposed by Senator Nickles.
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S11907-11911, S11942-11952, S11960)
Cloture motion on motion to proceed withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate. (consideration: CR S11907)
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate. (consideration: CR S11807)
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed presented in Senate. (consideration: CR S11807)
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 456.
Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Received in the Senate.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 375 - 41, 1 Present (Roll No. 155).
House roll call 155 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 375 - 41, 1 Present (Roll No. 155).
House roll call 155 · Individual votesThe House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2431.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 430, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 430, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the amendment.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 430, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the amendment.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate.
The Speaker designated the Honorable Ray LaHood to act as Chairman of the Committee.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 430 and Rule XXIII.
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2431 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. In lieu of the amendments recommended by the Committees on International Relations, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means now printed in the bill, it shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 3806, modified by the amendments printed in part 1 of the report accompanying this resolution. No amendment to the substitute shall be in order except those printed in part 2 of the report accompanying this resolution, to be offered in the order and manner specified. All points of order against the amendments printed in the report shall be waived.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 430. (consideration: CR H3271-3294)
Rule H. Res. 430 passed House.
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 430 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2431 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. In lieu fo the amendments recommended by the Committees on International Relations, the Judiciary, and Ways and Means now printed in the bill, it shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 3806, modified by the amendments printed in part 1 of the report accompanying this resolution. No amendment to the substitute shall be in order except thos printed in part 2 of the report accompanying this resolution, to be offered in the order and manner specified. All points of order against the amendments printed in the report shall be waived.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3018-3019)
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 295.
Committee on Rules discharged.
Committee on Rules discharged.
Committee on Banking and Financial Services discharged.
Committee on Banking and Financial Services discharged.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 105-480, Part III.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 105-480, Part III.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 105-480, Part II.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 105-480, Part II.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
House Committee on Rules Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than May 8, 1998.
House Committee on Banking and Financial Services Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than May 8, 1998.
House Committee on Judiciary Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than May 8, 1998.
House Committee on Ways and Means Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than May 8, 1998.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on International Relations. H. Rept. 105-480, Part I.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on International Relations. H. Rept. 105-480, Part I.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 31 - 5.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Executive Comment Received from State.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights.
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims.
Committee Hearings Held.
Committee Hearings Held.
Referred to House Rules
Referred to House Banking and Financial Services
Referred to House Judiciary
Referred to House Ways and Means
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, Banking and Financial Services, and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to House International Relations
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
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Analyze H.R.2431 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
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