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H.R. 1323 114th Congress House

Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015

Official title: To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to further express United States foreign policy with respect to, and to strengthen United States advoc… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to further express United States foreign policy with respect to, and to strengthen United States advocacy on behalf of, freedom of religion or belief abroad and individuals persecuted in foreign countries on account of religion or belief, and for other purposes.

Introduced: March 25, 2015 See on congress.gov
International Affairs AsiaCongressional oversightDepartment of StateDetention of persons
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroadExecutive Office of the PresidentExecutive agency funding and structureFederal officialsForeign aid and international reliefGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementHuman rightsInternational exchange and broadcastingInternational organizations and cooperationInternet and video servicesInternet, web applications, social mediaPakistanProtest and dissentReligionRule of law and government transparencySanctions
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 20, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.
Mar 4, 2015
Introduced in House
Mar 4, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
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 Latest action March 20, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015

Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to include violations of religious freedom by non-state actors in the annual Department of State report to Congress on international religious freedom.

Requires the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to hold hearings on specified Department and U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reports concerning the status of religious freedom.

Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to require Foreign Service officers to receive training about the religious demography, status of religious freedom, and U.S. strategies for advancing religious freedom in their country of posting.

Directs the Secretary of State to: (1) transmit to specified congressional committees certain lists of persons imprisoned, detained, or placed under house arrest; and (2) report to Congress on the best uses of foreign assistance to promote the goals of religious freedom and religious engagement.

Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress after the date on which the President designates countries as a country of particular concern for religious freedom on the lack of the President's designation of Pakistan and and any other countries recommended for such designation by the Commission.

Directs the President to take specified actions in response to violations of religious freedom by non-state actors.

Authorizes certain funds for democracy programs to be used to implement innovative uses of the Internet and other electronic methods to support freedom of religion or belief abroad.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1323: Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1323/
MLA
"H.R. 1323: Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1323/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1323, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1323/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1323: Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-1323/)
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