22 U.S.C. § 6441
It shall be the policy of the United States-
For each foreign country the government of which engages in or tolerates violations of religious freedom, the President shall oppose such violations and promote the right to freedom of religion in that country through the actions described in subsection (b).
Each action taken under paragraph (1)(B) shall be based upon information regarding violations of religious freedom, as described in the latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the Annual Report and Executive Summary, and on any other evidence available, and shall take into account any findings or recommendations by the Commission with respect to the foreign country.
Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the President, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Ambassador at Large, the Special Adviser, and the Commission, shall, as expeditiously as practicable in response to the violations described in subsection (a) by the government of a foreign country-
Not later than September 1 of each year, the President shall take action under any of paragraphs (1) through (15) of section 6445(a) of this title (or commensurate action in substitution thereto) with respect to each foreign country the government of which has engaged in or tolerated violations of religious freedom at any time since September 1 of the preceding year, except that in the case of action under any of paragraphs (9) through (15) of section 6445(a) of this title (or commensurate action in substitution thereto)-
The President may delay action under paragraph (2) described in any of paragraphs (9) through (15) of section 6445(a) of this title (or commensurate action in substitution thereto) if he determines and certifies to Congress that a single, additional period of time, not to exceed 90 days, is necessary pursuant to the same provisions applying to countries of particular concern for religious freedom under section 6442(c)(3) of this title.
In carrying out subsection (b), the President shall-
In addition to the guidelines under paragraph (1), the President, in determining whether to take a Presidential action under paragraphs (9) through (15) of section 6445(a) of this title (or commensurate action in substitution thereto), shall seek to minimize any adverse impact on-
22 U.S.C. § 6441
EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS
DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT OF 1998Memorandum of President of the United States, Aug. 17, 1999, 64 F.R. 47345, provided:Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code, I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the functions and authorities vested in the President by title IV, subtitle I (sections 401-409) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 [22 U.S.C. 6441 et seq.] (Public Law 105-292) (the "Act").Any reference in this memorandum to any act shall be deemed to be a reference to such act as amended from time to time.The functions delegated by this memorandum may be delegated within the Department of State.You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. William J. Clinton.
- Ambassador at Large
- The term "Ambassador at Large" means the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom appointed under section 6411(b) of this title.
- Annual Report
- The term "Annual Report" means the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom described in section 6412(b) of this title.
- Commission
- The term "Commission" means the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom established in section 6431(a) of this title.
- Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
- The term "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" means the annual reports required to be submitted by the Department of State to Congress under sections 2151n(d) and 2304(b) of this title.
- Executive Summary
- The term "Executive Summary" means the Executive Summary to the Annual Report, as described in section 6412(b)(1)(F) of this title.
- Special Adviser
- The term "Special Adviser" means the Special Adviser to the President on International Religious Freedom described in section 3021(i) of title 50.2
- commensurate action
- The term "commensurate action" means action taken by the President under section 6445(b) of this title.
- violations of religious freedom
- The term "violations of religious freedom" means violations of the internationally recognized right to freedom of religion and religious belief and practice, as set forth in the international instruments referred to in section 6401(a)(2) of this title and as described in section 6401(a)(3) of this title, including violations such as-(A) arbitrary prohibitions on, restrictions of, or punishment for-(i) assembling for peaceful religious activities such as worship, preaching, and prayer, including arbitrary registration requirements;(ii) speaking freely about one's religious beliefs;(iii) changing one's religious beliefs and affiliation;(iv) not professing a particular religion, or any religion;(v) possession and distribution of religious literature, including Bibles; or(vi) raising one's children in the religious teachings and practices of one's choice; or(B) any of the following acts if committed on account of an individual's conscience, non-theistic views, or religious belief or practice: detention, interrogation, imposition of an onerous financial penalty, forced labor, forced mass resettlement, imprisonment, forced religious conversion, forcibly compelling non-believers or non-theists to recant their beliefs or to convert, beating, torture, mutilation, rape, enslavement, murder, and execution.1So in original. Probably should be "Presidential".2See References in Text note below.