H.R. 440: To provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.

112th Congress · introduced 2011-01-25 · International Affairs · Latest: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292.

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Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-01-25 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 673 (2011): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR440 (2011-07-29), Passed. See all
Where it stands now: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 292. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.

Plain summary

(Sec. 2) Directs the President to appoint a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia within the Department of State. (Sec. 3) Requires the Special Envoy to: (1) promote the right of religious freedom of religious minorities in the countries of the Near East and South Central Asia, denounce the violation of such right, and recommend appropriate U.S government responses to such violations; (2) monitor and combat acts of religious intolerance and incitement targeted against such religious minorities; (3) ensure that the needs of such religious minority communities are addressed, including economic and security needs directly tied to religious-based discrimination and persecution; (4) work with foreign governments of such countries to address inherently discriminatory laws; and (5) coordinate and assist in the preparation of specified reports required by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. (Sec. 4) Authorizes the Special Envoy, subject to direction by the President and the Secretary of State, to represent the United States in matters and cases relevant to religious freedom in: (1) contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations (U.N.), the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international organizations; and (2) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to religious freedom. (Sec. 5) Requires the Special Envoy to give priority to programs, projects, and activities for Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. (Sec. 6) Authorizes, from amounts available for Diplomatic and Consular Programs, $1 million to be appropriated each fiscal year from FY2011-FY2015. Provides that no additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for such Programs to carry out this Act. Directs the Secretary, unless otherwise authorized or required by law, to eliminate positions within the Department as necessary to offset the costs to be incurred for hiring staff, conducting investigations, and for the necessary travel to carry out this Act. (Sec. 7) Declares that this Act shall cease to be effective on October 1, 2015.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To provide for the establishment of the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10] · 80 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Mike Rogers (R-AL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and 20 more.

Recorded votes

House roll call 673 (2011): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR440 (2011-07-29): Passed

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr440.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr440 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112