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H.R. 1323: Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015

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H.R. 1323: Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-03-04 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-03-04 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015

Plain summary

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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Shahbaz Bhatti International Religious Freedom Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16] · 17 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-GA), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL), Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr1323 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114