Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2022. I thank our Senate colleagues and Mr. Smith and Ms. Eshoo for their leadership in advancing this important measure--in Mr. Smith's case, his leadership over many, many years in advancing the cause of religious freedom across the world. Since 1998, USCIRF has served as a leading advisory panel to the United States Government on matters related to religious freedom globally. It is responsible for monitoring the freedom of religion or belief abroad and for making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and to Congress. The past several USCIRF reauthorizations have been bipartisan and faithful to the original mandate as established by Congress. Mr. Speaker, the right to practice a religion, or to practice no religion, is a fundamental human right. The principle of religious liberty should extend to all people, not only ones who come from a specific set of religious beliefs. As respect for democracy and human rights continue to be under stress in many parts of the world, the work of USCIRF and other human rights groups to shine a light on religious freedom is even more important. I thank Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul for moving this legislation forward in a bipartisan way.…”