Combating International Islamophobia Act
- Bill Number
- S. 805
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-27: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-05T21:48:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Combating International Islamophobia Act aims to address and reduce acts of Islamophobia—defined as prejudice, discrimination, or hostility against Muslims or Islam—occurring in foreign countries. It focuses on monitoring such acts, promoting awareness, and integrating this issue into U.S. foreign policy reporting to support religious freedom and tolerance globally.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of an Office: Within 120 days of enactment, the Secretary of State must create the Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia in the Department of State. This office will be led by a Special Envoy, appointed by the Secretary, who may come from existing Department staff without losing their prior role.
- Office Responsibilities:
- Monitor and combat acts of Islamophobia and related incitement (e.g., rhetoric that encourages violence or hatred) in foreign countries.
- Coordinate and assist in preparing sections of existing U.S. government reports that assess and describe the nature and extent of such acts.
- Consult with domestic and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and multilateral bodies (e.g., United Nations agencies) as needed.
- Reporting Requirements: Starting 180 days after enactment, annual U.S. reports on human rights, foreign assistance, and international religious freedom must include descriptions of Islamophobia where applicable. These cover:
- Physical violence, harassment, or vandalism against Muslims or their institutions (e.g., mosques, schools, cemeteries).
- Propaganda in media that promotes hatred or incites violence against Muslims.
- Government responses, including laws protecting religious freedom, enforcement actions, and efforts to promote anti-bias education and tolerance.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new Section 66 to the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, creating the dedicated office and envoy position—previously, no specific U.S. government office focused solely on monitoring Islamophobia internationally.
- Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (sections 116 and 502B) to expand annual country reports on human rights practices and assistance programs by adding a required paragraph on Islamophobia, including government responses and anti-bias initiatives. This involves minor technical redesignations of existing paragraphs.
- Modifies the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (section 102) to include assessments of Islamophobia in annual reports, emphasizing violence, incitement, and governmental actions to protect Muslim religious freedoms.
These changes integrate Islamophobia tracking into established reporting frameworks without creating new standalone reports.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The Department of State will face new administrative duties, including staffing the office, appointing the envoy, and enhancing report coordination. This may require modest additional resources but builds on existing religious freedom monitoring efforts.
- On Citizens: U.S. citizens, particularly Muslim Americans, could benefit indirectly through heightened global awareness of anti-Muslim bias, potentially influencing U.S. advocacy abroad. Foreign Muslim communities may see improved protections via U.S. diplomatic pressure on host governments.
- On International Relations: Could strengthen U.S. diplomacy on religious tolerance by spotlighting Islamophobia in bilateral discussions, aid decisions, or sanctions. It may encourage foreign governments to address these issues to maintain positive relations with the U.S., though it risks perceptions of U.S. interference in domestic affairs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. Department of State: Directly responsible for implementing the office and updating reports.
- Muslim Communities Worldwide: Primary beneficiaries through monitoring and potential advocacy against discrimination.
- Foreign Governments: Subject to scrutiny in U.S. reports, which could affect their international standing or U.S. aid eligibility.
- NGOs and Multilateral Organizations: Involved in consultations and data-sharing to support the office's work, including groups focused on human rights and religious freedom.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces U.S. obligations under international human rights treaties (e.g., those protecting religious freedom) by formalizing Islamophobia as a reportable issue, but it does not create new enforcement mechanisms or penalties—relying instead on existing diplomatic tools.
- Constitutional: Aligns with the First Amendment's protection of religious freedom by promoting tolerance abroad, without infringing on U.S. domestic speech rights, as the focus is international.
- Political: Signals bipartisan congressional concern over global anti-Muslim sentiment (introduced by Senators Booker, Kaine, Padilla, Van Hollen, Sanders, and Warnock). It could foster greater U.S. leadership on minority protections but may spark debates on prioritizing specific religious groups in foreign policy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (6)
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-27: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 2025-02-27: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Combating International Islamophobia Act — issued 2025-02-27 — PDF (8 pages)