Today, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2026 (HR 1744), legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to extend and authorize annual appropriations for USCIRF through fiscal year 2028.

                During the floor debate on HR 1744, Smith reiterated the necessity of continued federal funding for the Commission: “USCIRF’s high-quality reporting and high-profile commissioners influence the State Department’s work on religious freedom, making it more transparent, honest and effective.

                “The Commission defends the universal right to freedom of religion abroad. It sponsors hearings, fact-finding trips, and reviews reports of religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations,” the leading human rights lawmaker continued.

                USCIRF, an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency designed to promote religious freedom, was created through the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 (PL 105-292), of which Smith was an original cosponsor. The law instituted a strong, coordinated U.S. government response for addressing and combatting worldwide religious persecution, establishing numerous religious freedom-focused offices and positions at the State Department and the National Security Council.

                “[The IRFA of 1998] created a system for naming and taking action against Countries of Particular Concern, or CPCs,” Smith said on the House floor. “History has shown that when the U.S. elevates religious freedom and that priority is conveyed to Countries of Particular Concern, conditions often change for the better, prisoners of conscience gain their freedom and progress is made toward freer exercise of religious liberty.”

                Smith is also the author of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (PL 114-281), which updated the IRFA of 1998 to enhance and expand United States’ actions to advance religious freedom globally through enhanced diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign assistance efforts.

                “Since its founding, USCIRF has issued 27 annual reports and recommended that 26 countries be designated CPCs—18 of them have ultimately been designated by the State Department,” noted Smith, who has chaired more than 30 congressional hearings on the state of religious persecution throughout the globe.

                A notable and recent example of the State Department implementing USCIRF’s recommendations for CPC status is the case of Nigeria, where thousands of Christians and non-radical Muslims are executed by Islamist extremists for their religious beliefs every year.

                “USCIRF recommended Nigeria for the CPC list in 2009 and has done so every year since. But, the Obama Administration would not make the designation,” stated Smith. “The first Trump Administration got it done in 2020, but the Biden Administration returned to the Democratic position of attributing this horrific modern martyrdom to climate change and tribal conflict.

                “The second Trump Administration restored Nigeria to the CPC list last year. Through it all, USCIRF recommended CPC status, calling it like it is and pulling no punches,” asserted the senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

                “USCIRF is a genuinely independent force, a constructive influence on the State Department… USCIRF is important to millions of people of all faiths. I therefore ask all our colleagues to join us in reauthorizing it for two more years,” concluded Smith.

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