Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov
Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. voted for the Combating International Islamophobia Act today. The bill, H.R. 5665, would establish an office in the U.S. State Department to monitor and combat acts of Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement in foreign countries. In addition, it would create a position of Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia to head the new office.
“History has shown that attacks on religious communities in one area of the world can become a threat to those same religious communities in other countries,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. “Hate has no place in America and freedom of religion is a sacred right. We need to protect our Islamic communities from attacks here and abroad.”
The bill would require the State Department to add more information about acts of Islamophobia worldwide to relevant State Department reports. This information would include acts of violence and harassment against Muslims, the actions of foreign governments to deal with those acts, and any instances of forced labor, re-education or the presence of concentration camps for Islamic communities.
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