Blue color on the map signifies countries that were the focus of IRF legislative items in the 116th Congress.

117th Key Takeaways

117th Congress IRF Key Takeaways

Notable Leaders

IRF Secretariat celebrates these members of the 117^th Congress who worked diligently to protect and advance international religious freedom. Bold signifies top scores. See methodology for selection criteria.

SENATE

Marco Rubio, R-FL

Tammy, Baldwin D-WI
Marsha Blackburn R-TN
Sidney Blumenthal D-CT
Corey A. Booker D-NJ
John Boozman R-AR
Mike Braun R-IN
Benjamin L. Cardin D-MD
Robert P. Casey, Jr. D-PA
Bill Cassidy R-LA
Susan M. Collins R-ME
Christopher A. Coons D-DE
Tom Cotton R-AR
Kevin Cramer R-ND

Ted Cruz R-TX
Richard J. Durbin D-IL
Joni Ernst R-IA
Diane Feinstein D-CA
Bill Haggerty R-TN
Tim Kaine D-VA
Amy Klobuchar D-MN
James Lankford R-OK
Edward J. Markey D-MA
Robert Menendez D-NJ
Jeff Merkley D-OR
Jerry Moran R-KS
Alex Padilla D-CA

Gary C. Peters D-MI
James E. Risch R-ID
Mitt Romney R-UT
Jacky Rosen D-NV
Rubio, Marco R-FL
Rick Scott R-FL
Jeanne Shaheen D-NH
Dan Sullivan R-AK
Thom Tillis R-NC
Chis Van Hollen D-MD
Elizabeth Warren D-MA
Ron Wyden D-OR
Todd C. Young R-IN

HOUSE

James McGovern, D-MA

Andy Barr R-KY
Karen Bass D-CA
Ami Bera D-CA
Gus M. Bilirakis R-FL
Earl Bluemenauer D-OR
Suzanne Bonamici D-OR
Jamaal Bowman D-NY
Andre' Carson D-IN
Joaquin Castro D-TX
Steve Chabot R-OH
David Cicilline D-RI
Steve Cohen D-TN
Gerald E. Connolly D-VA
J. Luis Correa D-CA
Jim Costa D-CA
Dan Crenshaw R-TX
Ted Deutch D-FL
Jefferson Van Drew R-NJ
Anna Eshoo D-CA
Dwight Evans D-PA
Brian Fitzpatrick R-PA
Matt Gaetz R-FL
Mike Gallagher R-OH
Carlos A. Gimenez R-FL
Josh Gottheimer D-NJ
Al Green D-TX
Raul M. Grijalva D-AZ
Glenn Grothman R-WI
Andy Harris R-MD

Vicky Hartzler R-MO
Sheila Jackson Lee D-TX
Sarah Jacobs D-CA
Bill Johnson R-OH
Edie Bernice Johnson D-TX
William R. Keating D-MA
Ro Khana D-CA
Andy Kim D-NJ
Young Kim R-CA
Doug Lamborn R-CO
Barbara Lee D-CA
Ted Lieu D-CA
Zoe Lofgren D-CA
Alan Lowenthal D-CA
Tom Malinowski D-NJ
Nicole Malliotakis R-NY
Sean Patrick Maloney D-NY
Kathy Manning D-NC
Michael McCaul R-TX
Betty McCollum D-MN
James McGovern D-MA
Gregory W. Meeks D-NY
Grace Meng D-NY
Mariannette Miller-Meeks R-IA
Seth Moulton D-MA
Ilhan Omar D-MN
Bill Pascrell, Jr. D-NJ
Donald Payne, Jr. D-NJ

Dean Phillips D-MN
Mark Pocan D-WI
Jamie Raskin D-MD
Maria Elvira Salazar R-FL
John P. Sarbanes D-MD
Janice Schakowsky D-IL
Adam Schiff D-CA
Bradley Schneider D-IL
Terri A. Sewell D-AL
Brad Sherman D-CA
Albio Sires D-NJ
Chris Smith R-NJ
Elise Stefanik R-NY
W. Gregory Steube R-FL
Thomas Suozzi D-NY
Eric Swalwell D-CA
Claudia Tenney R-NY
Diana Titus D-NV
Rashida Tlaib D-MI
David Trone D-MD
Juan Vargas D-CA
Ann Wagner R-MO
Michael Waltz R-FL
Randy Weber R-TX
Jennifer Wexton D-VA
Susan Wild D-PA
Nikema Wiliams D-GA
Joe Wilson R-SC

NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS SCORED BY REGION

REGION	#ITEMS	% OF TOTAL	COUNTRIES
Africa	1	1%	Cameroon
Asia Central	38	65%	Afghanistan, Burma, China, Iran
Asia East	2	3%	North Korea
Asia South	3	5%	Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India
Middle East	4	6%	Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey
Europe	2	3%	Ukraine
North America	3	5%	U.S., Cuba
Global	7	12%

GEOGRAPHIC CHART OF LEGISLATIVE ITEMS SCORED

Scroll left/right to view items scored by country and globally.

Global	Afghanistan	Bangladesh	Burma	Cameroon	China	Cuba	Hong Kong	India	Iran	Israel	North Korea	Saudi Arabia	Syria	Turkey	Ukraine	United States
S.3384	S.2863	H.Res.1430	S.1142	H.Res.895	S.65	H.Res.527	S.Res.821	H.Res.1196	S.4290	H.Res.843	S.4216	S.2142	S.Res.99	H.R.3056	S.1310	S.3895
S.Res.13	S.Res.513		S.2937		S.1080				S.Con.Res.47		H.R.7332				H.R.496	H.R.7829
S.Res.342	H.Res.694		S.Res.35		S.4073				S.Res.183
H.R.5665	H.Res.926		S.Res.105		S.4290				S.Res.803
H.R.6204			H.R.7776		S.5082				H.R.2117
H.Res.160			H.R.5497		S.Res.131				H.R.3465
H.Res.1125					S.Res.260				H.Con.Res.110
					S.Res.495				H.Res.744
					H.R.1155
					H.R.1630
					H.R.3306
					H.R.3465
					H.R.4785
					H.R.4821
					H.R.6256
					H.R.6319
					H.R.9596
					H.Res.456
					H.Res.466
					H.Res.500

Scoring of IRF Legislation for 117th Congress

Out of a combined 58 items scored during the 117th Congress, 3 were voted into law. They are:

SENATE
IRF items scored	27
Caucus participation	3
Possible score	61
Average score	10
Median score	9
HOUSE
IRF items scored	31
Caucus participation	6
Possible score	82
Average score	12
Median score	11

S.3895 United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2022.

This act reauthorizes the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom through FY2024. The commission is an independent federal commission that monitors international religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations.

Primary Sponsor

Rubio, Marco [Sen.R-FL] (Introduced 03/22/2022) Cosponsors: (6)
Committees: Senate - Foreign Relations

Status:

Latest Action: 09/30/2022 Became Public Law No: 117-181/span>

H.R.6256 To ensure that goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China do not enter the United States market, and for other purposes.

This bill imposes importation limits on goods produced using forced labor in China, especially the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and imposes sanctions related to such forced labor. The bill also expands existing asset- and visa-blocking sanctions related to Xinjiang to cover foreign individuals and entities responsible for serious human rights abuses in connection with forced labor.

Primary SponsorRep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (Introduced 12/14/2021) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House - Foreign Affairs; Ways and Means; Judiciary

Status:Latest Action: 12/23/2021 Became Public Law No: 117-78

H.R.7776 James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 includes Burma Act Amendment. Seven separate elements about U.S. policy in Myanmar were introduced 12/15/22.

This act authorizes defense-related activities and addresses a wide variety of other issues including seven separate elements about U.S. Policy in Myanmar.

Status:Latest Action: Senate - 12/15/22 Passed 83 Yeas 11 Nays and 6 Not voting. Became law.

HIGHLIGHTS

Congress introduced 58 items (27 in the Senate and 31 in the House) relating to freedom of belief, freedom of conscience, or religion during the 117^th Congress.
This activity represents a 36% decrease in the number of items introduced and scored in the 117^th Congress versus the 116^th7 Congress.
Three IRF items were voted into law during the 117th Congress: S.3985 USCIRF Reauthorization Act of 2022, H.R.6256 Uyghur Forced Labor Act, and H.R.7776 Authorization Act which included Burma Act Amendment.
As was true with the 116^th Congress, overall final scoring for the 117^th Congress shows bipartisan support for IRF issues, with Democrats and Republicans working together as primary sponsors, and cosponsors, and voting on IRF legislation in the Senate and the House.
Forty-five percent (45) of all Senators scored "above average".
Thirty-nine percent (170) of all Representatives scored "above average".
Forty percent (215) of Congressional members combined scored “above average”.
One hundred twenty-four members of Congress (23%) are recognized as Notable Leaders for advancing IRF legislation during the 117th Congress.
Senate Notable Leaders: 51% Democrats and 48% Republicans; House Notable Leaders: 68% Democrats and 31% Republicans.
Senator Marco Rubio R-FL and Congressman James McGovern D-MA earned top scores in the 117th Congress. See the Notable Leaders listing for other members of Congress recognized for their engagement on IRF issues.
Thirty-one members of Congress (6%) participated in the Defending Freedoms Project by selecting one or more Prisoners of Conscience and advocating on their behalf.
Seven (12 %) of all IRF legislative items are identified as "Global" versus one particular region or country.
As was true with the 116th Congress Scorecard, Asia topped the list of regions for IRF legislative focus during the 117th Congress. Forty-three bills, resolutions, and laws were scored with Central Asia being the predominant focus with thirty-eight items introduced.
The Middle East represented four items (7% of all items scored) followed by South Asia and North America each with three items scored.
The biggest increase in geographic focus from the Scorecard for the 116th Congress to the current one for the 117th Congress is Central Asia.
Once again, Uyghur human rights led IRF legislative activity with 12 items introduced (21% of items scored in Senate and House.)
Iran's human rights violations, including the persecution of the Baha'i minority in Iran, accounted for 8 (14%) of the items scored.
Burma human rights and Rohingya genocide determination accounted for 6 items (10% of items scored in Senate and House.)
Issues scored under the Global category include two items each for anti-Semitism, and fighting Islamophobia.
Women and girls account for six items (10%) and the Olympics account for three items (5%) of all items scored.