The House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved legislation on Mar. 26 authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) that would extend and authorize annual appropriations for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) through fiscal year 2028.
The bill, known as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2025 (HR 1744), aims to continue support for USCIRF, which was established under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. Smith was an original cosponsor of that act.
The International Religious Freedom Act created a coordinated U.S. government response to global religious persecution and set up several offices focused on religious freedom at the State Department and National Security Council. During discussion of his bill, Smith said, “It is vital that we reauthorize the USCIRF because it is the linchpin of the entire program that Congress created to promote religious freedom through the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.”
Smith added, “The USCIRF is tasked with defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad, reviewing reports of religious freedom violations, and making policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.” He has chaired more than thirty congressional hearings addressing worldwide religious persecution.
Smith also authored the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act in 2016, which updated earlier legislation by enhancing U.S. efforts in diplomacy, training, counterterrorism, and foreign assistance related to advancing international religious freedom.
“Today, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is the U.S. government’s strongest and most respected voice for victims of religious persecution worldwide,” Smith said. “USCIRF, in recent years, has been more effective than at any point in its history… [and] is important to millions of our constituents of all faiths.”
Chris Smith has represented New Jersey’s 4th district since replacing Frank Thompson in Congress in 1981 according to official records. He was born in Rahway in 1953 and currently lives in Manchester Township as reported by NJ.com. Smith graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor’s degree in science in 1975 according to The College’s alumni records.
