United States Commission On International Religious Freedom - Commissioners

Commissioners

The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 provides for the Commission to be composed of ten members:

• Three appointed by the President
• Three appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, of which two of the members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the leader in the Senate of the political party that is not the political party of the President, and of which one of the members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the leader in the Senate of the other political party
• Three appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, of which two of the members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the leader in the House of the political party that is not the political party of the President, and of which one of the members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the leader in the House of the other political party.
• The Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, as non-voting ex-officio member

IRFA provides that "Members of the Commission shall be selected among distinguished individuals noted for their knowledge and experience in fields relevant to the issue of international religious freedom, including foreign affairs, direct experience abroad, human rights, and international law." Commissioners are not paid for their work on the Commission (Stanke, 48). Appointments last for two years, and Commissioners are eligible for reappointment.

The effect of the various appointing authorities is for the Commission to be bipartisan in character. The position of the Chair rotates from year to year from an appointee of one party to the appointee of the other.

Many of the commissioners have been leaders of various abrahamic religious groups, including Imams, Bishops, Archbishops and Rabbis. No commissioner have been leader of a non-abrahamic religious group.