Sponsors (5)
The bill keeps and funds the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom through 2028, preserving monitoring and policy advice that can protect religious minorities overseas, at the cost of modest additional federal spending and postponing any statutory review or consolidation.
Taxpayers, nonprofits, Congress, and State Department staff: the bill provides $3.5 million per year for FY2026–FY2028 so USCIRF can continue monitoring and reporting on international religious freedom.
State and federal policymakers and U.S. foreign policy stakeholders: extending USCIRF's statutory existence through September 30, 2028 preserves its ability to advise Congress and the State Department on persecution and policy responses.
Religious minorities abroad, human rights NGOs, and concerned Americans: continued USCIRF operations maintain a U.S. government mechanism to document abuses and support religious minorities, which can inform targeted diplomacy or sanctions.
Taxpayers: the bill increases federal spending by $3.5 million per year for three years without offsets.
Congress, federal agencies, and oversight advocates: extending the Commission delays any statutorily scheduled review or sunset that could have prompted broader reform or consolidation of related functions.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Extends the Commission's $3.5M annual authorization through fiscal years 2026–2028 and pushes its statutory termination to Sept 30, 2028.
Introduced March 4, 2026 by Theodore Paul Budd · Last progress March 4, 2026
Extends the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's authority by continuing an annual authorization of $3,500,000 for additional fiscal years and delaying the Commission's statutory termination date by two years. The change keeps the Commission funded at the same level for fiscal years 2026–2028 and moves its termination to September 30, 2028, allowing it to continue operations and reporting for that period.