Near-Unanimous House Approves Religious Minorities Special Envoy

Religion Today | Updated: Sep 27, 2013

Near-Unanimous House Approves Religious Minorities Special Envoy

In an age when bipartisan political agreement is nearly non-existent, the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly last week to create a special envoy for religious liberty in Central America and the Middle East, WORLD reports. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., authored the legislation that was approved 402-22. The nay votes came from 21 Republicans and one Democrat. "Religious minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia are confronting deadly threats every day, ranging from discrimination and marginalization to outright violence," Eshoo said. "This legislation responds to the urgent needs of those Christians and other religious minorities. … A special envoy will help develop policy options to ensure the protection and preservation of these ancient faith communities." The special envoy would advocate for religious minorities who often have no voice in politics. Wolf said the U.S. State Department is not doing enough to help them.



Near-Unanimous House Approves Religious Minorities Special Envoy