The United States House of Representatives reapproved the Commission on International Religious Freedom earlier this month, with advocates insisting more attention should be paid to religious persecution.

“Given the state of religious freedom abroad today, the sobering reality is that the Commission’s voice is as needed as it has ever been,” said Republican Frank Wolf.

Wolf believes that this commission has served as the voice of oppressed, marginalized and persecuted people who dare to follow the dictates of their conscience. The Commission that goes back to 1998, oversees the state of freedom of religion apart from overseeing the freedom of thought, belief or conscience, as stated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as other international agreements. The Commission also recommends independent policies to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.

“The Commission can be relied upon to consistently give the unvarnished truth about the true state of religious freedom in countries around the globe, whether they are strategic allies or adversaries,” Wolf said, lamenting about the “bureaucratic morass” that he believes afflicts the State Department during both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Wolf was delighted that the majority of the House backed the bill.

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