US Congress Passes Combatting International Islamophobia Act
By Dr Aslam Abdullah
Washington, DC: On December 14, 2021, the US House of Representatives approved with 219-212 votes Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Jan Schakowsky's Combating International Islamophobia Act (HR 5665). All Republicans except one opposed it. Ilhan Omar and her colleagues created history and the US warned Islamophobes all over the world that they are under its watch.
Addressing the Congress, Rep Ilhan Omar said: Some cynics would rather see us divided on racial, ethnic, gender, and religious lines. But as Americans, we should stand united against all forms of bigotry. Congress members referred to human rights violations of Muslims in India, Myanmar, and China expressly.
It is a significant achievement of Ilhan Omar and her colleagues when the pro-Israeli lobby and the supporters of the Hindu national organizations, RSS and BJP, with the help of right-wing Christian organizations, are vowing to remove her in 2022 mid-term elections.
The Combating International Islamophobia Act establishes a particular envoy office at the US State Department to monitor and combat international Islamophobia.
The Office shall monitor and combat Islamophobia and Islamophobic incitement in foreign countries. The Bill establishes the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Islamophobia, who shall head the Office.
The Bill also requires specific existing annual reports to Congress about human rights and religious freedom in foreign countries to include information about Islamophobia.
It would include information about
(1) acts of physical violence or harassment of Muslim people,
(2) instances of propaganda in government and nongovernment media that attempt to justify or promote hatred or incite violence against Muslim people, and
(3) actions taken by a country's government to respond to such acts. The Office shall coordinate and assist in preparing these portions of the reports.
During the Act's floor debate, the Biden-Harris Administration expressed solidarity with the Act.
Praising the passage of the bill, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement:
“I’m pleased that the House has passed a bill to combat Islamophobia by creating a special envoy for that purpose at the State Department. I want to thank Rep. Omar, Rep. Schakowsky, and its other sponsors for introducing and championing this legislation. “We have seen a dangerous rise in Islamophobia and violence against Muslim Americans in our country and around the world in recent years, particularly since September 11, 2001. No one should have to live in fear because of one’s religion – today, however, the threat of Islamophobic violence has become a daily reality for Muslim Americans. Just as we have a special envoy to address antisemitism, it is important that we take this step today to continue our commitment to addressing the scourge of religious intolerance here at home and around the world.
“House Democrats will not sit silently in the face of religious bigotry. It is shameful that Republicans would not stand with us to affirm this core American value, which ought to be an easy and straightforward objective.”
US Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also introduced the Combating International Islamophobia Act in the Senate. It is the Senate companion to a House bill introduced by Representatives Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and Jan Schakowsky (IL-9).
"We've witnessed in recent years an alarming rise in Islamophobia both in the United States and globally that has threatened the religious freedom, wellbeing, and lives of Muslims," said Sen Booker. "Establishing a Special Envoy at the State Department is an important step that we should take to develop a comprehensive plan to reverse this trend and position the US as a global leader in combating hate."
"For over a decade, we have seen a rise in Islamophobia around the country and around the world. The United States should be a global leader in fighting such intolerance. So, I am proud today to be joining my Senate colleagues in introducing the Combating International Islamophobia Act. This bill would elevate our commitment to freedom of religion and further protect the rights of Muslims everywhere," said Senator Cardin , who serves as the Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism, and Intolerance for the 57-nation Organization Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly.
Ilhan and her colleague presented the draft in Congress on October 21, 2021….
