ACN celebrates US legislators for renewed commitment to religious freedom
A bill approved by the United States Congress will fund efforts to promote religious freedom in countries where it is currently lacking.
The pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) expresses its appreciation for the United States Congress’s decision to renew and deepen its commitment to religious freedom in parts of the world where people continue to suffer for their faith.
On Friday, June 28th, Congress adopted the full text of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill for a total of 51.7 billion U.S. dollars. The bill includes several paragraphs related to projects for the promotion and protection of religious freedom, as well as directing financial support to faith-based organizations active in Nigeria.
Aid to the Church in Need, which is dedicated to addressing the pastoral and material needs of suffering Christians around the world, and publishes a biennial Religious Freedom in the World Report, salutes this outcome.
“This is a concrete manifestation of how U.S. legislators acknowledge the painful consequences of religiously motivated violence,” said Regina Lynch, Executive President of ACN International. “Because this is a decision [with] taxpayers’ money, the acknowledgement includes the fact that faith-based organizations such as the Church are reliable partners for U.S. humanitarian and development projects.”
Thanks to ACN’s advocacy work, project partners can testify before policymakes and express their concerns. In the past several months, ACN project partners from Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, and other regions where Christians are persecuted and discriminated against, have brought their valuable firsthand witness to European and U.S. politicians.
This year’s funding bill has multiple strong provisions related to international religious freedom, including:
- $4.8m in funding for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
- $50m in funding for international religious freedom programming at the U.S. State Department
- $15m in funding made available for democracy and religious freedom programs in Nicaragua
- $10m to support religious freedom and atrocity response projects in Nigeria, including in the Middle Belt and Benue State
- A requirement that the Secretary of State explain to the appropriate congressional committees, within 30 days, why his department did not designate a state as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) when making CPC designations, in cases where the USCIRF had so recommended
- Language expressing concern at the destruction and desecration of religious and historical sites “of importance to ethnic and religious minority communities in conflict zones” and a request for a report within 120 days of bill passage from the Secretary of State, in consultation with USCIRF, on such “religious and historical sites in conflict zones that have been destroyed or desecrated…due to recent conflict”
- Language requiring USAID to report on its efforts to remain compliant with U.S. law in non-discrimination against faith-based organizations in competing for and administering projects funded by U.S. foreign assistance
- Language expressing concern that persecuted religious minorities are not receiving necessary assistance and requiring a report on the status of “small and medium-sized projects to benefit such victims”
As per its statutes and mandate, ACN does not take any funding from government sources and therefore does not stand to benefit from this outcome.
“In the belief that this package will be of great assistance to the many groups who continue to suffer terrorist attacks, hardship, and discrimination due to their religious convictions, ACN once again expresses its appreciation to the United States for its commitment to the cause of religious freedom, and invites other countries to follow this example,” said Lynch.
