c. 1998 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ Christian and other religious activists joined congressional allies Wednesday (Feb. 4) to boost revamped legislation they hope will make opposition to religious persecution abroad a centerpiece of U.S. foreign policy.

Supporters likened the effort to get the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act passed by Congress and signed by the White House to a moral crusade.

Charles Colson, the former Nixon aide who now heads the Prison Fellowship International ministry, called the developing debate over the bill”a defining moment for America”that will determine whether Americans”still believe in the laws of nature and nature’s God and in inalienable rights.” Colson was among the more than 60 religious activists _ Christians, Jews and others _ who gathered in a Washington hotel ballroom Wednesday for what amounted to a rally for the proposed bill, which is likely to be voted on during the current session of Congress.

The legislation _ which enjoys the broad support of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, many evangelical Protestant groups and influential Republican members of Congress _ would trigger U.S. sanctions against nations found to be persecuting its citizens on the basis of their religious beliefs.

Sanctions would include a cutoff of all U.S. military aid and sales. The bill would also expedite proceedings for those claiming asylum from religious persecution, and would require the U.S. to oppose international development loans and trade organization membership for offending nations.

Supporters of the bill say Christians in communist and some Islamic nations routinely face persecution. They also point to the problems of Tibetan Buddhists and Muslims in China and Baha’is in Iran, among others.

The proposed legislation was introduced nearly a year ago, but made little headway during the 1997 congressional session because of opposition from the White House, some mainline Christian organizations, and some business leaders and congressional free-trade advocates.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, speaking for the White House, said last year the proposed bill could hobble aspects of U.S. foreign policy. Albright said the bill would establish”a new and unneeded bureaucracy and deprive U.S. officials of the flexibility required to protect the overall foreign policy interests of the United States.” Other critics said the bill improperly elevated religious persecution above political, ethnic or other forms of persecution; gave undue emphasis to the problems of Christians; unfairly singled out Muslim nations and would make it more difficult for U.S. businessmen to operate in nations found to be in violation of the act.

The bill has been rewritten to meet some of the objections. One change was to give the president greater leeway in invoking the act. The White House would now have the option of not invoking the bill’s provisions on national security grounds or if it could show that doing so would do more harm than good for those being persecuted.

Instead of establishing an office in the White House to monitor religious persecution abroad as required by the bill’s original language, the revamped legislation shifts the office to the State Department. Other changes include language making it clearer the bill would apply to members of all religious faiths and not impact private commerce.

Supporters say the rewritten bill, while somewhat watered down by the changes, remains strong. “Would we have liked a stronger bill? Of course,”said Gary Bauer, president of the Family Research Council and a leading supporter of U.S. actions to counter religious persecution abroad.”But this is still a great first step we can build on.” Several congressional supporters of the bill were on hand for what was billed as a summit on the issue, including Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., the bill’s main sponsors. Also there were House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas; Rep. Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y.; Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.; Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Ala.; and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the lone Democratic legislator introduced.

Specter said he expected the Senate to take up the measure by Easter. Armey said the House would vote on the measure by mid-summer. Both men predicted passage.

DEA END RIFKIN