United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2026

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Bill ID: 119/s/3984
Last Updated: June 17, 2026

Sponsored by

Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

ID: B001305

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

June 16, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

📍 Current Status

Next: The full Senate will vote on whether to pass the bill.

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the intellectually bankrupt geniuses in Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of S 3984 is to reauthorize the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for another two years, because, apparently, the Senate has nothing better to do than perpetuate a bureaucratic entity that's about as effective as a placebo. The objective? To pretend that the US cares about religious freedom abroad while actually doing squat.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Oh boy, this is where it gets exciting! The bill amends Section 207(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 by changing the authorization dates from "2025 and 2026" to "2026 through 2028". Wow, I bet the authors spent hours crafting that thrilling language. And, in a bold move, they also amended Section 209 to extend the authorization until September 30, 2028. Because, you know, two more years of bureaucratic busywork will surely make all the difference.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The USCIRF, of course, gets to keep its funding and continue to employ people who are ostensibly working on promoting international religious freedom. I'm sure the lobbyists for various religious groups are thrilled, as they get to keep their gravy train rolling. And, naturally, the Senators sponsoring this bill (Budd, Coons, Risch, Shaheen, and Cruz) get to pat themselves on the back for "doing something" about religious freedom.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Let's be real – this bill is a joke. It won't actually improve religious freedom anywhere, but it will keep the USCIRF employed and allow politicians to grandstand about their commitment to human rights. The real impact? More taxpayer dollars wasted on bureaucratic overhead, while actual human rights abuses continue unabated. But hey, at least the Senators get to look good for their constituents.

In medical terms, this bill is like prescribing a sugar pill to a patient with a terminal illness. It's a placebo, designed to make everyone feel better without actually addressing the underlying disease – in this case, the disease of bureaucratic ineptitude and congressional cowardice. So, let's give S 3984 the diagnosis it deserves: "Acute Congressional Incompetence Syndrome" (ACIS), characterized by symptoms of grandstanding, wasteful spending, and a complete lack of actual progress on meaningful issues.

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💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$85,668
16 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$0
Committees
$0
Individuals
$85,668

No PAC contributions found

No organization contributions found

No committee contributions found

1
NAZIROV, ATABEK
2 transactions
$13,200
2
MACFARLANE, RON
1 transaction
$13,068
3
HEGYI, ALBERT P MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
4
TAYLOR, WILLIAM MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
5
GREENBLATT, SCOTT MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
6
COOLEY, WILLIAM O MR.
2 transactions
$6,600
7
FROST, BRANT IV
1 transaction
$3,300
8
FROST, KRISTA
1 transaction
$3,300
9
MARION, RANDALL LEON MR.
1 transaction
$3,300
10
HILLMAN, ROBERTA W MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
11
HILLMAN, TATNALL LEA CAPT.
1 transaction
$3,300
12
MARION, BETTY MRS.
1 transaction
$3,300
13
DONOHUE, THOMAS
1 transaction
$3,300
14
CASCARILLA, CHARLES
1 transaction
$3,300
15
CASCARILLA, MARISSA
1 transaction
$3,300
16
GREEN, JEFF
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 4 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]

ID: C001088

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEROKEE NATION
Organization TAHLEQUAH, OK
$3,300
Dec 27, 2023
2
CHEROKEE NATION
Organization TAHLEQUAH, OK
$1,700
Dec 27, 2023
3
CHEN, YU
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual MIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
4
MIRZAIE, REZA
RUSS AUGUST & KABAT LLP ATTORNEY
Individual PACIFIC PALISADES, CA
$3,300
Oct 7, 2024
5
CHEN, YU
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual MIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
6
WASSERMAN, CASEY
WASSERMAN CEO
Individual LOS ANGELES, CA
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
7
ZHAO, PENG
CITADEL SECURITIES CEO
Individual MIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
8
WASSERMAN, CASEY
WASSERMAN CEO
Individual LOS ANGELES, CA
$3,300
Nov 5, 2024
9
ZHAO, PENG
CITADEL SECURITIES CEO
Individual MIAMI, FL
$3,300
Dec 17, 2024
10
MIRZAIE, REZA
RUSS AUGUST & KABAT LLP ATTORNEY
Individual PACIFIC PALISADES, CA
$3,300
Oct 7, 2024

Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]

ID: R000584

Top Contributors

10

1
CRW RESOURCES
Organization COEUR D ALENE, ID
$1,000
Feb 29, 2024
2
SNELL, PETER
ARBELLA CAPITAL REAL EATATE
Individual ARLINGTON, VA
$5,000
May 8, 2024
3
KAYALI, ZEID
SELF PHYSICIAN
Individual PASADENA, CA
$3,500
Feb 9, 2023
4
MOORE, JEFFREY
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual LAS VEGAS, NV
$3,435
Nov 19, 2024
5
KTELEH, TAREK
RHEUMATOLOGY DOCTOR
Individual FISHERS, IN
$3,300
Dec 23, 2024
6
ALAAMA, ABDUL M.D.
SELF GASTROENTEROLOGY
Individual WHITTIER, CA
$3,300
Feb 9, 2023
7
ASHOURI, DIANA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PHYSICIAN
Individual PASADENA, CA
$3,300
Feb 9, 2023
8
DIAB, MOHAMED KHEIR
MASIMO CORPORATION DIRECTOR
Individual LADERA RANCH, CA
$3,300
Feb 9, 2023
9
MOUJTAHED, SAED
OWL REXALL INFUSION DIRECTOR
Individual TRABUCO CANYON, CA
$3,300
Feb 9, 2023
10
MONSEN, MARION F
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual SUN VALLEY, ID
$3,300
Sep 6, 2023

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

ID: S001181

Top Contributors

10

1
TILT LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE LLC
Organization PLYMOUTH, MI
$250
Feb 6, 2024
2
HAWASH, NOUR
BLINK TECH INC. VICE PRESIDENT
Individual DUNN LORING, VA
$6,600
Dec 12, 2024
3
HAWASH, NOUR
Individual DUNN LORING, VA
$6,600
Dec 23, 2024
4
HAWASH, NOUR
BLINK TECH INC. VICE PRESIDENT
Individual DUNN LORING, VA
$3,300
Dec 12, 2024
5
HAWASH, NOUR
BLINK TECH INC. VICE PRESIDENT
Individual DUNN LORING, VA
$3,300
Dec 12, 2024
6
HAWASH, SAFA
ACCLIVITY LLC BUSINESS CONSULTANT
Individual DUNN LORING, VA
$3,300
Dec 11, 2024
7
HAWASH, SAFA
ACCLIVITY LLC BUSINESS CONSULTANT
Individual DUNN LORING, VA
$3,300
Dec 11, 2024
8
JONDY, JENAN
N/A NOT EMPLOYED
Individual FLUSHING, MI
$3,300
Dec 16, 2024
9
KANDIL, MARIAM
SELF-EMPLOYED BUSINESS OWNER
Individual GREAT FALLS, VA
$3,300
Dec 16, 2024
10
KANDIL, MARIAM
SELF-EMPLOYED BUSINESS OWNER
Individual GREAT FALLS, VA
$3,300
Dec 16, 2024

Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

ID: C001098

Top Contributors

10

1
WINRED
PAC ARLINGTON, VA
$1,167,293
Nov 1, 2024
2
WINRED
PAC ARLINGTON, VA
$330,599
Nov 5, 2024
3
FASKEN MANAGEMENT
Organization MIDLAND, TX
$10,000
May 24, 2023
4
REPUBLICAN PARTY OF HARRISON COUNTY
Organization MARSHALL, TX
$4,000
Oct 16, 2024
5
FOLAD ENTERPRISES LLC
Organization PINELLAS PARK, FL
$2,000
May 20, 2024
6
BALCH & BINGHAM LLP
Organization BIRMINGHAM, AL
$1,000
May 20, 2024
7
PARTNERS HOTEL GROUP LLC
Organization MURPHY, TX
$1,000
Jun 7, 2023
8
KHAT INVESTMENS LLC
Organization MIDLAND, TX
$1,000
Jun 30, 2023
9
PJB INVESTMENT ADVISORS LLC
Organization ADDISON, TX
$800
May 1, 2024
10
GRANT MORELAND LP LLC
Organization GILMER, TX
$750
Sep 19, 2024

Donor Network - Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 30 nodes and 32 connections

Total contributions: $1,624,810

Top Donors - Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount

16 Individuals

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