Our Analysis:

The bill makes some technical changes to current law:

A commissioner may not hold a seat more than two terms;

To be re-appointed a commissioner must have attended at least 75 percent of meetings;

The commission must comply with all federal anti-discrimination laws;

A report is required on the effectiveness of the commission; and

$3 million is appropriated to fund the commission.

Summary:

12/23/2011--Public Law. (This measure has not been amended since it was amended by the Senate on December 13, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.) United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011 - (Sec. 2) Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to prohibit any individual (including members appointed prior to enactment of this Act) from serving more than two terms as a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Requires, for any member serving on the date of enactment of this Act who has completed at least two full terms, that such member's term expire 90 days after such enactment. Bars a member from serving after the expiration of that member's term. Prohibits: (1) a member attending less than 75% of the meetings during one of such member's terms from being eligible for reappointment, and (2) a member from being eligible to be elected as Chair of the Commission for a second, consecutive term. Subjects members to specified Department of State and federal travel regulations governing authorized travel at government expense. (Sec. 3) Requires, for purposes of providing remedies and procedures to address alleged violations of rights and protections that pertain to various specified antidiscrimination laws, that all employees of the Commission be treated as employees whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives and that the Commission be treated as an employing office of the Senate or House. Authorizes such treatment for any administrative or judicial claim or action pending on the date of enactment of this Act. (Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations of $3 million for each of FY2012-FY2014. (Sec. 5) Increases to $250,000 the maximum amount the Commission may expend in any fiscal year to procure temporary or intermittent services contracts for the conduct of certain activities necessary to Commission functions. (Sec. 6) Extends the Commission's termination date to September 30, 2014. (Sec. 7) Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) review the effectiveness of federal programs to promote international religious freedom; (2) assess the roles and functions of the Office on International Religious Freedom, the relationship to other offices in the Department of State, and the role of the Ambassador at Large; (3) analyze the Commission's structure as an independent nonpartisan entity in relation to other U.S. advisory commissions; and (4) review the relationship between the Ambassador at Large and the Commission.

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