1、Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. Washington,1U.S. Government Printing Office, 1998; and the report released on July 22, 1997 on U.S. Policiesin Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on Christians.Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report f
2、or CongressReceived through the CRS Web97-968 FUpdated June 25, 1998Religious Persecution Abroad: CongressionalConcerns and ActionsVita BiteAnalyst in International RelationsForeign Affairs and National DefenseSummaryThe 105 Congress has sought to raise the priority of combating religiousthpersecuti
3、on worldwide among U.S. foreign policy objectives. The difficulty has beenin agreeing on legislation that would effectively deal with religious persecution withoutadversely affecting other important U.S. interests. On May 14, 1998, the House passedH.R. 2431 (the Freedom from Religious Persecution Ac
4、t of 1998) establishing in theState Department a Director of the Office of Religious Persecution Monitoring who isto issue an annual report assessing religious persecution abroad. The legislation placessanctions on countries and groups that carry out or permit such activities. The Senatemay soon con