Our Efforts in America
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (U.S.C.I.R.F.)
USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad. USCIRF uses international standards to monitor religious freedom violations globally, and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and Congressional leaders of both political parties. Their work is supported by a professional, nonpartisan staff. USCIRF is separate from the State Department, although the Department’s Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom is a non-voting ex officio Commissioner.
2018 Annual Report
The USCIRF reports on religious freedom conditions in selected countries and formulates policy recommendations for the U.S. Administration and Congress.
For more information, visit the USCIRF website at: www.uscirf.gov
The State Legislative Religious Freedom Initiative
To date, 58 such resolutions have been adopted by 46 states,
representing 93% of the United States population.
States highlighted in GOLD indicate final adoption and no further action is necessary.
States highlighted in RED indicate no resolution has been introduced at this time.
The National Council of the Order of St. Andrew initiated in 2006 the Religious Freedom Resolutions project. The goal of this project, which represents one component of the overall, multi-faceted Religious Freedom Initiative, is the adoption of religious freedom resolutions in support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in every state legislature. This project is an ongoing effort of the Order of Saint Andrew and represents an important part of the governmental and public affairs strategy of the Religious Freedom Initiative.
Stephen Georgeson serves as the national coordinator for the state resolutions project. He can be contacted at [email protected]
The Mother Church needs you! Learn what additional actions you can take to protect Religious Freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
U.S. State Resolution Status and Primary Sponsors
Introduced on 2/18/2010
Adoptedby Senate 4/5/2010
Adoptedby House 4/11/2010
Senator Kevin Meyer
SJR 28 - Read the Resolution [PDF]Introduced on 1/17/2008
Adoptedby House 3/18/2008
Adoptedby Senate 5/22/2008
Rep. Mark Anderson
HCM 2009 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 1/22/2009
Adoptedby Senate on 2/18/09
Adoptedby House 3/12/2009
Senator David Johnson
SCR 3 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 9/10/2007
Adoptedby Senate 2/28/2008
Sen. Elaine Kontominas Alquist
Adoptedby Assembly 8/30/2008
SJR 17 - Read the resolution [PDF]by House and Senate on 4/7/2011
Rep. Lois Court
Rep. John Kefalas
Senator Joyce Foster
Senator Nancy Spence
HJR 1014 - Read the resolution [PDF]Rep. Demetrios Giannaros
Rep. Themis Klarides
Rep. John C. Geragosian
Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 3/2/2010
Adoptedon 4/23/2010
Rep. Peter Nehr
HM 191 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 3/1/2010
Adoptedon 4/28/2010
Senator Mike Fasano
SM 314 - Read the resolution [PDF]by House 4/2007
Rep. Mike Cheokas
HR 415 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 2/27/2008
Adoptedby Senate 3/6/2008
Sen. David Adelman
SR 1038 - Read the resolution [PDF]by the House 4/14/2015
Rep. Matthew Erpelding
Rep. Melissa Wintrow
HJM 12 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 8/10/2007
Adoptedon 10/4/2007
Rep. Sandra Pihos & Rep. Elizabeth Coulson
HR 666 - Read the resolution [PDF] Gubenatorial Resolution [PDF] Adoptedon 5/31/2013
Senator Antonio Munoz, Senator Bill Brady & Senator Darin LaHood
SR 70 - Introduced on 2/6/2013Introduced on 1/6/2011
Adoptedby Senate 2/3/2011
Sen. Tim Owens
SR 1807 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 3/25/2009
Adoptedby House 3/31/2009
Adoptedby Senate 4/2/2009
Rep. Linda Valentino
Senator Margaret Craven
Senator Barry Hobbins
HP 924 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 3/19/2009
Adoptedby House 3/19/2009
Adoptedby Senate 3/25/2009
Senator John Pappageorge
Senator John Gleason
Senator Roger Kahn
SCR 6 - Read the resolution [PDF]SR 178 - Introduced on 4/2/2008
Adopted by House and Senate on 8/13/18
Read the House resolution [PDF] Read the Senate resolution [PDF]Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon
Sen. Sandra Pappas
Introduced on 3/19/2008
Adoptedby House 3/31/2008
Adoptedby Senate 4/16/2008
Rep. Alyce Clarke
HCR 67 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 3/19/2008
Adoptedby House 5/7/2012
Rep. Kurt Bahr
HR 1365 - Read the resolution [PDF] Adoptedby Senate 5/17/2012
Senator Eric Schmitt
SR 1762 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced 1/6/2010
Adoptedon 4/13/2010
Sen. Gwen Howard
LR 273 - Read the resolution [PDF]by Assembly and Senate on 5/6/2009
Assemblyman James Ohrenschall
Sen. William Raggio
ACR 31 - Read the resolution [PDF]by Senate and House 6/2006
Sen. Bob Smith
Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, Jr.
SJR 11 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 2/2/2010
Adoptedby House 2/13/2010
Rep. Al Park
HM 39 - Read the resolution [PDF]by Senate and House 4/1/2011
Senator Dean Skelos
Senator Michael Gianaris
Assemblywomen Aravella Simotas and
Nicole Malliotakis
Read the Assembly resolution [PDF] Read the Senate resolution [PDF]Introduced on 1/26/2011
Adoptedon 3/24/2011
Senator Tim Mathern
Rep. Andy Maragos
SCR 4014 - Read the resolution [PDF]by Senate on 5/2014
Adoptedby House on 12/9/2014
HCR 29 - Read the resolution [PDF] SCR 21 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 5/4/2009
Adoptedby Senate on 5/6/2009
Adoptedby House on 6/1/2009
Sen. Rod Monroe, Sen. Bruce Starr, and Sen. Richard Devlin
SJR 16 - Read the resolution [PDF]by House 11/2006
Rep. Timothy Solobay
HR 876 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 10/24/2007
Adoptedby Senate 3/10/2008
Sen. Barry Stout
SR 188 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 2/20/2008
Adoptedby House on 4/9/2008
Rep. Leonidas Stavrinakis
HR 4727 - Read the resolution [PDF] Adoptedby Senate 5/2007
Sen. Phil Leventis
SR 735 - Read the resolution [PDF]by Senate on 2/21/2012
Senator Phyllis Heineman
Senator Stanford Adelstein
SCR 6 - Read the resolution [PDF]of Senator Heineman speaking about the resolution (fast forward to 18:27)
Adoptedby House on 2/23/2012
Rep. Brian Gosch
Listen to an audio clipby Senate 6/2007
Adoptedby House on 4/17/2008
Sen. Roy Herron
SJR 535 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 5/1/2011
Adoptedon 5/5/2011
Rep. Dennis Bonnen
HCR 1670 - Read the resolution [PDF] Adoptedon 5/16/2011
Senator John Whitmire
SR 1006 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 1/23/2009
Adoptedon 2/5/2009
Senator Patricia Jones
SR 1 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 2/3/2009
Adoptedon 2/19/2009
Rep. Gregory Hughes
HR 2 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 2/9/2010
Adoptedon 5/12/2010
Senator Richard Sears
Senator Robert Hartwell
JRS 47 - Read the resolution [PDF]on 3/1/2012
Delegate Johnny Joannou
Delegate Manoli Loupassi
HR 35 - Read the resolution [PDF]by the Senate and House 2/26/2012
Senator Mike Padden
Read the Senate Resolution to the President Read the Senate Resolution to the AmbassadorRep. Bill Hinkle
Read the House Resolution to the President Read the House Resolution to the AmbassadorIntroduced on 2/11/2008
Adoptedby House 3/3/2008
Adoptedby Senate 3/8/2008
Delegate Samuel Cann
Sen. Joseph Minard
HCR 37 - Read the resolution [PDF]Introduced on 3/4/2010
Adoptedon 4/22/2010
Sen. Ted Kanavas
SR 10 - Read the resolution [PDF]