WASHINGTON, D.C. — Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-5) voted to pass the Combating International Islamophobia Act, legislation to address the rise in incidents of Islamophobia worldwide. The bill requires the State Department to create a Special Envoy for monitoring and combating Islamophobia and include state sponsored Islamophobic violence and impunity in the Department's annual human rights report. The creation of the Special Envoy will help policymakers better understand the interconnected, global problem of anti-Muslim bigotry. The legislation will also establish a comprehensive strategy for establishing U.S. leadership in combating Islamophobia worldwide. 

“The frightening rise of Islamophobia can be seen around the world – and in the halls of Congress. If we are sincere in our fight for equality, religious freedom, and human rights, we must recognize Islamophobia and do all we can to eradicate it,” said Assistant Speaker Clark. “With this legislation, we are taking a stand against Islamophobia and actively combating and tracking its escalation in order to work toward a more just and peaceful world.”

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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