There is established within the Department of State an Office on International Religious Freedom that shall be headed by the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom appointed under subsection (b) of this section.
The Ambassador at Large shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The Ambassador at Large shall have the following responsibilities:
The primary responsibility of the Ambassador at Large shall be to advance the right to freedom of religion abroad, to denounce the violation of that right, and to recommend appropriate responses by the United States Government when this right is violated.
The Ambassador at Large shall be a principal adviser to the President and the Secretary of State regarding matters affecting religious freedom abroad and, with advice from the Commission on International Religious Freedom, shall make recommendations regarding—
(A) the policies of the United States Government toward governments that violate freedom of religion or that fail to ensure the individual's right to religious belief and practice; and
(B) policies to advance the right to religious freedom abroad.
Subject to the direction of the President and the Secretary of State, the Ambassador at Large is authorized to represent the United States in matters and cases relevant to religious freedom abroad in—
(A) contacts with foreign governments, intergovernmental organizations, and specialized agencies of the United Nations, the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international organizations of which the United States is a member; and
(B) multilateral conferences and meetings relevant to religious freedom abroad.
The Ambassador at Large shall have the reporting responsibilities described in section 6412 of this title.
The Secretary of State shall provide the Ambassador at Large with such funds as may be necessary for the hiring of staff for the Office, for the conduct of investigations by the Office, and for necessary travel to carry out the provisions of this section.
(Pub. L. 105–292, title I, §101, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2791.)
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