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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on International Religious Freedom and Persecution
Record date · January 1, 2015
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What This Bill Does
The Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs held a hearing to examine the systematic persecution of religious minorities in the Middle East by extremist groups like ISIL. The session featured testimony from religious leaders and experts regarding the humanitarian crisis and the role of U.S. foreign policy in addressing these human rights violations.
This hearing serves as a formal inquiry into how the U.S. government allocates foreign aid and resources to address religious persecution and humanitarian crises in Iraq and Syria.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Religious minorities in the Middle East
These groups are experiencing systematic persecution, displacement, and violence by extremist organizations.
U.S. taxpayers
Taxpayer funds are allocated through the State and Foreign Operations appropriations process to address international humanitarian crises.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on March 11, 2015, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
- The United Nations reported 2.5 million internally displaced persons in Iraq as of February 2015.
- The United Nations reported over 7.5 million internally displaced persons and 4 million refugees in Syria.
- There were over 11,000 civilian deaths in Iraq in 2014.
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- The subcommittee is investigating the impact of ISIL on religious minorities, including Christians and Yazidis.
- The hearing serves as a platform to discuss the 'Leahy amendment,' a provision regarding human rights in U.S. law.
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News Coverage
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Focus on Religious Persecution
The hearing marks a specific effort by the subcommittee to frame the Middle East crisis through the lens of religious freedom and the protection of minorities.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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