News

Latest News

Rubio Welcomes Trump’s Nomination of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

Jul 27, 2017 | Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s nomination of Governor Sam Brownback (R-KS) for ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom:

“I applaud President Trump’s nomination of Governor Sam Brownback for ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. With ancient religious communities such as Christians and Yezidis on the verge of extinction in Iraq and Syria after the Islamic State’s campaign of genocide, and with authoritarian regimes attempting to crush dissent‎ by harassing and imprisoning people of faith, filling this State Department post with a qualified, committed individual has never been more urgent. Governor Brownback brings years of experience and stature at a critical time when religious freedom is under assault globally. Promoting religious freedom must be a foreign policy priority—it is not only a moral imperative but it is directly tied to our national security. I look forward to working with Governor Brownback on these important issues.”

Rubio was the lead Senate sponsor of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, which Congress passed and President Obama signed into law in December 2016.  The legislation strengthens and modernizes the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, providing the State Department with new tools to counter the spread of violent extremism and promote and advance the universal human right of religious freedom around the world.  

Rubio has been a leading advocate for international religious freedom issues in the Senate, and played a central role in the reauthorization of the bipartisan, independent, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom last Congress.