text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``United States Commission on 
  International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 
  2014''.
  
  SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT AND COMPOSITION.
  
      (a) Leadership.--Subsection (d) of section 201 of the International 
  Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6431(d)) is amended to read as 
  follows:
      ``(d) Election of Chair.--At the first meeting of the Commission 
  after May 30 of each year, a majority of the Members of the Commission 
  present and voting shall elect the Chair and Vice Chair of the 
  Commission, subject to the following requirements:
              ``(1) Initial elections.--At the first meeting of the 
          Commission after May 30, 2015, the Members of the Commission 
          shall elect as Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected 
          official of the political party that is not the political party 
          of the President, and as Vice Chair a Commissioner appointed by 
          an elected official of the political party of the President.
              ``(2) Future elections.--At the first meeting of the 
          Commission after May 30, 2016, the Members of the Commission 
          shall elect as Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected 
          official of the political party of the President, and as Vice 
          Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the 
          political party that is not the political party of the 
          President. Thereafter, positions of Chair and Vice Chair shall 
          continue to rotate on an annual basis between Commissioners 
          appointed by elected officials of each political party.
              ``(3) Term limits.--No Member of the Commission is eligible 
          to be elected as Chair of the Commission for a second term, and 
          no Member of the Commission is eligible to be elected as Vice 
          Chair of the Commission for a second term.''.
      (b) Attendance at Meetings of Ambassador at Large for International 
  Religious Freedom.--Subsection (f) of such section (22 U.S.C. 6431(f)) 
  is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The Ambassador at 
  Large shall be given advance notice of all Commission meetings and may 
  attend all Commission meetings as a non-voting Member of the 
  Commission.''.
      (c) Appointments in Cases of Vacancies.--Subsection (g) of such 
  section (22 U.S.C. 6431(g)) is amended by striking the second sentence.
  
  SEC. 3. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
  
      Section 203(e) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
  (22 U.S.C. 6432a) is amended to read as follows:
      ``(e) Views of the Commission.--The Members of the Commission may 
  speak in their capacity as private citizens. Statements on behalf of 
  the Commission shall be issued in writing over the names of the 
  Members. Members of the Commission shall make every effort to reach 
  consensus on all statements on behalf of the Commission, including 
  testimony, press releases, and articles by Commissioners or Commission 
  staff. When a statement supported by all Commissioners is not possible, 
  the Commission shall issue a statement only if such statement is 
  approved by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine Members of 
  the Commission and each Member of the Commission may include the 
  individual or dissenting views of the Member. The Commission shall in 
  its written statements clearly describe its statutory authority, 
  distinguishing that authority from that of appointed or elected 
  officials of the United States Government. Oral statements, where 
  practicable, shall include a similar description.''.
  
  SEC. 4. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.
  
      (a) Staff Directors.--Section 204 of the International Religious 
  Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6432b) is amended by striking 
  subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following new 
  subsections:
      ``(a) Committee Functions.--Subject to subsection (c), the 
  Commission may appoint and fix the pay of such staff personnel as it 
  deems desirable. All decisions pertaining to the hiring, firing, and 
  fixing of pay of personnel of the Commission shall be by an affirmative 
  vote of at least six of the nine Members of the Commission, except 
  that--
              ``(1) Members of the Commission appointed by an elected 
          official of the political party of the President, by a majority 
          vote thereof, shall be entitled to appoint, terminate, and fix 
          the pay of a Majority Staff Director and shall have the 
          authority to appoint, terminate, and fix the pay of three 
          professional staff members who shall be responsible to the 
          Members of the Commission of the political party of the 
          President; and
              ``(2) Members of the Commission appointed by an elected 
          official of the political party that is not the political party 
          of the President, by a majority vote thereof, shall be entitled 
          to appoint, terminate, and fix the pay of a Minority Staff 
          Director and shall have the authority to appoint, terminate, 
          and fix the pay of three professional staff members who shall 
          be responsible to the Members of the Commission of the 
          political party that is not the political party of the 
          President.
      ``(b) Staff Appointments and Compensation.--All staff appointments 
  shall be made without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and 
  subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5 relating to classification of 
  positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay 
  for the Majority Staff Director, Minority Staff Director, and other 
  personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive 
  Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
      ``(c) Qualifications of Professional Staff.--The Commission shall 
  ensure that the professional staff of the Commission consists of 
  persons with expertise in areas relevant to the issue of international 
  religious freedom, including foreign affairs, direct experience abroad, 
  human rights, and international law.''.
      (b) Conforming Amendments.--Subsection (e) of such section (22 
  U.S.C. 6432b(e)) is amended by striking ``The Executive Director'' both 
  places it appears and inserting ``The Majority Staff Director and the 
  Minority Staff Director''.
  
  SEC. 5. REPORT OF COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Report Publication Date.--Section 205(a) of the International 
  Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6433(a)) is amended by 
  striking ``Not later than May 1 of each year'' and inserting ``Each 
  year, not earlier than 30 days after, and not later than 90 days after, 
  the publication of the Department of State's Annual Report on 
  International Religious Freedom''.
      (b) Consensus on Reports.--Section 205(c) of the International 
  Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6433(c)) is amended to read as 
  follows:
      ``(c) Individual or Dissenting Views.--Members of the Commission 
  shall make every effort to reach consensus on the report. When a report 
  supported by all Commissioners is not possible, the report shall be 
  approved by an affirmative vote of at least six of the nine Members of 
  the Commission and each Member of the Commission may include the 
  individual or dissenting views of the Member.''.
  
  SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      Section 207(a) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 
  (22 U.S.C. 6435(a)) is amended by striking ``2014'' and inserting 
  ``2016''.
  
  SEC. 7. TERMINATION.
  
      Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 
  U.S.C. 6436) is amended by striking ``September 30, 2014'' and 
  inserting ``September 30, 2016''.
target: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2014 - Amends the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to reauthorize the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom through September 30, 2016. Directs the Commission, during an initial election, to elect: (1) as Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party that is not the political party of the President, and (2) as Vice Chair a Commissioner appointed by an elected official of the political party of the President. Sets forth a process for future elections in which the positions of Chair and Vice Chair rotate annually between Commissioners appointed by elected officials of each political party.  Requires the Ambassador at Large to be notified in advance of all Commission meetings. Allows the Ambassador to attend all meetings as a nonvoting member.  Removes authority under which a Commission member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office.  Requires approval by at least six of the nine members of the Commission before: (1) issuance of a statement on behalf of the Commission, or (2) submittal of policy recommendation reports to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. Permits each member to include individual or dissenting views. Authorizes elected officials to appoint majority and minority staff directors for the Commission, as well as professional staff for the political parties. (Currently, the Commission appoints a single executive director and is served by nonpartisan staff.) 
feat_title: United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2014