FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2018

Andy Khawaja Appointed to USCIRF

WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) last week appointed Dr. Andy Khawaja to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

“USCIRF welcomes the appointment of Dr. Andy Khawaja to the Commission. With threats to freedom of religion or belief around the globe growing rapidly, we look forward to adding his voice and efforts to the vital work of the Commission,” said USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee.

Dr. Andy Khawaja is founder and CEO of Allied Wallet, a leading online payment service provider headquartered in Los Angeles. He founded Allied Wallet in 2005 and the company now has a presence in Germany, India, Macau, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.

In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Dr. Khawaja has shared his knowledge of various issues, including the Middle East, cybersecurity, and banking, with government officials at the national, state, and local levels. He has met with officials from current and previous presidential administrations as well as Members of Congress.

Dr. Khawaja also has delivered keynote and commencement speeches at Sheikh Zayed University, Abu Dhabi University, Lebanese American University, the Lithuanian Youth Summit, and the Baltic States University. He has been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Time Magazine, Bloomberg, The Guardian, and Wired Magazine.

In 2016, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in Humanitarian Studies by the Lebanese American University. Dr. Khawaja is fluent in five languages, including Arabic, French, and German.

Comprised of nine commissioners, USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal body that is principally responsible for reviewing the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The President and leadership of both political parties in the Senate and House of Representatives appoint USCIRF Commissioners.  

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world.  USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.  USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties.  To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Isaac Six, Director of Congressional Affairs and Communications ([email protected] +1-202-786-0606).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 12, 2018

Dr. Tenzin Dorjee Unanimously Elected as Chair of Bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

In response to his election, Chair Dorjee said, “It is an honor and privilege to be unanimously elected Chair of the Commission. Our Commissioners bring a diverse array of complementary experiences and skills to the table, and we all share a collective commitment to the promotion of religious freedom or belief for those of all faiths and none.”

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today unanimously elected Dr. Tenzin Dorjee as its Chair. The Commission also unanimously elected its two Vice Chairs: Kristina Arriaga and Gayle Manchin. In a show of bipartisan collegiality and support for the new Chair, the Commissioners opted to hold the election openly, rather than following the Commission’s usual procedure of voting anonymously by closed ballot.

Chair Dorjee is an Associate Professor at the Department of Human Communication Studies, California State University, Fullerton. He is a prominent translator of Tibetan and Buddhist works and has served as translator for the Dalai Lama. Chair Dorjee has also been recognized with numerous honors for his scholarship and advocacy on behalf of the Tibetan community. As a Commissioner he has traveled to Burma and Iraq to monitor religious freedom conditions and testified before the U.S. Congress on religious freedom violations in Tibet and China.

Chair Dorjee was first appointed to the Commission on December 8, 2016, by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). He was reappointed by Leader Pelosi on May 10, 2018.

In response to his election, Chair Dorjee said, “It is an honor and privilege to be unanimously elected Chair of the Commission. Our Commissioners bring a diverse array of complementary experiences and skills to the table, and we all share a collective commitment to the promotion of religious freedom or belief for those of all faiths and none.”

Vice Chair Arriaga was reappointed to the Commission by Speaker Ryan on May 21, 2018. Vice Chair Manchin was appointed to the Commission by Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) on April 19, 2018.

Chair Dorjee continued, “The challenges to religious freedom around the globe are growing on a daily basis, but so too is our resolve to confront these challenges. As the first Tibetan Buddhist elected Chair, I look forward to leading this Commission over the next year in an inclusive way as we provide policy recommendations to the White House, the Secretary of State, and Congress on addressing the global challenges to freedom of religion or belief.” 

Also serving on the Commission are: Gary L. Bauer, Nadine Maenza, Johnnie Moore, and Tony Perkins. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback serves ex officio on the Commission.

Read the full Commissioner bios here.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Isaac Six, Director of Congressional Affairs and Communications ([email protected] +1-202-786-0606).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2018

Kristina Arriaga Reappointed, Gary L. Bauer, Nadine Maenza, and Johnnie Moore Appointed to USCIRF

WASHINGTON, DC – Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) yesterday reappointed Kristina Arriaga, and on May 15, 2018, President Donald J. Trump appointed Gary L. Bauer, Nadine Maenza, and Johnnie Moore to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

Kristina Arriaga was first appointed to the Commission on May 13, 2016 by Speaker Ryan. Prior to joining the Commission, she served as the Executive Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a U.S.-based law firm that defends the free expression of all religious traditions. In this position she launched the only religious liberty clinic in the United States, at Stanford Law School. She also led the firm in various cases to secure the freedom of religion rights of Native Americans, a Sikh servicemember, and an order of Catholic nuns. Kristina Arriaga also served as Advisor to the United States delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and as an appointee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.

Gary L. Bauer currently serves as President of American Values, a public policy think tank, and as Washington Director of Christians United for Israel Action Fund. In the administration of former President Ronald Reagan, Gary Bauer was appointed Assistant to the President for Policy Development, a position he held until January 1989.  Prior to this, he served as Under Secretary of Education from 1985-1987 and Deputy Under Secretary of Education from 1982-1985. After leaving the Reagan White House, Gary Bauer served as a Senior Vice President of Focus on the Family and President of the Family Research Council.

Nadine Maenza is the Executive Director of Patriot Voices, a grassroots and online organization dedicated to helping working families. She is also a founding board member of Hardwired Global, which works to stop religious oppression around the world, and has served as their Chairman since 2015. Nadine Maenza previously worked as the National Finance Director for Rick Santorum for President in 2012 and for Mitt Romney for President in 2008. She also has worked with the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, the Republican National Committee, and several Members of Congress.

Johnnie Moore is founder and CEO of The KAIROS Company, a public relations consultancy. He began his career at Liberty University, where he served as the school’s Senior Vice President for Communications. After a dozen years at Liberty University, he served as Chief of Staff and Vice President of Faith Content for the United Artists Media Group. Johnnie Moore has advocated for religious freedom in the Middle East and has appeared on numerous television, radio, print and online outlets to provide analysis and commentary on various topics.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world.  USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.  USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties.  To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Isaac Six, Director of Congressional Affairs and Communications ([email protected] +1-202-786-0606).