Vicky Hartzler Elected Chair of Bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Asif Mahmood Elected Vice Chair

Vicky Hartzler Elected Chair of Bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Asif Mahmood Elected Vice Chair

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today elected Vicky Hartzler as its Chair for 2025-2026. USCIRF Commissioners also elected Asif Mahmood as the Commission’s Vice Chair.

“USCIRF is a vital part of the United States foreign policy efforts to promote religious freedom. This human right is enshrined in both our own constitution and in international law, but even more fundamentally it is etched in the heart of every person,” said Chair Hartzler, “It is an honor to serve as chair, and I will work with Vice Chair Mahmood and the other Commissioners continuing our bipartisan efforts to advance this right for everyone and everywhere abroad. I am grateful to outgoing Chair Stephen Schneck and Vice Chair Meir Soloveichik for their staunch and compassionate leadership. I also extend my thanks to former Commissioner Susie Gelman for her work and whose term concluded this past month.”

Chair Hartzler was appointed to USCIRF by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in 2024. Prior to her appointment, she served as the congresswoman for Missouri’s fourth congressional district from 2011 to 2023. While in Congress she served on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) and “adopted” three Chinese pastors imprisoned for their faith through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. She also sponsored “The Combatting the Persecution of Christians in China Act” and co-sponsored the “Uyghur Stop Oppressive Sterilization (SOS) Act.”

Vice Chair Mahmood was appointed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in 2024. He is currently a practicing physician that lives in California. He is also a human rights activist, interracial and inter-faith community organizer, and philanthropist, leading advocacy campaigns on human rights in South Asia. He is a Board Member of Hope the Mission, one of the largest homeless shelters in California.

“Working for freedom of religion or belief is as important now as it has ever been. It requires concerted efforts from across the political spectrum and USCIRF’s bipartisan composition places it at the core of those efforts,” said Vice Chair Mahmood. “We must not let up in our work to recommend and advocate for policy in the U.S. government to help people live freely according to the dictates of their conscience. I look forward to continuing doing that with fellow Commissioners, including Commissioners Stephen Schneck and Meir Soloveichik.” 

USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and leadership of both political parties in the Senate and House of Representatives. Also serving on the Commission are Ariela Dubler, Maureen Ferguson, Mohamed Elsanousi, Stephen Schneck, and Meir Soloveichik. Read the Commissioners’ biographies here.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected]