S 676119th CongressIn Committee

Stop Funding Religiously Oppressive Regimes Act of 2025

Introduced: Feb 20, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

Stop Funding Religiously Oppressive Regimes Act of 2025 would bar the United States from providing federal funds to the governments of countries that punish people for religious beliefs in extreme ways. Specifically, within 120 days of enactment, the President must identify any foreign governments that impose death sentences or life imprisonment for anti-apostasy laws (disallowing leaving a religion), blasphemy laws, or laws banning interfaith marriage. Once a government is listed, U.S. federal departments and agencies would be prohibited from obligating or expending funds to provide any government-to-government assistance to that country. The aim is to use a funding cut as leverage to encourage reforms that protect religious freedom. In short, the bill creates a tool to punish regimes with severe religious-restriction laws by cutting U.S. government aid, based on the President’s list built from credible information. The framework centers on a single initial list and a broad prohibition on government assistance to those listed governments.

Key Points

1Short title: The act may be cited as the “Stop Funding Religiously Oppressive Regimes Act of 2025.”
2Identification requirement: Within 120 days after enactment, the President must submit a report listing foreign governments that impose death sentences or life imprisonment for:
3- anti-apostasy laws (punishing leaving a religion),
4- anti-blasphemy laws, or
5- laws restricting marriage between people of different religious faiths.
6Prohibition on assistance: The U.S. government may not obligate or spend federal funds to provide assistance to the government of any country identified in the President’s report.
7Scope of “assistance”: The bill prohibits government-to-government assistance; it does not explicitly ban all U.S. aid (e.g., aid to non-governmental organizations or aid routed through international bodies), but it targets aid to the identified governments.
8Process and timelines: The bill requires an initial report within 120 days of enactment and does not specify ongoing updates or waivers within the text provided.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Governments of countries identified in the President’s report as having death or life-imprisonment penalties for apostasy, blasphemy, or interfaith marriages. U.S. federal agencies (State Department, USAID, etc.) would need to adjust funding programs to exclude government-to-government assistance to these regimes.Secondary group/area affected- Civil society, human rights defenders, religious minorities, and other vulnerable populations within those countries who could be indirectly affected by reduced government aid or by shifts in international engagement.- U.S. diplomatic relationships with allies and partners, as some countries may oppose or view this as a punitive stance against regimes rather than support for reform.Additional impacts- Potentially strengthened leverage for promoting religious freedom, but possible diplomatic friction with countries subject to listing.- Possible re-routing of aid through non-government channels (NGOs, multilateral bodies) if the goal is to support the population rather than the government.- Unspecified allowances or waivers are not described in the text; questions may arise about national security or humanitarian considerations and whether they would be exempted in practice.- The list’s reliance on “credible information” and the lack of a detailed review/appeal process could raise concerns about accuracy, transparency, and the possibility of erroneous inclusion or exclusion.

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