; Whereas promoting Internet freedom is a cost-effective means of advancing fundamental freedoms in closed and authoritarian countries, including the freedom of religion; Whereas despite increased attention to religion in United States foreign policy in recent years, global levels of religious persecution, violent religious extremism, and religion-related conflict remain dangerously high; Whereas the global religious freedom crisis we are experiencing today has created millions of victims and undermines liberty, prosperity, and peace in places vital to United States national interests—posing direct challenges to United States interests in the Middle East, Russia, China, and sub-Saharan Africa; Whereas a growing body of academic research, including the work of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, demonstrates that the absence of religious freedom contributes to persecution of minorities, religious extremism, terrorism, and instability; Whereas this research also shows that where religious freedom is protected and advanced as a universally recognized human right there is greater peace, political and social stability, economic development, democratization, women’s empowerment, and less violent religious extremism; and Whereas Congress recently recognized, with broad bipartisan support, in the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act ( Public Law 114–281 ) that because the promotion of international religious freedom protects human rights, advances democracy abroad, and advances United States interests in stability, security, and development globally, the promotion of international religious freedom requires new and evolving policies, and diplomatic responses that are drawn from the expertise of the national security agencies, the diplomatic services, and other governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and are coordinated across and carried out by the entire range of Federal agencies: Now, therefore, be it