Jun 3, 2024

Stephen Schneck Elected as Chair of Bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Eric Ueland as Vice Chair

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today unanimously elected Stephen Schneck as its Chair for 2024-2025. USCIRF Commissioners also unanimously elected Eric Ueland as its Vice Chair.

“I am honored to serve as Chair of the Commission. I will dedicate the next year to leading this team with Vice Chair Ueland to further promote freedom of religion or belief abroad. Vice Chair Ueland has a breadth of experience in the Legislative and Executive branches and is an invaluable member of USCIRF. International religious freedom is not a Republican or Democratic issue, but rather a bipartisan concern where we must all work together,” said USCIRF Chair Schneck. “I want to also thank our previous Chair Abraham Cooper, Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie, and Commissioners David Curry, Mohamed Magid, Nury Turkel, and Frank Wolf, who completed their terms last month. It was a privilege to serve on the Commission with them. I am especially fortunate to have worked alongside Frank Wolf, one of the authors of the International Religious Freedom Act, or IRFA, the law that created USCIRF. Frank Wolf is an inspiration and a role model for standing up against religious persecution around the world.”

Chair Schneck was reappointed to the Commission by President Joseph R. Biden, for a second term, until May 2026. During his time at USCIRF, Chair Schneck has led many meetings hearings, and delegations, including visits to Cox’s Bazaar in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. A well-known advocate for Catholic social justice teachings in public life, he currently serves on the governing boards of both Catholic Climate Covenant and Catholic Mobilizing Network. He previously served the administration of President Barack Obama as a member of the White House Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Chair Schneck retired from The Catholic University of America in 2018, after more than thirty years as a professor, department chair, and dean. At the university, he was also the founder and long-time director of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies.

Vice Chair Ueland was reappointed to the Commission by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, for a second term, until May 2026. Vice Chair Ueland is a Visiting Fellow at the Heritage Institution and a member of the Board of Advisors at the Center for Constitutional Liberty at Benedictine College. In 2020-21, he served as the Senior Official (Acting Undersecretary) for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State, after some time as a Senior Advisor and then Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. Previously, he served as the Director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources at the State Department, as a Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, and then as the White House Director of Legislative Affairs.

“Together with Chair Schneck and my colleagues, I am eager to continue our shared efforts to call out foreign governments perpetrating or tolerating severe violations of the fundamental, universal right to religious freedom. USCIRF will remain diligent in providing recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief abroad,” stated Vice Chair Ueland. “As the newly elected Chair and Vice Chair, we urge Congress to swiftly pass the USCIRF Reauthorization Act of 2024 so we can continue the vital work of the Commission beyond September 30, 2024.”

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 Maureen Ferguson, Susie Gelman, Vicky Hartzler, and Asif Mahmood. Read the Commissioners’ biographies here.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity 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].