Via press release from the Family Research Council:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today announced the appointment of Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as its newest commissioner, for a two-year term. Mr. Perkins will remain FRC president during his time with USCIRF.
Majority Leader McConnell appointed Perkins to the independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission which is tasked with reviewing “the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations 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.
In recent years Mr. Perkins has taken a direct and active role in advocating for religious minorities helping to bring national and international attention to their plight. He has testified before Congress on the topic of international religious freedom on multiple occasions. FRC President Tony Perkins released the following statement:
“I am grateful to Majority Leader McConnell for appointing me to this prestigious position. From my post at USCIRF, I look forward to doing all that I can to ensure that our government is the single biggest defender of religious freedom internationally. One immediate step our government can take in this regard is to make sure that the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act is fully and properly implemented.
“As a commissioner, I also look forward to working with willing partners among those nations on USCIRF’s list of ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ to substantively address religious freedom concerns, including at the grassroots level, and assist them in being removed from the list. It is my hope that through the work of USCIRF, the world will become one step closer to recognizing the vital role religious freedom and the defense of religious minorities play in peace, security and human flourishing.”
Um, Tony Perkins—longtime Religious Right figure—has been appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Perkins heads the Family Research Council, which Southern Poverty Law Center labels as a hate group (FRC disputes this). https://t.co/T67xEZSbrx pic.twitter.com/hKVHYelKFH
— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) May 15, 2018
In another bit of damaging political payback to the Religious Right, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins appointed to U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom https://t.co/APU0e5K92i
— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) May 15, 2018
Tony Perkins has said that homosexuality is responsible for natural disasters and that Muslims don't deserve constitutional rights, once spoke at a white supremacist conference, and paid David Duke for his mailing list.
Mitch McConnell just appointed him to a governmental body. https://t.co/zFMbpXkPVq
— Eric Atcheson, Pastor of Disaster (@RevEricAtcheson) May 15, 2018