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Rep Anna Eshoo

Eshoo Welcomes Appointment of Special Envoy for Religious Minorities

September 16, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) released the following statement on the presidential appointment of Knox Thames as the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State:

"I welcome the long awaited appointment of Knox Thames to serve as the Special Envoy for Religious Minorities at the State Department," said Eshoo.

"The inhuman and rapid advance of ISIS across Syria and Iraq has not only exacerbated regional turmoil with massive displacement but has also led to the persecution of hundreds of thousands civilians for their religious beliefs.

"The appointment of Mr. Thames will give a voice to the voiceless by devoting a high-level U.S official to restoring and preserving religious freedom in the Middle East as called for in my legislation passed by the 113th Congress with former Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Va.)."

Eshoo serves as Co-Chair of the Religious Minorities in the Middle East Caucus. Earlier this month, she introduced a bipartisan resolution with her Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), declaring the violence taking place against religious minorities in the Middle East a genocide.

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