The United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom is the ambassador-at-large of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in the U.S. Department of State.
The position was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The first ambassador at large was Bob SeipleU.S. Department of State. "Biography Robert A Seiple." September 11, 2009. who served from 1999 to 2001. He was succeeded by John HanfordU.S. Department of State. "Biography John V. Hanford III." September 11, 2009. who served from May 2002 until January 2009. Suzan Johnson Cook served in the role from May 2011 to October 2013. On July 28, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Rabbi David Saperstein for the position. On December 15, 2014, the Senate confirmed him to the office, making him the first non-Christian to hold this post.Dias, Elizabeth. "Obama Nominates Rabbi to Religious Freedom Post", Time, July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.Campbell, Kay. "Rabbi David Saperstein confirmed as U.S. Ambassador for Religious Freedom" , AL.com, December 17, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014."US Senate approves rabbi as freedom of faith envoy" , The Times of Israel, December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
On July 26, 2017, the White House announced the nomination of Sam Brownback, then-governor of Kansas to fill the vacancy in the office. Five months later, the Senate had yet to hold a confirmation vote, so per Senate rules, he was required to be nominated again in 2018 in order for a vote to be held.Brownback’s nomination for ambassador post not carried over, will return to White House, Lawrence Journal World, December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017. He was confirmed to the position on January 24, 2018, on a 49–49 vote of the Senate, with Vice President Mike Pence breaking the tie in favor of Brownback.
Ambassadors-at-large # Image Name Appointment Left office1 Robert A. Seiple 1999 20012 John Hanford 2002 20093 Suzan Johnson Cook 2011 20134 David Saperstein 2015 20175 Sam Brownback 2018 20216 Rashad Hussain 2022 2025– Isaac Six July 2025 present
See also Under Secretary of State for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom
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