Who comprises the Commission and how are Commissioners selected?
USCIRF is composed of nine private sector commissioners who volunteer their time in support of USCIRF’s mandate, and the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, who is a non-voting member. Commissioners are appointed by the President and Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate. USCIRF is a congressionally created entity, not a non-governmental organization, interest group or advocacy organization. The current Commissioners are: Leonard A. Leo (Chair), Elizabeth H. Prodromou (Vice-Chair), Don Argue (Vice-Chair), Talal Y. Eid, Felice D. Gaer, Richard D. Land, William Shaw, Nina Shea, and Theodore Van Der Meid. The seat filled by the State Department’s Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom currently is vacant. According to IRFA, three Commissioners are selected by the President, two by the leaders of the President’s party in Congress, and four by the congressional leaders of the party not in the White House. Commissioners are appoi
