US Senate Approves Rashad Hussain As Ambassador of Religious Freedom

Washington, MINA – The United States (US) Senate approved Rashad Hussain, a Muslim serving as Ambassador for International Religious Freedom

Hussain, who was nominated by President Joe Biden in July, won Senate approval by an 85-5 vote on Thursday. Hussain is the first American Muslim to hold the position, Anadolu Agency reported on Saturday.

Previously, Hussain served as US Special Envoy for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Special Envoy for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications and Deputy White House Advisor during the Barack Obama administration.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the US, welcomed the confirmation.

“This is a historic day for the American Muslim community and our nation,” Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in a statement.

“We are confident that he will defend the religious freedom of all communities threatened by bigotry around the world, including Uyghur Muslims who are facing an unprecedented genocide by the Chinese Communist Party,” Mitchell said. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)