US House to vote on Ilhan Omar's bill to combat Islamophobia

WASHINGTON

The US House of Representatives will vote Tuesday on congresswoman Ilhan Omar's legislation to combat Islamophobia.

"Until everyone is free to practice their religion, no one is," Omar said on Twitter.

The Combatting International Islamophobia Act seeks to create a special envoy to combat Islamophobia.

US President Joe Biden’s administration also backed the legislation, saying "religious freedom is a fundamental human right".

"This freedom is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is also part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution," the Office of Management and Budget said in a statement.

"Our country’s commitment to defending freedom of religion and belief goes back centuries, and the Administration strongly believes that people of all faiths and backgrounds should be treated with equal dignity and respect around the world," it added.

The bill seeks to respond to Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s Islamophobic attack against Omar, hinting that the Muslim lawmaker could be a terrorist.

Earlier this month, Omar said she is confident House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will take "decisive action" against Boebert.