All Religious liberty Legislation - Federal Government

Preventing Student Loan Discrimination Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit lenders under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program from receiving special allowance payments (made to such lenders to compensate them for the difference between FFEL interest rates and market rates) if they deny FFELs to eligible borrowers because of their race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability status, income, attendance at a particular school participating in the FFEL program, education program length, or academic year in school.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.

Recognizes the need for equal access to veterans' benefits for all who have honorably served.

Supports the goals, ideals, and deeds of the American GI Forum and its members.

Commends the work of the American GI Forum on its 60th anniversary.

Encourages others to join with the American GI Forum to ensure that veterans are never again denied the benefits they rightfully deserve.

Congratulates the people of Latvia on the 90th anniversary of Latvia's November 18, 1918, declaration of independence.

Commends the government of Latvia for its success in implementing political and economic reforms, for establishing political, religious and economic freedom, and for its commitment to human and civil rights.

Calls on the President and the Secretary of State to urge the government of the Russian Federation to acknowledge that the Soviet occupation of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and for the succeeding 51 years was illegal.

Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.

Expresses the sense of the Senate that the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) should: (1) recognize the linguistic, cultural, and religious rights of the Uyghur people of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; (2) release the children of Rebiya Kadeer from incarceration and house arrest and cease harassment of the Kadeer family members; (3) release Canadian citizen Huseyin Celil and allow him to rejoin his family in Canada; and (4) cease government-sponsored violence and crackdowns against the people throughout the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

International Partnership for Reconciliation in Iraq Act of 2008 - Expresses the sense of Congress supporting reconciliation efforts within Iraq and the creation of an Iraqi-supported international commitment to reconciliation in Iraq.

Authorizes the United States Institute of Peace to provide assistance to support international efforts to encourage peaceful and positive contact, dialogue, and reconciliation among the Iraqi people.

Expresses the commitment of Congress to make it a priority to fight anti-Semitism and to promote tolerance at home and abroad.

States that it shall be U.S. policy to consider whether a foreign government actively or passively foments anti-Semitism when evaluating bilateral relationships.

Condemns the continuing anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activities and rhetoric at the United Nations.

Calls on: (1) the President to use U.S. influence to prevent the use of the United Nations regular budget to support the planned 2009 Durban Review Conference; and (2) the Secretary General of the United Nations to officially and publicly condemn any anti-Semitic statements made at U.N. meetings.

Former Soviet Union Minority Relief Act of 2008 - Authorizes additional appropriations for Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus for: (1) humanitarian and resettlement assistance for ethnic and religious minorities; (2) hate crime prevention and rule of law assistance; (3) democracy promotion; and (4) broadcasting assistance.

Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) affirms the rich spiritual and diverse religious history of our nation's founding and subsequent history, including up to today; (2) recognizes that the religious foundations of faith on which America was built are critical underpinnings of our nation's most valuable institutions; (3) rejects any effort to remove, obscure, or omit such history from public buildings and educational resources; and (4) expresses support for designation of a "American Religious History Week" every year.

Recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world.

Acknowledges: (1) the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith; and (2) the role of Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization.

Rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians.

Expresses support for and respect to Christians in the United States and throughout the world.

Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should: (1) continue to designate Saudi Arabia as a "country of particular concern" for engaging in systematic violations of religious freedom; (2) create a formal mechanism to monitor implementation of the government of Saudi Arabia's policies relating to religious practice and tolerance; (3) begin diplomatic discussions with the government of Saudi Arabia with the goals of closing the Islamic Saudi Academy (ISA) until ISA textbooks are made available for public examination and ensuring prohibition of indirect ISA funding; and (4) report to Congress respecting such actions.

Establishes a Congressional-Executive Commission on the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which shall: (1) monitor the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's human rights compliance, with particular emphasis on the Montagnard peoples and the Central and Northwest Highlands; (2) maintain lists of persons believed to be imprisoned, detained, tortured, or otherwise persecuted by the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam due to their pursuit of the rights described in this Act; (3) monitor the development of the rule of law in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, with particular emphasis on the Montagnard peoples and the Central and Northwest Highlands; and (4) monitor and encourage the development of programs and activities of the U.S. government and private organizations with a view toward increasing the U.S.-Vietnam interchange.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Recognizes the contributions of American citizens of Jewish descent who emigrated from the Soviet Union.

Commemorates: (1) the 40th anniversary of the mass movement for freedom by and on behalf of Soviet Jewry; and (2) the 20th anniversary of the December 6, 1987, Freedom Sunday rally for Soviet Jews.

Condemns incidents of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and religious persecution in the independent states of the former Soviet Union and encourages the development of democracy, religious freedom, rule of law, and human rights in those states.

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Freedom Sunday Rally for Soviet Jews in Washington, DC, which embodies the American principle of citizen activism for the greater good.