Hizballah Sanctions Bill Heads to the President's Desk

Press Release

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015, H.R. 2297, on Wednesday, a landmark bill using financial sanctions to cripple the terrorist organization's foreign assets and global criminal operations. The bill, originally introduced in the 113th Congress by Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC), will now head to President Obama's desk for a signature.

This legislation also targets Hizballah's international narcotics trafficking, it's media arm and propaganda tool, al-Manar, and will require the President to designate the terrorist organization as a Transnational Criminal Organization, allowing the U.S. Department of the Treasury and law enforcement personnel the ability to crack down on Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities.

"The United States cannot sit back idly and allow Hizbollah's terrorist and criminal operations to continue unabated. Hizballah poses a direct threat to the United States and our allies abroad, particularly Israel. We must do all that we can in our power to stop Hizballah's global terrorist reach," said Congressman Meadows.

This bipartisan bill passed the House unanimously in the 113th Congress. It was re-introduced in the 114th Congress by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Elliot Engel (D-NY). In the Senate, Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the companion legislation, which advanced with broad support before being sent back to the House with an amendment.

"I'm grateful to Senators Rubio and Shaheen for their bipartisan efforts to advance this critically important legislation, which will truly help make the world a safer place. The Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act will cripple the terrorist organization's extensive, illegal financial network. Hizballah's days of unhindered criminal operations and terrorist activity are numbered," Meadows said.

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