Deerfield - Schneider Advances Bill to Sanction Hezbollah

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By Steve Sadin

When Democrats and Republicans like Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) become friends, bipartisan legislation can overcome Congressional gridlock.

A bill imposing sanctions on Hezbollah, authored by Schneider, Meadows and two other members of the House of Representatives grew out of a chat between colleagues and was unanimously approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday, June 26.

Hezbollah, a group labeled terrorists by the United States and other governments around the world, is responsible for more American deaths than any radical organization other than Al Qaeda, according to American Jewish Committee Regional Director Amy Stoken.

"This goes all the way back to the marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983," Schneider said, referring to a Hezbollah bombing that killed 299 American troops stationed near Beirut during that country's civil war. Then President Ronald Reagan dispatched the military to the conflict.

Should the bill be approved by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama, it will be the first piece of legislation introduced by Schneider to become law.

The legislation sanctions foreign financial institutions dealing with Hezbollah, goes after television providers that broadcast the organization's station and seeks a determination whether the group can be considered a narcotics trafficker or significant transnational criminal organization.

"I was in a conversation with Mark Meadows about what we could work on together," Schneider said. "We both felt this was something we could do."

Schneider hopes the law will humble Hezbollah, as similar provisions did in Iran.

"Sanctions worked against Iran," Schneider said, explaining that it brought the country to the table for ongoing negotiations aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Both elected to Congress in 2012 and members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Schneider and Meadows took their initial work to Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), the committee chair, and the working group's senior Democrat, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY).

Royce and Engel became sponsors along with Schneider and Meadows. They then went to work lining up cosponsors, and had 313 by the time the committee gave its approval, according to Schneider. With 218 votes needed, he is optimistic the bill will pass overwhelmingly.

"It was a team effort. We all worked together to build on the original," he said. "I hope it will come to the floor shortly."

A group effort beyond the halls of Congress helped line up some of the cosponsors, according to Schneider. Pro- Israel advocacy groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, J Street and the American Jewish Committee talked to members, since Hezbollah is dedicated to Israel's destruction, among other things.

Stoken, a Chicago resident and Highland Park native, said she likes the provisions of the bill and is hopeful it will diminish Hezbollah's activities. She was happy to help.

"This targets third parties," Stoken said. "If their financial network is closed it will cut off access to funds. It will close loopholes and maybe cut off Hezbollah's lifeline. We are proud of what Brad Schneider is doing with this legislation."

Engel calls Hezbollah a terrorist organization and believes imposing sanctions on third parties dealing with it will help curtail its efforts. He is pleased with Schneider's leadership on the issue.

"They fund their violence through an array of criminal enterprises, and we need to crack down on anyone helping this group," Engel said. "The sanctions in this bill are a smart step in the right direction, and we have Brad to thank for spearheading this effort."

Should the bill pass and go to the Senate, Schneider can likely count on support from Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park). Kirk is one of 35 cosponsors of the upper chamber's version of the legislation. He supports additional sanctions against Hezbollah, according to his press secretary, Danielle Varallo.

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