Rigell Supports Bill to Freeze Hezbollah's Foreign Financial Assets
Press Release
Today the House of Representatives passed H. R. 4411, the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014, legislation to prevent the terrorist organization Hezbollah and associated entities from gaining access to international financial and other institutions. The bill targets Hezbollah by sanctioning its foreign financial assets, while also going after its international narcotics trafficking rings, and its propaganda arm, al-Manar TV. Congressman Scott Rigell (VA-02) was a cosponsor of the bill, which now goes to the Senate for consideration.
"Hezbollah is responsible for the largest number of American deaths overseas by a terrorist group," said Congressman Rigell. "Allowing Hezbollah's criminal activities to continue poses a direct threat to our national security and to our allies. As we know, Hezbollah is funded and equipped, in part, by Iran. Iran remains a grave threat to Israel and to the world, and I remain deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The President must keep all options on the table to prevent this dangerous regime from acquiring nuclear weapons."
The Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014 directs the President of the United States to submit to Congress a report that includes a list of satellite, broadcast, or other providers that knowingly transmit the content of al-Manar TV, a Lebanese satellite television station affiliated with Hezbollah. The bill would also direct the Secretary of the Treasury, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State and in consultation with the heads of other applicable departments and agencies, to prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the United States of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates the activities of Hezbollah. Furthermore, H.R. 4411 directs the Administration to designate Hezbollah as a transnational criminal organization and a drug Kingpin, giving U.S. law enforcement another tool to use when cracking down on Hezbollah's terrorist activities.
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