Sanctioning Foreign People and Entities Who Fundraise and Recruit for Hezbollah (H.R. 3329)

What is H.R. 3329?

(Updated April 12, 2018)

This bill would require the president to expand federal sanctions on foreign people and entities that engage in fundraising and recruitment activities for Hezbollah (also spelt Hizballah), a terror group based in Lebanon. Those affiliated with Hezbollah would be unable to transfer, pay, export, or withdraw assets held in the U.S. and would be barred from entering the country. The president would periodically update the list of sanctioned entities and individuals and provide reports to Congress on the status of sanctions.

The bill would also require federal agencies to develop policies and prepare reports related to Hezbollah related to the group’s cooperation with foreign governments, racketeering, tobacco trafficking, and illicit transactions with foreign financial institutions. 

The president would have the authority to waive sanctions if it’s determined that implementing them would be contrary to U.S. national security interests.

Argument in favor

Hezbollah is a terrorist organization and foreign people and entities who fundraise and recruit for the group should be sanctioned.

Argument opposed

The U.S. shouldn’t implement new sanctions against those who fundraise and recruit for Hezbollah.

Impact

Foreign people and entities who fundraise or recruit for Hezbollah; federal agencies responsible for enforcing sanctions; Congress; and the president.

Cost of H.R. 3329

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost $1 million over the 2018-2022 period.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) introduced this bill to increase sanctions on Hezbollah and its supporters:

“As Iran’s leading terrorist proxy, Hezbollah has been fomenting insecurity around the Middle East for decades. Most recently, it has carried out heinous acts of violence in Syria and is amassing more than 100,000 rockets along Israel’s border. The U.S. cannot allow Hezbollah to threaten our ally Israel and undermine our interests in Syria. These sanctions will severely limit Hezbollah’s financial network and transnational criminal activities, as well as crack down on its backers – most importantly Iran.”

Lead cosponsor Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) added:

“Hezbollah remains one of the biggest threats to America, our interests and our allies.  With support from Iran and Syria, Hezbollah has become more lethal and more dangerous in the region. We are introducing the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act Amendments at a critical time. Battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters are coming home after fighting for the murderous Assad regime and more and more rockets are pointed at Israel’s population centers.  Congress must close any possible loophole that could allow foreign funding of Hezbollah.  Acting swiftly—and in a bipartisan manner—will show Hezbollah’s foreign sponsors that the United States will not sit by while Hezbollah grows stronger.”

This legislation passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee on a voice vote and has the support of 114 bipartisan cosponsors in the House, including 67 Republicans and 47 Democrats.

Of Note: Hezbollah is a terrorist organization based in Lebanon which killed 241 U.S. Marines by bombing their barracks in Beirut in 1983.

Media:

• House Foreign Affairs Committee Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• Al-Monitor
  
• Jerusalem Post
  
• Reuters
  
• Weekly Standard