[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 842 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 842
To counter efforts by Hezbollah to conduct terrorist activities in
Latin America, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 4, 2025
Mr. Curtis (for himself and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To counter efforts by Hezbollah to conduct terrorist activities in
Latin America, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Iran and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, have been allowed
to build their Latin American regional networks with impunity.
(2) Hezbollah is not considered a terrorist organization in
most countries south of the Rio Grande River.
(3) In Latin America, the only countries that have
designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization are Argentina,
Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay.
(4) The ability of local authorities to monitor or
prosecute Hezbollah and its local operatives is limited without
such a designation.
(5) Hezbollah has support from local authoritarian regimes
aligned with the Islamic Republic of Iran, such as the Nicolas
Maduro regime in Venezuela, which has essentially become Iran's
forward operating base in Latin America.
(6) Hezbollah's infrastructure in Peru, Colombia, Chile,
and the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay
continues to grow.
(7) In recent years, Hezbollah's focus in Latin America has
been on infiltrating criminal networks, money laundering, and
sophisticated smuggling operations.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should
pursue aggressive efforts against Iranian proxy networks in the Western
Hemisphere, including by--
(1) demanding that governments put an end to the impunity
enjoyed by designated individuals and entities or face the
consequences described in this Act for their inaction;
(2) working with allies, potentially through international
forums, such as the Financial Action Task Force, to greylist
government entities that cooperate with Hezbollah;
(3) engaging governments in Latin America to ensure they
have adequate legislative tools to investigate terrorist
activities and combat the financing of terrorism; and
(4) persuading allies in the Latin America to designate
Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, using Argentina's model
for designation as a blueprint.
SEC. 4. DEFINED TERM.
In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of
the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives;
(5) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives; and
(6) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 5. DETERMINATION WITH RESPECT TO TERRORIST SANCTUARIES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the
Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of the Treasury, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the heads of
other relevant Federal agencies, shall--
(1) conduct an assessment to determine whether any country,
region, or jurisdiction in Latin America meets the definition
of ``terrorist sanctuary'' under section 140(d)(4) of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989
(22 U.S.C. 2656f(d)(4)); and
(2) submit the results of such assessment to the
appropriate congressional committees.
(b) Considerations.--In making a determination pursuant to
subsection (a), the Secretary of State shall consider--
(1) the extent to which Hezbollah or any other foreign
terrorist organization (as designated pursuant to section
219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1189(a))) operates freely, raises or transfers funds, recruits,
or obtains safe haven within a given country, region, or
jurisdiction;
(2) whether the host government has knowingly tolerated, or
has failed to take action to address, terrorist activities
after learning of their existence; and
(3) any other factors relevant to the definition of
``terrorist sanctuary'' under section 140(d)(4) of the Foreign
Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22
U.S.C. 2656f(d)(4)).
SEC. 6. REVOCATION OF VISAS.
(a) In General.--The President may impose the sanctions described
in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign individual the President
determines is a government official of any foreign state, subdivision,
or municipality designated as a terrorist sanctuary under section 5
unless such official has taken significant, verifiable steps to stop
such activity or the relevant jurisdiction no longer meets the
definition of terrorist sanctuary under section 140(d)(4) of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22
U.S.C. 2656f(d)(4)).
(b) Sanctions Described.--
(1) Ineligibility for visas and admissions to the united
states.--A foreign individual described in subsection (a) shall
be--
(A) inadmissible to the United States;
(B) ineligible to receive a visa or other
documentation to enter the United States; and
(C) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled
into the United States or to receive any other benefit
under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101 et seq.).
(2) Current visas revoked.--
(A) In general.--The issuing consular officer or
the Secretary of State (or a designee of the
Secretary), in accordance with section 221(i) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)),
shall revoke any visa or other entry documentation
issued to a foreign individual described in subsection
(a) regardless of when the visa or other entry
documentation was issued.
(B) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under
subparagraph (A) shall--
(i) take effect immediately; and
(ii) automatically cancel any other valid
visa or entry documentation that is in the
foreign individual's possession.
(C) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
State shall prescribe such regulations as may be
necessary to carry out this subsection.
(c) Exception To Comply With Law Enforcement Objectives and
Agreement Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations.--Sanctions
under subsection (b) shall not apply to a foreign person if admitting
the person into the United States--
(1) would further important law enforcement objectives; or
(2) is necessary to permit the United States to comply with
the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations,
signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force
November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United
States, or other applicable international obligations of the
United States.
(d) Waiver.--
(1) In general.--The President may waive the application of
sanctions under subsection (b) with respect to--
(A) an individual, on a case-by-case basis for
periods not to exceed 180 days, if the President
determines that such individual's entry or continued
presence in the United States is vital to the national
security interests of the United States; and
(B) a jurisdiction, including a foreign country, or
any subdivision of such country, that is designated as
a terrorist sanctuary pursuant to section 5, for
periods not to exceed 1 year, if the President
determines that waiving the application of sanctions
with respect to officials or other residents of such
jurisdiction is in the national interest of the United
States.
(2) Report.--Not later than 15 days before granting or
renewing a waiver under paragraph (1), the President shall
submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees
that includes--
(A) the name of the individual or the specific
jurisdiction subject to the waiver;
(B) a detailed justification explaining how the
waiver serves--
(i) the national security interests of the
United States (for individuals); or
(ii) the national interest of the United
States (for jurisdictions); and
(C) with respect to renewals--
(i) an assessment of the individual's or
jurisdiction's activities during the most
recent waiver period; and
(ii) any conditions imposed to ensure
compliance with United States interests.
(e) Termination of Sanctions.--The President may terminate the
application of sanctions under this section with respect to a foreign
individual if the President determines and reports to the appropriate
congressional committees not later than 15 days before the termination
of such sanctions that--
(1) the foreign individual is no longer engaged in the
activity that was the basis for such sanctions or has taken
significant verifiable steps toward stopping such activity;
(2) the President has received reliable assurances that
such individual will not knowingly engage in any activity
subject to sanctions under this section in the future; or
(3) the termination of such sanctions is in the national
security interests of the United States.
(f) Rulemaking.--The President shall issue such regulations,
licenses, and orders as may be necessary to carry out this section.
SEC. 7. SUNSET.
Any sanctions imposed pursuant to this Act shall terminate 5 years
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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