[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 750 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 750

 Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 
  terrorist organization and increase pressure on it and its members.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2016

   Mr. Deutch (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Israel, Mr. Kelly of 
 Pennsylvania, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois, 
 Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Zeldin, and Mrs. Davis of California) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 
  terrorist organization and increase pressure on it and its members.

Whereas in July 2012 a Hizballah terror attack in Bulgaria killed five Israeli 
        tourists and one Bulgarian;
Whereas in March 2013 a Hizballah operative in Cyprus was convicted of planning 
        terror attacks after admitting he was a member of Hizballah, was trained 
        in the use of weapons and used a dual Swedish-Lebanese passport to 
        travel around Europe on missions as a courier and scout for Hizballah;
Whereas though such Hizballah operative was convicted on criminal-related 
        charges, authorities had to drop terrorism charges against him because 
        Hizballah was not listed as a terrorist organization;
Whereas the European Union (EU) in July 2013 designated Hizballah's so-called 
        ``military wing''--but not the organization as a whole--as a terrorist 
        organization;
Whereas despite restrictions put on Hizballah since the designation of its 
        military wing, the group continues to conduct illicit narco-trafficking, 
        money laundering, and weapons trafficking throughout Europe;
Whereas EU designation of Hizballah's military wing has enabled substantial and 
        important cooperation between United States and European authorities 
        aimed at uncovering and thwarting Hizballah's international criminal 
        activities, such as drug trafficking and money laundering, the proceeds 
        of which are used to purchase weapons and advance Hizballah's terrorist 
        aims;
Whereas in December 2015, the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act 
        of 2015 (Public Law 114-102) was signed into law in the United States, 
        broadening financial sector sanctions against Hizballah to compel 
        foreign financial institutions to refrain from supporting the terrorist 
        group;
Whereas according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in 
        February 2016, the DEA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection partnered 
        with counterparts in France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium to arrest top 
        leaders of the European cell of Hizballah's External Security 
        Organization Business Affairs Component--a cell that engages in 
        international money laundering and drug trafficking to support 
        Hizballah's terror activities;
Whereas for many years, Iran and Syria have been the prime sponsors of 
        Hizballah, harboring, financing, training, and arming the group;
Whereas Department of Defense officials estimate that Iran provides $100 to $200 
        million per year to Hizballah in the form of financial and logistical 
        support, weapons, and training;
Whereas Hizballah now has an arsenal of approximately 150,000 missiles and 
        rockets, many of which can reach deep into Israel, at a time when 
        Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah is threatening to invade 
        the Galilee or attack civilian Israeli chemical plants to generate mass 
        destruction;
Whereas while the EU reels from the migrant crisis sparked by violence in Syria, 
        some 6,000 to 8,000 Hizballah fighters have been on the ground in Syria 
        aiding the Assad regime in its slaughter of innocent Syrians;
Whereas Lebanon continues to be plagued by instability and violence;
Whereas due to Hizballah's actions in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the 
        Levant has carried out retaliatory terrorist attacks in Beirut;
Whereas the Lebanese Armed Forces, the legitimate security establishment of the 
        country as set forth in United Nations Resolution 1701, are struggling 
        to control the flow of weapons and Hizballah fighters at its borders;
Whereas Hizballah trains and provides weapons for Shiite militias in Iraq and 
        Yemen, further destabilizing the region and perpetuating violence in 
        those countries;
Whereas in October 2012, Hizballah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem stated 
        that ``[Hizballah does not] have a military wing and a political one . . 
        . Every element of Hizballah, from commanders to members as well as our 
        various capabilities, are in the service of the resistance'';
Whereas the United States, Canada, Israel, and the Netherlands have designated 
        Hizballah in its entirety as a terror organization, while Australia and 
        New Zealand have applied the designation to the organization's so-called 
        military wing;
Whereas in March 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the bloc of six Gulf Arab 
        nations, formally branded Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist 
        organization, and the League of Arab States shortly thereafter adopted 
        the same designation; and
Whereas in April 2016, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, denounced 
        Hizballah's ``terrorist acts'' in the Middle East: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses appreciation to the European Union (EU) for 
        the progress made in countering Hizballah since the EU 
        designated Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist 
        organization;
            (2) applauds and expresses support for the continued, 
        increased cooperation between the United States and the EU in 
        thwarting Hizballah's criminal and terrorist activities; and
            (3) urges the EU to designate Hizballah in its entirety as 
        a terrorist organization and increase pressure on the group, 
        including through--
                    (A) facilitating better cross-border cooperation 
                between EU members in combating Hizballah;
                    (B) issuing arrest warrants against members and 
                active supporters of Hizballah;
                    (C) freezing Hizballah's assets in Europe, 
                including those masquerading as charities; and
                    (D) prohibiting fundraising activities in support 
                of Hizballah.
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