[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 361 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 361
To impose terrorism-related sanctions with respect to As-Saib Ahl Al-
Haq and Harakat Hizballah Al-Nujaba, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2019
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Chabot, and
Mr. Suozzi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To impose terrorism-related sanctions with respect to As-Saib Ahl Al-
Haq and Harakat Hizballah Al-Nujaba, 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 ``Iranian Proxies Terrorist Sanctions
Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) As-Saib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) is an Iraqi paramilitary group
founded in 2006. Harakat Hizballah al-Nujaba (Nujaba) is an
affiliated faction of AAH and the United States-designated
foreign terrorist organization Kata'ib Hizballah that was
formed in 2013.
(2) AAH and Nujaba are provided training, funding, and arms
by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), IRGC-
Quds Force, and mentored by Lebanese Hizballah. AAH leader,
Qais Khazali, has pledged allegiance to Iran's Supreme Leader
Ali Khamenei.
(3) AAH conducted numerous attacks against the United
States and coalition forces in Iraq between its inception in
2006 and the United States withdrawal in December 2011. This
includes the January 20, 2007, attack on the Karbala Provincial
Headquarters that resulted in the killing of CPT Brian S.
Freeman, 1LT Jacob N. Fritz, SPC Jonathan B. Chism, PFC Shawn
P. Falter, and PFC Jonathon M. Millican--four of whom were
abducted and later executed.
(4) AAH and Nujaba deploy forces to Syria to fight on
behalf of the Bashar al-Assad regime, including participating
in the 2016 siege of Aleppo where the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights alleges pro-government Iraqi
militia groups executed dozens of civilians.
(5) In 2015, Human Rights Watch alleged AAH participated in
forced evictions, kidnappings, and extrajudicial killings of
Sunni and Kurdish civilians in areas liberated from the Islamic
State.
(6) Nujaba is led by Akram al-Kabi, who was designated by
the Department of the Treasury under Executive Order 13438 for
threatening the peace and stability of Iraq. According to the
United States Government, Kabi participated in multiple mortar
and rocket attacks on the International Zone, or Green Zone, in
Baghdad in early 2008. Kabi and other Nujaba commanders have
claimed they follow orders from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei and declared in March 2016 support for Lebanese
Hizballah.
(7) In 2017, a Nujaba spokesman declared that it had formed
a unit tasked to ``liberate'' the Golan Heights from Israeli
control and reports indicate the group is playing a key role in
securing a land route between Iran and Lebanon to provide
military aid to Lebanese Hezbollah.
SEC. 3. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.
(a) In General.--Beginning on the date that is 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the
sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to As-Saib Ahl al-
Haq (AAH), Harakat Hizballah al-Nujaba (Nujaba), and foreign persons
that are officials, agents, or affiliates of AAH or Nujaba.
(b) Determination With Respect to Certain Individuals.--
(1) In general.--The President shall submit to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a
determination, including a detailed justification, on whether
any of the individuals described in paragraph (2) meets the
criteria for the application of sanctions described in
subsection (a).
(2) Individuals described.--The individuals described in
this paragraph are the following:
(A) Qais al-Khazali.
(B) Laith al-Khazali.
(C) Akram Abbas al-Kaabi.
(D) Shibl al-Zaydi.
(E) Kazim al-Ta'i.
(F) Hamid al-Jazairi.
(G) Ali al-Yasiri.
(c) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this
subsection are sanctions applicable with respect to a foreign person
pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to
blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit,
threaten to commit, or support terrorism).
SEC. 4. WATCHLISTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall annually establish,
maintain, and publish a global list of armed groups, militias, or proxy
forces receiving logistical, military, or financial assistance from the
IRGC or over which the IRGC exerts any form of control or influence.
(b) Publication.--The lists required under subsection (a) shall be
published as part of the Department of State's Annual Country Reports
on Terrorism, beginning with the first such Country Reports published
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Form.--If the Secretary of State determines that such is
appropriate, the Secretary may, not later than 30 days after
publication of the annual Country Reports on Terrorism referred to in
subsection (b), submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
a classified annex.
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