[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4665 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 514
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4665
To require the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to Congress for
countering Iranian and Hezbollah influence operations in Latin America.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 2, 2026
Mr. Curtis introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
July 27, 2026
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to Congress for
countering Iranian and Hezbollah influence operations in Latin America.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Barring Adversarial
Networks and Notorious Extremist Destabilizers in Latin America Act''
or the ``BANNED in Latin America Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO COUNTER IRANIAN AND HEZBOLLAH INFLUENCE
OPERATIONS IN LATIN AMERICA.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Strategy Required.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit
a comprehensive strategy to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives for countering Iran's and Hezbollah's propaganda,
missionary networks, and influence operations in Latin
America.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Contents of Strategy.--The strategy required under
subsection (a) shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) measures that address the proliferation of
Iranian cultural centers in Latin America that promote Iranian
ideology, including diplomatic efforts to limit their
operations, sanctions on affiliated entities, and public
diplomacy to expose their activities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) actions that restrict the travel and
activities of Iranian emissaries, including diplomats, cultural
attaches, and other agents who facilitate propaganda,
radicalization, and terror-supporting networks in Latin
America, through visa denials, sanctions, or other travel
restrictions;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) initiatives that strengthen the capacity of
United States intelligence agencies to identify, monitor, and
disrupt Iran's and Hezbollah's networks, including their
cooperation academic institutions and nongovernmental
organizations in Latin America;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) a framework for taking actions, similar to
those implemented against Al-Manar and Press TV, to disrupt
Iran's HispanTV and Hezbollah's Al Mayadeen Espanol platforms,
including sanctions, designations, and cooperation with
regional partners to limit their broadcasting reach and digital
presence; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) a plan to address Iran's Al Mustafa
International University network and its affiliated entities,
including by designating them as foreign terrorist
organizations or specially designated global terrorists, as
appropriate, due to their respective roles in radicalization
and recruitment for Iran's ideological and terrorist
objectives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Form.--The strategy required under subsection (a)
shall be submitted in unclassified form and may include a classified
annex.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLES.
This Act may be cited as the ``Barring Adversarial Networks and
Notorious Extremist Destabilizers in Latin America Act'' or the
``BANNED in Latin America Act''.
SEC. 2. STRATEGY TO COUNTER IRANIAN AND HEZBOLLAH INFLUENCE OPERATIONS
IN LATIN AMERICA.
(a) Strategy Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a
comprehensive strategy to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives for countering Iran's and Hezbollah's propaganda
networks and influence operations in Latin America.
(b) Contents of Strategy.--The strategy required under subsection
(a) shall include--
(1) initiatives that strengthen the capacity of the United
States to identify, monitor, and disrupt Iran's and Hezbollah's
malign networks, including their cooperation with academic
institutions and nongovernmental organizations in Latin
America;
(2) a framework for taking actions, similar to those
implemented against Al-Manar and Press TV, to disrupt
Hezbollah's Al Mayadeen Espanol platform, including sanctions,
designations, and cooperation with regional partners to limit
their broadcasting reach and digital presence;
(3) a plan to expose Iran's Al Mustafa International
University network and its affiliated entities, including by
working with local governments to address its role in
radicalization and recruitment for Iran's ideological and
terrorist objectives;
(4) initiatives designed to weaken the ability of Iranian-
and Hezbollah-linked individuals from engaging in drugs and
contraband smuggling and money laundering;
(5) actions to restrict Iranian- and Hezbollah-linked
networks from their ability to exploit natural resources for
financial gain, including by benefitting from illicit mining,
including of gold, in Venezuela and elsewhere in the region;
and
(6) initiatives aimed at working with partners and allies
to counter Hezbollah document fraud operations, including the
production of falsified passports, birth certificates, driver's
licenses, and other government identification.
(c) Form.--The strategy required under subsection (a) shall be
submitted in unclassified form and may include a classified annex.
Calendar No. 514
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4665
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to Congress for
countering Iranian and Hezbollah influence operations in Latin America.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 27, 2026
Reported with an amendment