[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 150 (Monday, September 19, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7908-H7911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 URGING THE EUROPEAN UNION TO DESIGNATE HIZBALLAH IN ITS ENTIRETY AS A 
                         TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 558) urging the European Union to designate 
Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 558

       Whereas, in April 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against 
     the United States Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people;
       Whereas, in October 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against 
     the United States Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killed 
     241 American and 58 French servicemembers supporting the 
     Multinational Force peacekeeping mission;
       Whereas, in July 2012, a Hizballah terror attack, carried 
     out by an operative with dual Lebanese-French citizenship, in 
     Burgas, Bulgaria, killed 5 Israeli tourists and 1 Bulgarian;
       Whereas, in March 2013, a Swedish-Lebanese Hizballah 
     operative in Cyprus was convicted of planning terror attacks 
     against Israeli tourists;
       Whereas, in June 2015, a Hizballah operative was sentenced 
     to 6 years in prison after he stockpiled more than 8 tons of 
     ammonium nitrate in Cyprus;
       Whereas the Hizballah International Financing Prevention 
     Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-102) and the Hizballah 
     International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2018 
     (Public Law 115-272) broadened financial sector sanctions 
     against Hizballah to compel foreign financial institutions to 
     refrain from supporting the terrorist group;
       Whereas, in May 2018, the Department of the Treasury 
     imposed sanctions on Abdullah Safi-Al-Din, Hizballah's 
     representative to Iran, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, a Hizballah 
     financier, and blacklisted 5 of Bazzi's companies, including 
     Belgian energy services conglomerate Global Trading Group NV;
       Whereas, in October 2018, French police raided the Islamic 
     Zahra Centre on suspicion of supporting Hizballah, freezing 
     the organization's funds, and seizing illegal weapons;
       Whereas, in September 2020, 4 former leaders of the Zahra 
     Centre France were arrested on suspicion of continuing to run 
     the association;
       Whereas, in July 2019, the Department of the Treasury 
     designated 2 Hizballah-backed members of Lebanese Parliament, 
     Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra'd, and Hizballah security 
     official Wafiq Safa, stating that Hizballah uses its 
     operatives in parliament to advance its violent activities;
       Whereas, as of April 2020, Germany believed there to be 
     1,050 people with suspected links to Hizballah in the 
     country;
       Whereas Europol's June 2020 European Union Terrorism 
     Situation and Trend Report outlined that Hizballah is 
     ``suspected of trafficking diamonds and drugs and of money 
     laundering via the trade in second-hand cars'', and the 
     report also stated that ``investigations face the difficulty 
     of demonstrating that the funds collected are channeled to 
     the military wing of the organization'';
       Whereas United States-led Project Cassandra and Operation 
     Cedar exposed the criminal-business wing of Hizballah, the 
     Business Affairs Component (BAC) of Hezbollah's External 
     Security Organization;
       Whereas, during Project Cassandra, Hizballah elements 
     involved in drug trafficking were arrested in the United 
     States, South America, and several European countries, 
     including France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy;
       Whereas Hizballah's criminal activity in Europe is run by 
     the BAC, which reports to the External Security Organisation, 
     also known as Unit 910, or the Islamic Jihad Organization, 
     and Abdallah Safieddine, Hizballah's representative in Iran, 
     is also involved in this activity;
       Whereas, in August 2020, United Nations Secretary General 
     Guterres called on Lebanon to disarm Hizballah, citing the 
     terror group's persistent violation of Resolution 1701 
     (2006);
       Whereas Iran is the prime sponsor of Hizballah, harboring, 
     financing, training, and arming the group;
       Whereas the Department of the Treasury and Department of 
     State estimate that Iran provides as much as $700,000,000 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;
       Whereas Hizballah fighters have been supporting the Assad 
     regime in Syria, often leading operations in the conflict 
     which has left more than 500,000 dead;
       Whereas Hizballah's destabilizing actions in Syria have 
     contributed to a migrant crisis that has brought over 700,000 
     refugees to Europe;
       Whereas Hizballah trains and provides weapons for militias 
     in Iraq and Yemen, further destabilizing the region and 
     perpetuating violence in those countries;
       Whereas Hizballah activities continue to plague Lebanon 
     with profound economic and political instability and 
     violence;
       Whereas, in August 2020, at least 220 people died and 
     thousands more were injured when a massive stockpile of 
     ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut's port;
       Whereas Hizballah's cross border illicit arms and drugs 
     trafficking undermines the Lebanese Armed Forces, the 
     legitimate security establishment of the country as outlined 
     in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006);
       Whereas, in October 2012, Hizballah Deputy Secretary 
     General Naim Qassem stated that ``[Hizballah does not] have a 
     military wing

[[Page H7909]]

     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, Germany, the United Kingdom, the 
     Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Serbia, 
     and Kosovo, among others, have designated Hizballah in its 
     entirety as a terror organization;
       Whereas, in March 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council 
     formally branded Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist 
     organization, and the League of Arab States shortly 
     thereafter adopted the same designation;
       Whereas the Department of the Treasury has diligently added 
     persons and entities to the list of Specially Designated 
     Global Terrorists who have provided material support to the 
     Hizballah terrorist organization, thereby hampering its 
     financing and logistical capabilities;
       Whereas the European Union, 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 narcotrafficking, money laundering, and 
     weapons trafficking throughout Europe and the world; and
       Whereas the House of Representatives has previously called 
     on the European Union to fully designate Hizballah as a 
     terrorist organization, passing House Resolution 359 in 
     October 2017: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) applauds and expresses support for the continued, 
     increased cooperation between the United States and the 
     European Union (EU) in thwarting Hizballah's criminal and 
     terrorist activities;
       (2) supports transcontinental efforts within Europe to 
     share intelligence information among police and security 
     services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking, 
     apprehending, and prosecuting terrorists, foreign fighters, 
     and potential offenders;
       (3) encourages the European Union to implement sanctions 
     against Hizballah-affiliated terrorists in tandem with the 
     United States;
       (4) recommends greater civil society engagement in both the 
     United States and Europe to underscore Hizballah's malign 
     regional influence; and
       (5) urges the European Union 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 
     European Union 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski).


                             General Leave

  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 558, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 558, urging the 
European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist 
organization.
  I thank first my dear friend, Ted Deutch, the chairman of our 
Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global 
Counterterrorism for reintroducing this important legislation which 
previously did pass the House in the 115th Congress. When Ted departs 
our Foreign Affairs Committee in October, we are all going to miss his 
voice, particularly on issues regarding the Middle East, and his 
tireless advocacy in defense of American interests and those of our 
allies around the world.
  Now, despite all we know about Hizballah, a murderous, terrorist 
organization that also serves as an Iranian proxy in the region, our 
friends and partners in the European Union only include Hizballah's 
military branch, not its political branch, on its list of sanctioned 
terrorist organizations.
  The Government of the United States, in contrast, makes no 
distinction between its two branches and includes Hizballah in its 
entirety on the U.S. foreign terrorist organization list because we 
know they are one and the same. The European Union is long overdue in 
coming to the same realization.
  Congress is pleased that many individual European countries have 
acted despite the position of the E.U. as a whole. The Arab League and 
the Gulf Cooperation Council have also designated Hizballah in its 
entirety. So it remains troubling that the E.U., an organization that 
shares so many of our values, interests, and policy goals, continues to 
allow Hizballah's political wing to operate freely, advancing 
Hizballah's violent agenda around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this important 
resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution.
  I would like to start off by thanking my good friend and colleague, 
Ted Deutch, for not only introducing this important resolution but his 
tremendous work during his tenure in the House, particularly in 
combating anti-Semitism. There is no better friend of Israel than Ted 
Deutch, and there is no better friend of the Jewish community that is 
under siege here in the United States and around the world than Ted 
Deutch.

                              {time}  1545

  He and I co-chaired the House Anti-Semitism Task Force. As we all 
know, and many of my colleagues know, he is leaving on October 1 to 
head up the American Jewish Committee, AJC.
  What is AJC's gain is our loss, for Mr. Deutch has brought character 
and leadership to this Congress, and he will be deeply missed, and I 
thank him again for his very, very strong voice.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Lebanese lira continues its downward decline, 
Hizballah has become increasingly reliant on illicit criminal networks 
across Europe to help finance their criminal enterprise.
  Combating Hizballah's malign activity requires robust transatlantic 
law enforcement cooperation. This can only take place once Hizballah is 
designated as a terrorist organization in its entirety.
  Recognizing an arbitrary distinction between Hizballah's political 
and military wings gives Hizballah space to operate across Europe, 
providing legal cover for its military wing to continue financing 
terrorism through its political branch.
  There is no distinction between Hizballah's political and military 
wings--both serve the same ugly malign agenda that seeks to undermine 
the stability of the Lebanese state, prop up the murderous dictatorship 
of Bashar al-Assad, and threaten Israel's security.
  Mr. Speaker, I welcome the recent steps taken by Germany and others 
to designate Hizballah in full as a terrorist organization, and all of 
the European Union needs to do likewise.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from North Carolina (Ms. Manning).
  Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative 
Malinowski, for yielding. I also thank my dear friend and colleague, 
Congressman Ted Deutch, for his tremendous leadership on this and so 
many issues as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Middle East, North 
Africa, and Global Counterterrorism. It is a privilege to serve with 
him.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 558, a bipartisan 
resolution I was proud to help introduce with Chairman Deutch, urging 
the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a 
terrorist organization.
  The Iranian-backed terrorist group, Hizballah, is responsible for 
thousands of civilian deaths, not just in the Middle East, but around 
the globe. Until 9/11, Hizballah had killed more Americans than any 
other terrorist group. Today, it maintains an arsenal of 150,000 
rockets aimed at Israel.
  Just this past week, Hizballah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, issued a 
series of grave threats and provocations against Israel, claiming its 
missiles are locked on an Israel offshore gas field, which Israel seeks 
to develop to export much-needed energy supplies to Europe.
  This is another reminder of why it is incomprehensible that any EU 
member

[[Page H7910]]

can credibly assert any distinction between Hizballah's so-called 
military and political wings. The truth is, there is one unified 
Hizballah, and it is dedicated to carrying out terrorist activities 
around the world.
  That is why this bipartisan resolution calls on our partners in the 
EU to take a stronger stand against worldwide terrorism by designating 
Hizballah--as a whole--as a terrorist organization.
  We must continue to keep pressure on Hizballah and all other 
terrorist groups that threaten the United States and our ally Israel, 
and undermine peace, security, and stability throughout the region.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan measure, and I thank 
Chairman Deutch for his steadfast leadership on this important issue.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Deutch).
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Mr. Malinowski, for 
yielding, and for his friendship, leadership, and kind words. I thank 
my other friend from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his leadership and for 
his kind words. I thank Ms. Manning for her leadership and kind words, 
as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 558, which urges the 
European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist 
organization.
  Mr. Speaker, this is Hizballah. Hizballah that bombed the U.S. 
Embassy in Beirut, the U.S. and French Marine barracks in Beirut, the 
Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, the AMIA Jewish Center in Buenos 
Aires, bombed Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and has--as Ms. Manning 
pointed out--over 150,000 rockets pointed at Israeli civilians.
  First, I thank Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul for their 
leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee and for bringing this 
resolution to the floor today.
  I also want to extend my gratitude to my good friend from Florida 
(Mr. Bilirakis) for partnering with me on this resolution, and to 
Ranking Member   Joe Wilson for his leadership on the subcommittee and 
for his commitment to working with me on this and a host of so many 
other critical issues--issues critical to America's security.
  Mr. Speaker, I also take this moment on the House floor to thank my 
Foreign Affairs staff, Sophie Mirviss, MENA staff director; 
professional staff member, Jack Steinberg; and of course, Casey Kustin, 
our former staff director.
  Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, a Hizballah suicide bomber blew up a bus 
in Burgas, Bulgaria. On that bus were 42 Israeli tourists, mostly young 
people. That day, Hizballah ended five lives and injured 32 others. In 
2013, almost exactly 1 year later, the European Union took action to 
designate Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist organization.
  But the inadvertent result of this designation was that a false 
distinction was made: a false distinction between Hizballah's military 
and political wings. Let me be clear, there are no different branches 
of Hizballah; it is in its entirety a terrorist organization.

  You don't need to take my word for this. The United States Government 
makes no distinction between the organization's branches and includes 
Hizballah, in its entirety, on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization 
List. But you also don't need to take our Government's word for it, or 
the word of Germany, Israel, Guatemala, Argentina, the United Kingdom, 
or the many other countries that have designated all of Hizballah, 
rightfully, as a terrorist organization. Take Hizballah's word for it. 
One of their own representatives in the Lebanese Parliament explicitly 
said, ``the military wing of Hizballah is inseparable from its 
political wing.''
  It is a fact that Hizballah is one unified terrorist organization. An 
organization that, with support from the Iranian regime, has carried 
out horrific terror attacks around the globe and continues to spread 
violence and terror throughout the Middle East.
  It is an Iranian terror proxy. The same Iranian regime whose 
President last night on American television deemed the reality of the 
Holocaust--deemed it false--denied the reality of the Holocaust. It 
denied Israel's very right to exist.
  Iran-backed Hizballah consistently threatens Israel and its citizens 
with drones, missiles, threats of invasion, and undermines stability 
and economic opportunity in Lebanon. What's more, the organization 
supports the brutal Assad regime and is complicit in its murder of more 
than half a million people from the ongoing conflict in Syria.
  The facts are clear: Around the world, Hizballah should be designated 
as a terrorist organization in its entirety.
  That is why I stand in support of this resolution: as global partners 
of the United States and key players in the international rules-based 
order, the EU must designate all of Hizballah as a terrorist 
organization so we can increase global cooperation to isolate and 
dismantle this group.
  I recognize there are legal concerns from our European friends that 
designating all of Hizballah as a terrorist organization could prevent 
support for the Lebanese people, as Hizballah has infiltrated the 
country's political system.
  The EU rightful recognizes Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist 
organization, despite that fact that Hamas operates as a political 
party in Gaza. This does not impact the EU's ability to support Gaza 
reconstruction, just as designating Hizballah as a whole would not 
prevent the EU from supporting the needs of the people of Lebanon, and 
the refugees inside Lebanon.
  It is time for the EU to fix this false distinction once and for all, 
and the global momentum is on our side. In 2016, the Gulf Cooperation 
Council and the Arab League both designated Hizballah as a terrorist 
organization with no distinction between its political and military 
wings, despite Lebanon being a member of the Arab League. The EU should 
take note of that.
  A full EU designation now would demonstrate Europe's commitment to 
cracking down on Iran's use of proxy terrorist groups, destabilizing 
the region, and attacking our shared national security priorities.
  This resolution sends an important message to our European allies. 
More can and must be done to counter the Iranian proxy Hizballah, which 
begins with calling them what they are, a terrorist organization in its 
entirety that is committed to the destruction of our ally, Israel, and 
continues to undermine the values and interests of both the United 
States and Europe. It is time for the EU to join us in designating 
Hizballah in its entirety. A nearly identical measure passed the House 
in 2017 by voice vote.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute and 30 
seconds to the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress in April 2010 committed 
to standing up to Iran's malign activities, and support for Hizballah 
is a prime example. As I prepare to conclude my time in this Chamber, I 
urge my colleagues to continue to unite the world against Iran's terror 
proxies and to boldly take action to ensure Iran never has nuclear 
weapons; never forgets that the U.S. will always stand against its 
human rights violations, against its support for terror, against its 
anti-Semitism, against its call for Israel's destruction, against its 
unlawfully detention of Americans--Morad Tahbaz, Emad Sharghi, Siamak 
Namazi, Baquer Namazi, and refuses to bring closure to the family of 
Bob Levinson.
  My colleagues, we must continue to stand up to Iran's aggression. 
Today's vote is a vote to urge our European allies to designate all of 
Hizballah--what it is--an Iran-backed terror proxy.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their cooperation on this 
bill, and I thank them for their friendship all these many years.
  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly agree with Representative Deutch. I have 
always believed the first principle of foreign policy is to call things 
by their proper name. Sometimes we have to be pragmatic in our dealings 
around the world, but always start by being honest. Hizballah is a 
terrorist organization.

[[Page H7911]]

Say it. The European Union should do so, as well.
  Today, we are being heard again on a bipartisan basis--loud and 
clear--and I hope the European Union hears our message. I hope my 
colleagues will join us in supporting this resolution, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 558, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________