[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 180 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H5197-H5199]
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. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H. Res. 599) urging the European Union to designate Hizballah in
its entirety as a terrorist organization.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H. Res. 599
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
that association and supporting Hizballah;
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 2021, Germany believed there to be
1,250 people with suspected links to Hizballah in the
country;
Whereas Europol's June 2022 European Union Terrorism
Situation and Trend Report outlined that Hizballah ``has been
using the EU as a base for fundraising, recruitment, and
criminal activities'', and the report also stated that
Hizballah ``is suspected of managing the transportation and
distribution of illegal drugs into the EU, dealing with
firearms trafficking and running professional money
laundering operations that include the provision of money
laundering services for other criminal organizations'';
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, with increased sophistication
and 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 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 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 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 declared 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 and House Resolution 558 on September 20, 2022:
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 (Mr. Cline). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler) and the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Schneider) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise
[[Page H5198]]
and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this
measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, 3 weeks ago, Hamas launched a brutal and unprovoked
terrorist attack on our ally, Israel, from its perch in the Gaza Strip.
Now Israel is engaged in a major military operation in response to
the pressing threat posed by this Iran-backed terrorist group. For
years, Hamas benefited from the misconception that it was focused on
governing the Gaza Strip but make no mistake, there is no difference
between the political and military wings of terrorist organizations.
One of Hamas' allies in the region, Hezbollah, also benefits from
this misguided fiction that its political and military entities are
separate. Like with Hamas, this is unequivocally false. Even
Hezbollah's leader himself admits there is no distinction between the
two, so it is unfortunate that the European Union includes Hezbollah's
military branch on its list of sanctioned terrorist organizations, but
not its political wing.
This has enabled Hezbollah to use Europe as a base to plan extremist
terrorist activities and exploit global financial networks to pay for
them. Right now, Hezbollah is launching near daily attacks on Israel's
northern borders with rockets, mortars, and antitank missiles. Every
one of these attacks risks the opening of a second front in this war.
Does this sound like the work of a political party? Yet, the EU's
continued recognition of this arbitrary distinction between political
and military wings allows Hezbollah to continue to operate throughout
Europe, even while causing casualties in Israel. This issue has never
been more urgent. We must make clear to these terrorist proxies that we
are not fooled about their true intention: the destruction of Israel.
We must make clear to Iran that it cannot hide behind its terrorist
proxies.
Mr. Speaker, I urge our allies in the European Union to designate
Hezbollah in full as a terrorist organization.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House to vote in support of
this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1515
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, and I
yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I have spoken about Iran, Hamas, and the various bills
on the floor today seeking to bring peace and prosperity to the region.
That is why I am proud to lead H. Res. 599, urging the European Union
to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.
I thank our former colleague and the current president of the
American Jewish Committee, Ted Deutch, for his groundbreaking work on
this issue.
Like Hamas, Hezbollah is an Iran-backed terrorist organization
committed to the destruction of Israel and of peace throughout the
region, and the U.S. has done the right thing by recognizing it as
such.
Our good friends in Europe often make a distinction between the
organization's political and military wings, seeing the former as a
partner they can try to work with. Looking at how Lebanon has been on
the verge of becoming a failed state, we cannot underestimate the
pernicious role played by Hezbollah.
Hezbollah bombed our Embassy in Beirut in April 1983, killing 63
people. Then, in October of the same year, attacked a Marine Corps
barracks, killing 241 Americans.
Their nefarious behavior has never stopped. They murdered Israeli
tourists in Bulgaria in 2012 and tried to do so again in Cyprus in
2013. Two years later, they got caught in Cyprus with 8 tons of
ammonium nitrate.
That year, Congress passed the Hezbollah International Financing
Prevention Act of 2015, which I was proud to help lead and follow up on
in 2018.
Despite our best efforts to counter it, the resolution describes in
detail Hezbollah's nefarious activities in Belgium, France, and Germany
and throughout the European Union.
I have always said that the world is at its best when America leads.
We have led in countering Hezbollah, and now we must urge our European
allies to join us as we look at Hezbollah's skirmishing with Israel and
loudly supporting Hamas and threatening a war on a second front at a
most perilous time.
I hope and trust our European partners will take this as a wake-up
call. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization in its entirety and must be
designated as such in its entirety.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
North Carolina (Ms. Manning), my good friend and the vice ranking
member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Brad
Schneider, for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan resolution that I
reintroduced with Congressman Brad Schneider and colleagues on both
sides of the aisle.
This resolution, originally introduced by former Congressman Ted
Deutch and passed by the House last Congress, urges the European Union
to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.
Mr. Speaker, the terrorist group Hezbollah is a linchpin of Iran's
axis of resistance and is responsible for thousands of civilian deaths
in the Middle East and around the globe, including the 1983 Marine
Corps barracks bombing in Beirut and the 1994 AMIA Jewish community
center bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Until 9/11, Hezbollah had killed more Americans than any other
terrorist group. Today, it maintains an arsenal of 150,000 rockets
aimed at Israel.
In recent weeks, Hezbollah has fired upon Israel, threatening to open
up a second front in the war along Israel's northern border, risking a
wider regional confrontation and putting civilians in Lebanon at risk.
Given these facts, it is incomprehensible that any EU member state
can credibly assert any distinction between Hezbollah's so-called
military and political wings.
The truth is, there is one unified Hezbollah, 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 Hezbollah as
a whole as a terrorist organization.
We must continue to keep pressure on Hezbollah, Hamas, and all other
terrorist groups that threaten the United States and our ally Israel,
and that undermine peace, security, and stability throughout the region
and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan measure.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 599 is critical for making sure our friends and
allies in Europe join us in pushing back against Hezbollah and making
sure it no longer can pose a threat to Lebanon, Israel, and the people
of the region.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, every day that passes risks further
escalation from Hezbollah on Israel's northern border.
We must not allow Hezbollah to continue to present the illusion that
its political and military wings are distinct. The EU must designate
Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization to permanently
dispense with this fiction.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support 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 York (Mr. Lawler) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 599.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
[[Page H5199]]
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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