[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 104 (Monday, June 22, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3017-S3018]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5895. Mr. THUNE (for Mr. Curtis) submitted an amendment intended
to be proposed by Mr. Thune to the bill S. 4784, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
SEC. 1270A. COUNTERING TERRORISM BY HEZBOLLAH.
(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``No
Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere Act''.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Secretary of State should pursue aggressive efforts
against Iranian proxy networks in the Western Hemisphere,
including by--
(1) demanding that governments put an end to the impunity
enjoyed by designated individuals and entities or face the
consequences described in this Act for their inaction;
(2) working with allies, potentially through international
forums, such as the Financial Action Task Force, to greylist
government entities that cooperate with Hezbollah;
(3) engaging governments in Latin America to ensure they
have adequate legislative tools to investigate terrorist
activities and combat the financing of terrorism; and
(4) persuading allies in the Latin America to designate
Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, using Argentina's
model for designation as a blueprint.
(c) Defined Term.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of
the Senate;
(3) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives;
(5) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives; and
(6) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
(d) Determination With Respect to Terrorist Sanctuaries.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, the
Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, the Attorney General, and the heads of other
relevant Federal agencies, shall--
(A) conduct an assessment to determine whether any country,
region, or jurisdiction in Latin America meets the definition
of ``terrorist sanctuary'' under section 140(d)(4) of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and
1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f(d)(4)); and
(B) submit the results of such assessment to the
appropriate congressional committees.
(2) Considerations.--In making a determination pursuant to
paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall consider--
(A) the extent to which Hezbollah or any other foreign
terrorist organization (as designated pursuant to section
219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1189(a))) operates freely, raises or transfers funds,
recruits, or obtains safe haven within a given country,
region, or jurisdiction;
(B) whether the host government has knowingly tolerated, or
has failed to take action to address, terrorist activities
after learning of their existence; and
(C) any other factors relevant to the definition of
``terrorist sanctuary'' under section 140(d)(4) of the
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and
1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f(d)(4)).
(e) Revocation of Visas.--
(1) In general.--The President may impose the sanctions
described in paragraph (2) with respect to any foreign
individual the President determines is a government official
of any foreign state, subdivision, or municipality designated
as a terrorist sanctuary under subsection (d) unless such
official has taken significant, verifiable steps to stop such
activity or the relevant jurisdiction no longer meets the
definition of terrorist sanctuary under section 140(d)(4) of
the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988
and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f(d)(4)).
(2) Sanctions described.--
(A) Ineligibility for visas and admissions to the united
states.--A foreign individual described in paragraph (1)
shall be--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to
enter the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into
the United States or to receive any other benefit under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--
(i) In general.--The issuing consular officer or the
Secretary of State (or a designee of the Secretary), in
accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), shall revoke any visa or
[[Page S3018]]
other entry documentation issued to a foreign individual
described in paragraph (1) regardless of when the visa or
other entry documentation was issued.
(ii) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under clause (i)
shall--
(I) take effect immediately; and
(II) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry
documentation that is in the foreign individual's possession.
(iii) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out
this paragraph.
(3) Exception to comply with law enforcement objectives and
agreement regarding the headquarters of the united nations.--
Sanctions under paragraph (2) shall not apply to a foreign
person if admitting the person into the United States--
(A) would further important law enforcement objectives; or
(B) is necessary to permit the United States to comply with
the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United
Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered
into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and
the United States, or other applicable international
obligations of the United States.
(4) Waiver.--
(A) In general.--The President may waive the application of
sanctions under paragraph (2) with respect to--
(i) an individual, on a case-by-case basis for periods not
to exceed 180 days, if the President determines that such
individual's entry or continued presence in the United States
is vital to the national security interests of the United
States;
(ii) a jurisdiction, including a foreign country, or any
subdivision of such country, that is designated as a
terrorist sanctuary pursuant to subsection (d), for periods
not to exceed 1 year, if the President determines that
waiving the application of sanctions with respect to
officials or other residents of such jurisdiction is in the
national interest of the United States.
(B) Report.--Not later than 15 days before granting or
renewing a waiver under subparagraph (A), the President shall
submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees
that includes--
(i) the name of the individual or the specific jurisdiction
subject to the waiver;
(ii) a detailed justification explaining how the waiver
serves--
(I) the national security interests of the United States
(for individuals); or
(II) the national interest of the United States (for
jurisdictions); and
(iii) with respect to renewals--
(I) an assessment of the individual's or jurisdiction's
activities during the most recent waiver period; and
(II) any conditions imposed to ensure compliance with
United States interests.
(5) Termination of sanctions.--The President may terminate
the application of sanctions under this subsection with
respect to a foreign individual if the President determines
and reports to the appropriate congressional committees not
later than 15 days before the termination of such sanctions
that--
(A) the foreign individual is no longer engaged in the
activity that was the basis for such sanctions or has taken
significant verifiable steps toward stopping such activity;
(B) the President has received reliable assurances that
such individual will not knowingly engage in any activity
subject to sanctions under this section in the future; or
(C) the termination of such sanctions is in the national
security interests of the United States.
(6) Rulemaking.--The President shall issue such
regulations, licenses, and orders as may be necessary to
carry out this subsection.
(f) Sunset.--Any sanctions imposed pursuant to this section
shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
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