119-s842

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 842 Reported in Senate

    (RS) ]

<DOC>

 Calendar No. 53
119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 842

 To counter efforts by Hezbollah to conduct terrorist activities in 
 Latin America, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 March 4, 2025

 Mr. Curtis (for himself and Ms. Rosen) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

 April 28, 2025

 Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
 in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To counter efforts by Hezbollah to conduct terrorist activities in 
 Latin America, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``No Hezbollah In Our 
Hemisphere Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>

<DELETED> Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) Iran and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, have 
 been allowed to build their Latin American regional networks 
 with impunity.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) Hezbollah is not considered a terrorist 
 organization in most countries south of the Rio Grande 
 River.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) In Latin America, the only countries that have 
 designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization are Argentina, 
 Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (4) The ability of local authorities to monitor or 
 prosecute Hezbollah and its local operatives is limited without 
 such a designation.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (5) Hezbollah has support from local authoritarian 
 regimes aligned with the Islamic Republic of Iran, such as the 
 Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela, which has essentially 
 become Iran's forward operating base in Latin 
 America.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (6) Hezbollah's infrastructure in Peru, Colombia, 
 Chile, and the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil, and 
 Paraguay continues to grow.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (7) In recent years, Hezbollah's focus in Latin 
 America has been on infiltrating criminal networks, money 
 laundering, and sophisticated smuggling operations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED> 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--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (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;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) working with allies, potentially through 
 international forums, such as the Financial Action Task Force, 
 to greylist government entities that cooperate with 
 Hezbollah;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) engaging governments in Latin America to 
 ensure they have adequate legislative tools to investigate 
 terrorist activities and combat the financing of terrorism; 
 and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (4) persuading allies in the Latin America to 
 designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, using 
 Argentina's model for designation as a blueprint.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 4. DEFINED TERM.</DELETED>

<DELETED> In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional 
committees'' means--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
 Senate;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
 Affairs of the Senate;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
 Senate;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
 Representatives;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (5) the Committee on Financial Services of the 
 House of Representatives; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (6) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
 of Representatives.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 5. DETERMINATION WITH RESPECT TO TERRORIST 
 SANCTUARIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

    (a) 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--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) 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</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) submit the results of such assessment to the 
 appropriate congressional committees.</DELETED>
<DELETED>

    (b) Considerations.--In making a determination pursuant to 
subsection

    (a) , the Secretary of State shall consider--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) 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;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) whether the host government has knowingly 
 tolerated, or has failed to take action to address, terrorist 
 activities after learning of their existence; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) 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) ).</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 6. REVOCATION OF VISAS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

    (a) In General.--The President may impose the sanctions 
described in subsection

    (b) 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 

section 5 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) ).</DELETED>
<DELETED>

    (b) Sanctions Described.--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) Ineligibility for visas and admissions to the 
 united states.--A foreign individual described in subsection

    (a) shall be--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) inadmissible to the United 
 States;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
 documentation to enter the United States; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (C) 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.).</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) Current visas revoked.--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) 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 other entry documentation 
 issued to a foreign individual described in subsection

    (a) regardless of when the visa or other entry 
 documentation was issued.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) Effect of revocation.--A revocation 
 under subparagraph
        (A) shall--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) take effect immediately; 
 and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) automatically cancel any 
 other valid visa or entry documentation that is 
 in the foreign individual's 
 possession.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (C) 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 
 subsection.</DELETED>
<DELETED>
            (c) Exception To Comply With Law Enforcement Objectives 
and Agreement Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations.--
Sanctions under subsection

    (b) shall not apply to a foreign person if 
admitting the person into the United States--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) would further important law enforcement 
 objectives; or</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) 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.</DELETED>
<DELETED>
            (d) Waiver.--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) In general.--The President may waive the 
 application of sanctions under subsection

    (b) with respect to--
 </DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) 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; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) a jurisdiction, including a foreign 
 country, or any subdivision of such country, that is 
 designated as a terrorist sanctuary pursuant to 

section 5, 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.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) Report.--Not later than 15 days before 
 granting or renewing a waiver under paragraph

    (1) , the 
 President shall submit a report to the appropriate 
 congressional committees that includes--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) the name of the individual or the 
 specific jurisdiction subject to the waiver;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) a detailed justification explaining 
 how the waiver serves--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) the national security 
 interests of the United States (for 
 individuals); or</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) the national interest of the 
 United States (for jurisdictions); 
 and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (C) with respect to renewals--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) an assessment of the 
 individual's or jurisdiction's activities 
 during the most recent waiver period; 
 and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) any conditions imposed to 
 ensure compliance with United States 
 interests.</DELETED>
<DELETED>

    (e) Termination of Sanctions.--The President may terminate 
the application of sanctions under this section 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--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) 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;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) 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</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) the termination of such sanctions is in the 
 national security interests of the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>

    (f) Rulemaking.--The President shall issue such 
regulations, licenses, and orders as may be necessary to carry out this 
section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 7. SUNSET.</DELETED>

<DELETED> Any sanctions imposed pursuant to this Act shall terminate 
5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) Iran and Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, have been allowed 
 to build their Latin American regional networks with impunity.

    (2) Hezbollah is not considered a terrorist organization in 
 most countries south of the Rio Grande River.

    (3) In Latin America, the only countries that have 
 designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization are Argentina, 
 Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay.

    (4) The ability of local authorities to monitor or 
 prosecute Hezbollah and its local operatives is limited without 
 such a designation.

    (5) Hezbollah has support from local authoritarian regimes 
 aligned with the Islamic Republic of Iran, such as the Nicolas 
 Maduro regime in Venezuela, which has essentially become Iran's 
 forward operating base in Latin America.

    (6) Hezbollah's infrastructure in Peru, Colombia, Chile, 
 and the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay 
 continues to grow.

    (7) In recent years, Hezbollah's focus in Latin America has 
 been on infiltrating criminal networks, money laundering, and 
 sophisticated smuggling operations.

SEC. 3. 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.

SEC. 4. DEFINED TERM.

 In this Act, 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.

SEC. 5. DETERMINATION WITH RESPECT TO TERRORIST SANCTUARIES.

    (a) 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--

    (1) 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

    (2) submit the results of such assessment to the 
 appropriate congressional committees.

    (b) Considerations.--In making a determination pursuant to 
subsection

    (a) , the Secretary of State shall consider--

    (1) 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;

    (2) whether the host government has knowingly tolerated, or 
 has failed to take action to address, terrorist activities 
 after learning of their existence; and

    (3) 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) ).

SEC. 6. REVOCATION OF VISAS.

    (a) In General.--The President may impose the sanctions described 
in subsection

    (b) 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 

section 5 
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) ).

    (b) Sanctions Described.--

    (1) Ineligibility for visas and admissions to the united 
 states.--A foreign individual described in subsection

    (a) shall 
 be--
        (A) inadmissible to the United States;
        (B) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
 documentation to enter the United States; and
            (C) 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.).

    (2) Current visas revoked.--
        (A) 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 other entry documentation 
 issued to a foreign individual described in subsection

    (a) regardless of when the visa or other entry 
 documentation was issued.
        (B) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall--
            (i) take effect immediately; and
            (ii) automatically cancel any other valid 
 visa or entry documentation that is in the 
 foreign individual's possession.
            (C) 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 subsection.
            (c) Exception To Comply With Law Enforcement Objectives and 
Agreement Regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations.--Sanctions 
under subsection

    (b) shall not apply to a foreign person if admitting 
the person into the United States--

    (1) would further important law enforcement objectives; or

    (2) 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.
            (d) Waiver.--

    (1) In general.--The President may waive the application of 
 sanctions under subsection

    (b) with respect to--
        (A) 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;
        (B) a jurisdiction, including a foreign country, or 
 any subdivision of such country, that is designated as 
 a terrorist sanctuary pursuant to 

section 5, 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.

    (2) Report.--Not later than 15 days before granting or 
 renewing a waiver under paragraph

    (1) , the President shall 
 submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
 that includes--
        (A) the name of the individual or the specific 
 jurisdiction subject to the waiver;
        (B) 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
            (C) 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.

    (e) Termination of Sanctions.--The President may terminate the 
application of sanctions under this section 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--

    (1) 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;

    (2) 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

    (3) the termination of such sanctions is in the national 
 security interests of the United States.

    (f) Rulemaking.--The President shall issue such regulations, 
licenses, and orders as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 7. SUNSET.

 Any sanctions imposed pursuant to this Act shall terminate 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
 Calendar No. 53

119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 S. 842

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To counter efforts by Hezbollah to conduct terrorist activities in 
 Latin America, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 April 28, 2025

 Reported with an amendment