SENATE PASSES HOEVEN-COSPONSORED BILL IMPOSING NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS

10.06.17

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed bipartisan legislation he cosponsored to impose new sanctions and toughen existing sanctions on Hezbollah. The bill was sponsored by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and will strengthen and expand the scope of economic and financial sanctions originally imposed by a previous sanctions bill.

            "We will not tolerate terrorism by Hezbollah and Iran, and these strengthened sanctions will push back against their aggression," Hoeven said. "We are committed to Israel and our Middle Eastern allies. These additional and expanded sanctions are a strong message to Hezbollah that they must stop spreading terrorism, trafficking narcotics and engaging in other criminal activities."

           Specifically, the bill would:

• Impose new sanctions against foreign individuals and companies that knowingly assist, sponsor or provide significant financial, material or technological support to entities known to fundraise or recruit on behalf of Hezbollah.
• Require the President to report to Congress whether or not Iranian financial institutions and other state sponsors of terrorism are facilitating transactions on behalf of Hezbollah and therefore should be subject to additional sanctions.
• Impose sanctions against Hezbollah for conducting narcotics trafficking and other criminal activities.
• Strengthen reporting requirements on Hezbollah's racketeering activities and efforts by foreign governments to disrupt these activities.
• Require a report on the estimated net worth of senior Hezbollah members.

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