Bill Summary
This legislation, titled the "Iron Dome Reinforcement Act of 2019", aims to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 in order to restrict assistance provided to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). This is done by adding a new section to the Act, which includes limitations on assistance to these organizations, as well as a certification process that must be met in order for assistance to be provided. This certification requires the Secretary of State to determine that the PA and PLO have ceased providing financial compensation or bonuses to families of individuals involved in acts of terrorism. The legislation also includes provisions for recertification and congressional notification, as well as a potential transfer of funds for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to counter rocket threats in Israel. The Secretary of State is also required to submit an annual report on any disbursements made by the PA and PLO for bonuses or financial compensation related to terrorism. The legislation defines key terms such as "act of terrorism" and "Palestinian Authority", and specifies the appropriate congressional committees that must be notified.
Possible Impacts
1. The limitation on assistance to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization could affect the level of aid and support that these organizations receive from the United States. This could have implications for the Palestinian people who rely on this aid for essential services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.
2. The requirement for the Secretary of State to submit certifications and recertifications to Congress could affect the administration and allocation of resources within the United States government. This could have an impact on government officials and employees who may have to allocate time and resources to fulfill these requirements.
3. The provision for funds to be transferred to the Secretary of Defense for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system could have consequences for the defense industry and defense contractors. This could have an impact on jobs and economic opportunities for individuals and communities that rely on the defense industry for employment.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4411 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4411
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to limit assistance to the
Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2019
Mr. Budd introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to limit assistance to the
Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Iron Dome Reinforcement Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND THE
PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.
Chapter 1 of part III of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 620N. LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND
THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.
``(a) Limitations.--
``(1) Palestinian authority.--In addition to the limitation
on assistance to the Palestinian Authority described in
sections 620K and 620L, assistance may be provided under this
Act to the Palestinian Authority only during a period for which
a certification described in subsection (b) is in effect.
``(2) Palestine liberation organization.--Assistance may be
provided under this Act to the Palestine Liberation
Organization only during a period for which a certification
described in subsection (b) is in effect.
``(b) Certification.--A certification described in this subsection
is a certification submitted by the Secretary of State to Congress that
contains a determination of the Secretary that the Palestinian
Authority, including any ministry, agency, or instrumentality, or any
official acting on behalf of any such ministry, agency, or
instrumentality, and the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the case
may be, has ceased the payment of any bonuses, financial compensation,
or any other benefit not generally or otherwise available to the
Palestinian population at large to the families of Palestinians killed
in connection with--
``(1) conspiring to commit an act of terrorism; or
``(2) the commission of an act of terrorism.
``(c) Recertifications.--Not later than 90 days after the date on
which the Secretary of State submits to Congress an initial
certification under subsection (b) and every six months thereafter--
``(1) the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
recertification that the conditions described in such
subsection are continuing to be met; or
``(2) if the Secretary is unable to make such a
recertification, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report that contains the reasons therefor.
``(d) Congressional Notification.--Assistance made available under
this Act to the Palestinian Authority or the Palestine Liberation
Organization may not be provided until 15 days after the date on which
the Secretary of State has provided notice thereof to the appropriate
congressional committees in accordance with the procedures applicable
to reprogramming notifications under section 634A(a).
``(e) Availability of Funds for Iron Dome.--If the Secretary of
State is unable to submit to Congress a certification under subsection
(b) or a recertification under subsection (c), funds made available
under this Act for assistance to the Palestinian Authority and the
Palestine Liberation Organization that otherwise would have been
provided to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation
Organization shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, be
transferred and made available to the Secretary of Defense to provide
assistance to the Government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron
Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats.
``(f) Annual Reports.--The Secretary of State shall annually submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the amount of
any bonuses, financial compensation, or any other benefit described in
subsection (b) that have been disbursed by the Palestinian Authority,
including by any ministry, agency, or instrumentality or any official
acting on behalf of any such ministry, agency, or instrumentality, and
the Palestine Liberation Organization in the preceding 12-month period.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Act of terrorism.--The term `act of terrorism' means
an act dangerous to human life that would violate the criminal
laws of the United States if committed within the jurisdiction
of the United States that appears to be intended to--
``(A) intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
``(B) influence the policy of a government by
intimidation or coercion;
``(C) affect the conduct of a government by mass
destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; or
``(D) impair Israel's existence as a Jewish,
democratic state within its current territorial
boundaries.
``(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
`appropriate congressional committees' means--
``(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives; and
``(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
``(3) Foreign terrorist organization.--The term `foreign
terrorist organization' means an organization designated as a
foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary of State in
accordance with section 219(a) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)).
``(4) Palestinian authority.--The term `Palestinian
Authority' means the interim Palestinian administrative
organization that governs part of the West Bank and all of the
Gaza Strip (or any successor Palestinian governing entity),
including the Palestinian Legislative Council.''.
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