Bill Summary
This legislation, called the "Strategic Lebanon Security Reporting Act", aims to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of militant group Hizballah and the strengthening of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). The Act requires the Secretary of State to report to Congress on Hizballah's influence in the Lebanese government, the LAF's efforts to implement Resolution 1701, and the national security interests that U.S. assistance to the LAF serves. It also calls for a strategy to increase the LAF's control in southern Lebanon and cooperation with the UN peacekeeping force, as well as U.S. diplomatic efforts to prevent the building of cross-border tunnels and weapons factories in Lebanon. This Act defines "appropriate congressional committees" as the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Possible Impacts
1. People living in Lebanon may be affected by this legislation if it leads to increased military activities by the Lebanese Armed Forces and heightened tensions in the region.
2. United States citizens may be affected if the strategy outlined in this Act results in increased diplomatic engagement and possibly military involvement in the region.
3. Members of Congress and foreign policy experts may be affected as they review and analyze the reports and strategies outlined in this legislation.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4230 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4230
To support the full implementation of United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1701, reduce Hizballah's influence in Lebanon, address
security threats to Lebanon, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 29, 2021
Mrs. Luria (for herself and Mr. Zeldin) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support the full implementation of United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1701, reduce Hizballah's influence in Lebanon, address
security threats to Lebanon, 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 ``Strategic Lebanon Security Reporting
Act''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON THE LEBANESE ARMED FORCES, IMPLEMENTATION OF UNITED
NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1701, AND ADDRESSING
SECURITY THREATS TO LEBANON.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report--
(1) identifying the extent of Hizballah's influence within
the Government of Lebanon, including the Lebanese Armed Forces
(LAF);
(2) describing military activities conducted by the LAF to
fully implement United Nations Security Council Resolution
(UNSCR) 1701 (2006) and successor resolutions;
(3) describing the national security interests that United
States assistance to the LAF addresses and how such assistance
contributes to stability in the Middle East region; and
(4) describing the capability of the LAF with respect to
defending Lebanon's border from threats from Syria.
(b) Form.--The report required by section (a) shall be submitted in
an unclassified form but may contain a classified annex if the
Secretary of State determines such is appropriate and if such
classified annex is transmitted separately from the unclassified
report.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR UTILIZING UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO
SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION OF UNSCR 1701.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a strategy on the following:
(1) Increasing, in comparison to prior years, the
Government of Lebanon's implementation of UNSCR 1701 with
respect to promoting the LAF's ability to extend the Government
of Lebanon's control in the south of Lebanon, including
establishing between the Blue Line and the Litani River an area
free of any armed personnel, assets, and weapons other than
those of the Government of Lebanon and of the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and the role of United
States assistance in achieving such goal.
(2) Increasing the Government of Lebanon's cooperation with
UNIFIL with respect to the implementation of UNSCR 1701, and
how United States assistance can facilitate such increased
cooperation.
(3) Increasing United States diplomatic engagement with the
Government of Lebanon to prevent the building of cross-border
tunnels into Israel and weapons factories inside Lebanon.
(b) Form.--The strategy required by section (a) shall be submitted
in an unclassified form but may contain a classified annex if the
Secretary of State determines such is appropriate and if such
classified annex is transmitted separately from the unclassified
strategy.
SEC. 4. DEFINITION.
In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
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