Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act

#6046 | HR Congress #118

Last Action: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. (4/17/2024)

Bill Text Source: Congress.gov

Summary and Impacts
Original Text
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6046 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6046

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and impose 
        certain sanctions on Ansarallah, 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 ``Standing Against Houthi Aggression 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) It was reported by Reuters on March 21, 2017, that 
        Iran, a designated state sponsor of terror, sent advanced 
        weapons and military advisers to assist and support Yemen's 
        Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the ``Houthis''.
            (2) On January 19, 2021, the Trump Administration 
        designated Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and a 
        specially designated global terrorist.
            (3) On February 16, 2021, Secretary of State Blinken 
        revoked the designation of Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist 
        organization pursuant to section 219(a)(6)(A) of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)(6)(A)).
            (4) Since October 7, 2023, the Houthis have launched over 
        40 ballistic missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle attacks on 
        international shipping in the Red Sea, including direct attacks 
        on United States sailors and taking an international ship and 
        its crew hostage. This follows years of Houthi cross-border 
        attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
            (5) Houthi attacks on global shipping have caused many 
        shipping companies to re-route to avoid the area, resulting in 
        a de-facto blockade against Yemen, while also driving up 
        shipping costs, disrupting supply chains, and negatively 
        impacting the global economy.
            (6) In addition to providing the Houthis with advanced 
        conventional weapons and component parts, Iran and their 
        Hezbollah proxies have also enabled the Houthis with financial 
        support, training, and technical knowledge to manufacture 
        weapons, including long range drones and ballistic and cruise 
        missiles in Yemen, resulting in increased Houthi weapons 
        stockpiles and illegal weapons proliferation throughout the 
        region.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION AS FTO; IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.

    (a) Designation as FTO.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall designate 
Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 
219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)).
    (b) Imposition of Sanctions.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the 
        sanctions described in paragraph (2) with respect to--
                    (A) Ansarallah; and
                    (B) any foreign person that is a member, agent, or 
                affiliate of, or owned or controlled by Ansarallah.
            (2) Sanctions described.--The sanctions described in this 
        paragraph are the following:
                    (A) Blocking of property.--The President shall 
                exercise all authorities granted under the 
                International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 
                1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and 
                prohibit all transactions in property and interests in 
                property of Ansarallah or the foreign person if such 
                property and interests in property are in the United 
                States, come within the United States, or come within 
                the possession or control of a United States person.
                    (B) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or 
                parole.--
                            (i) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien 
                        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 16 seq.).
                            (ii) Current visas revoked.--
                                    (I) In general.--The visa or other 
                                entry documentation of any alien 
                                described in paragraph (1) is subject 
                                to revocation regardless of the issue 
                                date of the visa or other entry 
                                documentation.
                                    (II) Immediate effect.--A 
                                revocation under subclause (I) shall, 
                                in accordance with section 221(i) of 
                                the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
                                U.S.C. 1201(i))--
                                            (aa) take effect 
                                        immediately; and
                                            (bb) cancel any other valid 
                                        visa or entry documentation 
                                        that is in the possession of 
                                        the alien.
            (3) Penalties.--Any person that violates, or attempts to 
        violate, paragraph (2) or any regulation, license, or order 
        issued pursuant to that subsection, shall be subject to the 
        penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 
        of the International Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to 
        the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act 
        described in subsection (a) of that section.
            (4) Implementation.--The President may exercise all 
        authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the 
        International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 
        1704) to carry out this subsection.
            (5) Regulations.--
                    (A) In general.--The President shall, not later 
                than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the 
                implementation of this subsection.
                    (B) Notification to congress.--Not less than 10 
                days before the promulgation of regulations under 
                paragraph (1), the President shall notify the 
                appropriate congressional committees of the proposed 
                regulations and the provisions of this subsection that 
                the regulations are implementing.
                    (C) Appropriate congressional committee defined.--
                In this paragraph, the term ``appropriate congressional 
                committees'' means--
                            (i) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
                        the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
                        Representatives; and
                            (ii) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 
                        the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
            (6) Exceptions.--
                    (A) Exception for intelligence activities.--
                Sanctions under this subsection shall not apply to any 
                activity subject to the reporting requirements under 
                title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
                3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence activities 
                of the United States.
                    (B) Exception to comply with international 
                obligations and for law enforcement activities.--
                Sanctions under this subsection shall not apply with 
                respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien 
                into the United States is necessary--
                            (i) 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; or
                            (ii) to carry out or assist authorized law 
                        enforcement activity in the United States.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 17, 2024.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.
118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 6046

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and impose 
        certain sanctions on Ansarallah, and for other purposes.

AI processing bill