Bill Summary
The "Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act" is legislation aimed at imposing sanctions on the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and related entities in response to their involvement in terrorist activities, particularly those linked to the attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Key provisions of the bill include:
1. **Sanctions Imposition**: The bill mandates the President to impose sanctions on the PRC and any associated individuals or organizations. These sanctions include blocking property and prohibiting transactions within the U.S. for those identified under the bill.
2. **Visa Inadmissibility**: Individuals connected to the PRC or its affiliates will be deemed inadmissible to the U.S., and any existing visas for these individuals will be revoked.
3. **Reporting Requirements**: The Secretary of State is required to submit reports assessing whether the PRC and another group called Lions' Den meet the criteria for designation as specially designated global terrorists, ensuring ongoing scrutiny of these organizations.
4. **Exceptions and Waivers**: There are provisions for exceptions to the sanctions, particularly for U.N. obligations or national security activities, and the President can waive sanctions under specific circumstances.
5. **Definitions**: The legislation provides clear definitions for key terms, including "foreign terrorist organization" and "foreign person," to ensure clarity in enforcement.
Overall, this legislation seeks to hold accountable those responsible for terrorism and to deter future acts of violence against the U.S. and its allies.
Possible Impacts
The "Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act" could affect people in several significant ways:
1. **Financial Impact on Affiliates**: The imposition of sanctions on the Popular Resistance Committees and associated entities would likely lead to the freezing of their assets. This could affect individuals and organizations that are financially connected to these entities, including businesses or individuals who may have unknowingly engaged in transactions with them. For example, if a business had financial dealings or partnerships with these groups, they could face significant financial losses and legal repercussions.
2. **Immigration Consequences**: The legislation states that individuals associated with the Popular Resistance Committees would be rendered inadmissible to the United States. This means that family members or associates of these individuals who may wish to travel or immigrate to the U.S. could be denied entry. This could separate families and prevent individuals from seeking refuge or a better life in the U.S., impacting their personal lives and futures.
3. **Increased Tensions and Violence**: The sanctions and targeted measures against the Popular Resistance Committees may lead to heightened tensions in the region, especially in areas where these groups operate. Individuals living in those regions might experience increased violence or retaliatory actions from these groups against perceived enemies, including civilians. This could result in greater instability and danger for innocent people who are caught in the conflict, leading to potential loss of life and displacement.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1126 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1126
To require the imposition of sanctions on the Popular Resistance
Committees and other associated entities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 25, 2025
Mr. Ricketts (for himself and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the imposition of sanctions on the Popular Resistance
Committees and other associated entities, 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 ``Accountability for Terrorist
Perpetrators of October 7th Act''.
SEC. 2. IMPOSITION OF TERRORISM SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE POPULAR
RESISTANCE COMMITTEES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Since its founding in 2000, during the second intifada,
the Popular Resistance Committees has regularly carried out
terror attacks against Israelis, Americans, and Palestinians.
(2) The ranks of the Popular Resistance Committees include
former operatives from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and
the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, all of which
are designated by the United States as foreign terrorist
organizations.
(3) The Popular Resistance Committees carried out an attack
in 2003 on a United States diplomatic convoy that injured a
diplomat and killed 3 security guards from the United States.
The Popular Resistance Committees has also carried out the 2004
murder of a pregnant Israeli woman and her 4 daughters, aged
11, 9, 7 and 2, and the executions of Palestinians, including
the former Palestinian Authority Gaza security chief.
(4) The Popular Resistance Committees has been the third-
largest terror group in the Gaza strip, after Hamas and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, since as early as 2011.
(5) On October 7, 2023, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad,
and the Popular Resistance Committees terrorists launched a
massive, unprovoked war on Israel by air, land, and sea,
including firing thousands of rockets, resulting in the deaths
of 1,200 innocent Israelis, Americans, and others, the
abduction of 250 hostages, and widespread torture and sexual
violence.
(6) On October 7, 2023, the Popular Resistance Committees
issued a statement claiming responsibility for participating in
the terrorist attack against Israel alongside Hamas and their
affiliates, including the kidnaping of soldiers of the Israel
Defense Forces, and posted photos of items taken from soldiers
killed and captured by the group as evidence.
(7) On October 8, 2023, the Popular Resistance Committees
issued a statement claiming responsibility for dispatching
kamikaze drones during the attack on Israel.
(b) In General.--On and after the date that is 90 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the
sanctions described under subsection (c) with respect to--
(1) the Popular Resistance Committees;
(2) any foreign person that is an official, agent, or
affiliate of a foreign person described in paragraph (1);
(3) any foreign person that is owned or controlled by a
foreign person described in paragraph (1) or (2); and
(4) any current or future armed organization the President
determines is operating under the umbrella of the Popular
Resistance Committees or any other person described in this
subsection.
(c) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this
subsection are the following:
(1) Blocking of property.--The President shall exercise all
of the powers granted to the President 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 a foreign person
described in subsection (b) if such property and interests in
property are in the United States, come within the United
States, or are or come within the possession or control of a
United States person.
(2) Aliens inadmissable for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien who the
Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland
Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries)
knows, or has reason to believe, is described in
subsection (b) is--
(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 seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--
(i) In general.--The issuing consular
officer, the Secretary of State, or the
Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee
of one of such Secretaries) shall, in
accordance with section 221(i) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry
documentation issued to an alien described in
subparagraph (A) regardless of when the visa or
other entry documentation is issued.
(ii) Effect of revocation.--A revocation
under clause (i) shall take effect immediately
and shall automatically cancel any other valid
visa or entry documentation that is in the
alien's possession.
(d) Exceptions.--
(1) United nations headquarters agreement.--The sanctions
described in subsection (c) shall not apply with respect to an
alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the United States
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.
(2) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and
national security activities.--The sanctions in subsection (c)
shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law
enforcement, or national security activities of the United
States.
(e) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections (b) and
(c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act
(50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person that violates, attempts to
violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this section,
regulations promulgated to carry out this section, or the sanctions
imposed pursuant to this section to the same extent that such penalties
apply to a person that commits an unlawful act described in section
206(a) of that Act.
(f) Implementation Authority.--The President may exercise all
authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704)
for purposes of carrying out this section.
(g) Waiver.--The President may, for 1 or more periods of not more
than 180 days each, waive the application of sanctions imposed with
respect to a foreign person under this section if the President
certifies to the appropriate committees of Congress, not later than 15
days before such waiver takes effect, that the waiver is vital to the
national security interests of the United States.
(h) Termination.--The President may terminate sanctions imposed
with respect to any foreign person under this section if the President
certifies to the appropriate committees of Congress that--
(1) such foreign person is no longer engaging in acts of
terrorism, as defined for purposes of Executive Order 13224
(relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions
with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support
terrorism); or
(2) with respect to a foreign person that is an entity,
such entity has wound down.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON THE DESIGNATION OF THE LIONS' DEN AND THE POPULAR
RESISTANCE COMMITTEES AS SPECIALLY DESIGNATED GLOBAL
TERRORISTS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Since its founding in 2022, Lions' Den has carried out
a number of terror attacks including more than 61 shooting
attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
(2) The ranks of the Lions' Den include former operatives
from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine, all of which are designated
foreign terrorist organizations.
(3) Lions' Den receives funds from designated foreign
terrorist organizations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
(b) Initial Report.--
(1) Report required.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress--
(A) a detailed report on whether--
(i) the Lions' Den meets--
(I) the criteria for designation as
a specially designated global terrorist
pursuant to Executive Order 13224
(relating to blocking property and
prohibiting transactions with persons
who commit, threaten to commit, or
support terrorism); and
(II) the criteria for designation
as a foreign terrorist organization
under section 219 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189);
and
(ii) the Popular Resistance Committees meet
the criteria for designation as a specially
designated global terrorist pursuant to
Executive Order 13224; and
(B) if the Secretary reaches a negative
determination with respect to any entity under
subparagraph (A), a detailed justification as to which
criteria have not been met.
(2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
(c) Ongoing Determinations Required.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter,
the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report that--
(1) identifies each new entity operating under the umbrella
of the Popular Resistance Committees, or any successor of the
Popular Resistance Committees;
(2) includes a determination as to whether each such entity
meets the criteria--
(A) for designation as a specially designated
global terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224
(relating to blocking property and prohibiting
transactions with persons who commit, threaten to
commit, or support terrorism);
(B) for designation as a foreign terrorist
organization under section 219 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); or
(C) for the imposition of sanctions under section
2; and
(3) provides a detailed justification in the event that the
Secretary identifies a new entity pursuant to paragraph (1),
but does not determine that the entity meets the criteria for
designation as a specially designated global terrorist or a
foreign terrorist organization or for imposition of sanctions
under section 2.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Admitted; alien; lawfully admitted for permanent
residence.--The terms ``admitted'', ``alien'', and ``lawfully
admitted for permanent residence'' have the meanings given
those terms in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives.
(3) Entity.--The term ``entity'' means a partnership,
association, corporation, or other organization, group, or
subgroup.
(4) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person''--
(A) means an individual or entity that is not a
United States person; and
(B) does not include the government of a foreign
country.
(5) Foreign terrorist organization.--The term ``foreign
terrorist organization'' means an entity designated as a
foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).
(6) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) an individual who is a United States citizen or
an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to
the United States;
(B) an entity organized under the laws of the
United States or any jurisdiction within the United
States, including a foreign branch of such an entity;
or
(C) any person in the United States.
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