S.Amdt. 5895

This amendment, known as the No Hezbollah In Our Hemisphere Act, aims to add a new section (1270A) to title XII of bill S. 4784. Its purpose is to counter terrorism by Hezbollah and Iranian proxy networks within the Western Hemisphere.

Key Objectives

The amendment focuses on the following goals:

• Diplomatic Pressure: It expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should aggressively target Iranian proxy networks by demanding an end to impunity for designated entities, working to greylist governments that cooperate with Hezbollah, helping Latin American governments investigate terrorist financing, and persuading them to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

• Identification of Sanctuaries: It requires the Secretary of State to coordinate with other federal agencies to determine if any country, region, or jurisdiction in Latin America is a terrorist sanctuary. This assessment considers if Hezbollah operates freely, raises funds, or recruits there, and if the host government ignores or tolerates these activities.

• Visa Sanctions: The President may impose sanctions on government officials from designated terrorist sanctuaries. These sanctions include:

  • Making the individuals inadmissible to the United States.
  • Making them ineligible for visas or other entry documentation.
  • Revoking any current visas immediately.

Oversight and Exceptions

• Waivers and Terminations: The President can waive these sanctions for national security or national interest reasons, or terminate them if the individual stops the activity or provides assurances they will not engage in it again.

• Reporting: The President must report waivers to specific congressional committees, including those focused on the Judiciary, Foreign Relations, Banking, and Financial Services.

• Sunset Clause: Any sanctions imposed under this section will end 5 years after the Act is enacted.