S.Amdt. 6505

This amendment, submitted by Mrs. Shaheen, aims to add a new section (SEC. 1210) to bill S. 4784. Its purpose is to authorize funding for security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces over the first five fiscal years following the act's enactment.

Funding and Requirements

The amendment authorizes specific annual appropriations for the Department of State covering:

• Foreign Military Financing
• International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
• Non-proliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs
• International Military Education and Training

A restriction is placed on these funds: no more than 50 percent may be used until the Secretary of State certifies that the Government of Lebanon has declared Hezbollah's military activities illegal and that the Lebanese Armed Forces are working to disarm Hezbollah and establish a monopoly of force. This restriction does not apply to assistance for special operations units and associated enabling forces.

Contingent Funding and Goals

Additional funding is available for the second through fifth years if the Secretary of State determines there is "meaningful progress" in two areas:

• Countering Iranian proxy forces, such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
• Expanding state services and political participation in communities currently dependent on Hezbollah.

The funds are intended to build capacity for countering Iranian proxy forces, implementing government decisions to ban Hezbollah activities and disarm them, and stopping the trafficking of Captagon and other illicit goods.

Accountability and Oversight

To hold the process accountable, the amendment requires:

• A program to strengthen the detection of financial crimes and Captagon trafficking.
• Briefings to Congressional committees regarding steps taken to counter proxy forces and collusion between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Hezbollah.
• Annual reports detailing progress on disarming Hezbollah, Iranian illicit financing, coordination between Lebanese and Israeli forces, banking reforms, and humanitarian reconstruction needs.