I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9564 

To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the Houthis, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024 

Mr. ISSA (for himself and Mr. PHILLIPS) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 

Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined 

by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 

within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to 

the Houthis, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Houthi Human Rights 

5 Accountability Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of Congress that— 

8 (1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into 

9 a violent, anti-Semitic, and extremist worldview are 


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1 a threat to a Yemeni-led peace process and to re2 gional stability; and 

3 (2) it is counter to United States policy to pro4 vide support to the Houthis in Yemen, including by 

5 supporting any efforts by the Houthis to indoctri6 nate, coerce, or force Yemenis to conform to their 

7 violent, anti-Semitic, and extremist worldview. 

8 SEC. 3. REPORT ON HOUTHI INDOCTRINATION. 

9 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact10 ment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation 

11 with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 

12 International Development, shall submit to the appro13 priate congressional committees a report on— 

14 (1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into 

15 a violent, anti-Semitic, or extremist worldview; and 

16 (2) the long-term threat this indoctrination 

17 campaign poses to regional stability. 

18 SEC. 4. REPORT ON OBSTACLES TO PROVISION OF HUMANI19 TARIAN AID IN AREAS OF YEMEN UNDER DE20 FACTO HOUTHI CONTROL. 

21 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

22 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 

23 in consultation with the Administrator of the United 

24 States Agency for International Development, shall submit 

25 to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 


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1 obstacles to the provision of humanitarian aid by inter2 national organizations and nongovernmental organizations 

3 in areas of Yemen under de-facto Houthi control. 

4 (b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re5 quired by subsection (a) shall include the following: 

6 (1) An identification of challenges to distribu7 tion of humanitarian aid created by Houthi-enforced 

8 rules, regulations, and bureaucracy with respect to 

9 access, and freedom of movement, and the overall 

10 impact on such rules, regulations, and bureaucracy 

11 have on the international community’s ability to dis12 tribute such aid in a manner consistent with basic 

13 humanitarian principles. 

14 (2) An assessment of attempted Houthi inter15 ference in the delivery of humanitarian aid, includ16 ing the manipulation or undue influence of bene17 ficiary lists or related data for political or military 

18 purposes, and the implications of any interference on 

19 civilian needs and aid distribution. 

20 (3) An evaluation of the Houthis’ use of vio21 lence and intimidation against humanitarian workers 

22 and diplomats, including current and former United 

23 States Embassy locally employed staff. 

24 (4) An overview of the steps the United States 

25 and its partners are taking to ensure humanitarian 


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1 assistance is delivered unhindered and consistent 

2 with basic humanitarian principles, including how 

3 United States-supported organizations respond to 

4 attempted Houthi diversion or interference. 

5 (5) SCOPE.—The report required by subsection 

6 (a) shall address the period beginning on January 1, 

7 2020, and ending on the date that is 90 days after 

8 date of the enactment of this Act. 

9 SEC. 5. REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES COMMITTED 

10 BY THE HOUTHIS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

12 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 

13 shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 

14 a report on human rights abuses committed by the 

15 Houthis, including gender-based discrimination and vio16 lence, including— 

17 (1) mahram regulations; 

18 (2) recruitment and use of child soldiers; 

19 (3) enforced disappearance; 

20 (4) prolonged and arbitrary detention; 

21 (5) conduct that amounts to torture; and 

22 (6) unlawful killing. 

23 (b) SCOPE.—The report required by subsection (a) 

24 shall address the period beginning on March 1, 2015, and 


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1 ending on the date that is 90 days after date of the enact2 ment of this Act. 

3 SEC. 6. SANCTIONS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE GLOBAL 

4 MAGNITSKY HUMAN RIGHTS AND ACCOUNT5 ABILITY ACT. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 

8 the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary 

9 of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congres10 sional committees a determination on whether foreign per11 sons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanc12 tions authorized under the Global Magnitsky Human 

13 Rights and Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note), in14 cluding with respect to acts that constitute gross violations 

15 of internationally recognized human rights as defined in 

16 section 502B(d)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 

17 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)). 

18 (b) PERSONS DESCRIBED.—A foreign person de19 scribed in this subsection is a foreign person that— 

20 (1) is a member of the Houthis; and 

21 (2) knowingly— 

22 (A) imposes arbitrary or unlawful restric23 tion on the delivery of humanitarian assistance 

24 in Yemen; or 


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1 (B) engages in the human rights abuses 

2 described in section 5(a). 

3 SEC. 7. SANCTIONS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE ROBERT 

4 LEVINSON HOSTAGE TAKING AND ACCOUNT5 ABILITY ACT. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

7 date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 

8 the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary 

9 of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congres10 sional committees a determination on whether foreign per11 sons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanc12 tions authorized under the Robert Levinson Hostage Re13 covery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 

14 1741 et seq.), and Executive Order 14078. 

15 (b) PERSONS DESCRIBED.—A foreign person de16 scribed in this subsection is a foreign person that— 

17 (1) is a member of the Houthis; and 

18 (2)(A) is responsible for or is complicit in, or 

19 responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise di20 recting, the hostage-taking of a United States na21 tional abroad or the unlawful or wrongful detention 

22 of a United States national abroad; or 

23 (B) knowingly provides financial, material, or 

24 technological support for, or goods or services in 


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1 support of, an activity described in subparagraph 

2 (A). 

3 SEC. 8. SUNSET. 

4 This Act shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 

5 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

6 SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act— 

8 (1) the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com9 mittees’’ means— 

10 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

11 the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

12 of Representatives; and 

13 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

14 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

15 Senate; 

16 (2) the term ‘‘foreign person’’ means a person 

17 that is not a United States person; 

18 (3) the term ‘‘Houthis’’ refers to persons offi19 cially known as ‘‘Ansarallah’’; 

20 (4) the term ‘‘person’’ means and individual or 

21 entity; and 

22 (5) the term ‘‘United States person’’ means— 

23 (A) a national of the United States; 

24 (B) an alien who is lawfully present in the 

25 United States; or 


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1 (C) an entity organized under the laws of 

2 the United States or of any jurisdiction within 

3 the United States, including a foreign branch of 

4 such an entity. 

Æ 


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