I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8190 

To review and consider terminating the designation of the State of Qatar 

as a major non-NATO ally, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 30, 2024 

Mrs. WAGNER (for herself and Mr. GOLDEN of Maine) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

A BILL 

To review and consider terminating the designation of the 

State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, 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 ‘‘Reviewing Qatar’s 

5 Major Non-NATO Ally Status Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) On October 8, 1997, the Secretary of State 

9 designated Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya 

10 (‘‘Hamas’’) as a foreign terrorist organization in acVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:53 May 29, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8190.IH H8190

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1 cordance with section 219 of the Immigration and 

2 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189). 

3 (2) In 2012, the State of Qatar allowed Hamas 

4 to open a political office in Doha. 

5 (3) On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists oper6 ating from Gaza attacked Israel, resulting in the 

7 death of more than 1,200 individuals and the kid8 napping of more than 240 individuals, including the 

9 death of more than 30 and kidnapping of more than 

10 a dozen United States citizens. 

11 (4) Ismail Haniyeh, the chief of Hamas’s polit12 ical bureau, resides in Qatar, as do Khalil al-Hayya, 

13 head of Hamas’s communications office, and Khaled 

14 Mashal, Hamas’s former political chief and current 

15 head of the group’s diaspora office. 

16 (5) On January 6, 2024, in a meeting with a 

17 bipartisan, bicameral delegation of United States 

18 lawmakers, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Moham19 med bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani assured 

20 the delegation that ‘‘since day 1, Qatar has been 

21 strong arming Hamas to get the hostages back’’. 

22 (6) At the end of January 2024, Qatari Prime 

23 Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin 

24 Jassim Al-Thani asserted publicly that Qatar has no 

25 leverage over Hamas in hostage negotiations. 


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1 (7) On February 17, 2024, Qatari Prime Min2 ister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin 

3 Jassim Al-Thani urged a ceasefire in Gaza without 

4 preconditions, undercutting negotiations for the re5 lease of hostages, including United States citizens, 

6 at the Munich Security Conference. 

7 (8) As of April 2024, Hamas continues to hold 

8 5 United States citizens hostage in Gaza, as well as 

9 the bodies of 3 United States citizens believed to be 

10 killed on or shortly after October 7, 2023. 

11 (9) The March 10, 2022, designation of the 

12 State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally is a privi13 lege which must be continuously earned. 

14 (10) It is in the United States interest to re15 view the designation of certain countries as Major 

16 Non-NATO Allies from time to time as facts and 

17 circumstances change. In fact, the United States 

18 Government terminated Afghanistan’s status as a 

19 major non-NATO ally in July 2022, following the 

20 Taliban’s takeover of that country. 

21 SEC. 3. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE22 FINED. 

23 In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com24 mittees’’ means— 


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1 (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 

2 Senate; and 

3 (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 

4 House of Representatives. 

5 SEC. 4. REVIEW OF DESIGNATION OF THE STATE OF QATAR 

6 AS A MAJOR NON-NATO ALLY. 

7 (a) REVIEW AND REPORT.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—In light of the fact that the 

9 State of Qatar hosts Hamas, a United States-des10 ignated terrorist organization with American blood 

11 and hostages on its hands, and the fact that Qatar 

12 continues to host this terrorist organization despite 

13 the continued captivity by Hamas of American hos14 tages, not later than 90 days after the date of the 

15 enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall— 

16 (A) conduct a thorough review of— 

17 (i) bilateral relations between the 

18 United States and Qatar; 

19 (ii) Qatar’s relationship with Hamas; 

20 and 

21 (iii) Qatar’s designation as a major 

22 non-NATO ally; and 

23 (B) submit to the appropriate congres24 sional committees a detailed written report 

25 summarizing the review. 


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1 (2) FORM.—The report required under para2 graph (1) shall be submitted in an unclassified form 

3 but may contain a classified annex. 

4 (b) CERTIFICATION.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The report required under 

6 subsection (a) shall include a certification from the 

7 Secretary of State as to whether— 

8 (A) It is in the national interest of the 

9 United States for Qatar to maintain its des10 ignation as a major non-NATO ally; 

11 (B) Qatar has exerted any and all leverage 

12 it has over Hamas to secure the release of 

13 United States hostages from Gaza; 

14 (C) Qatar does not directly or indirectly 

15 support, financially or otherwise, acts of inter16 national terrorism or foreign terrorist organiza17 tions, including Hamas; and 

18 (D) Qatar has expelled or agreed to extra19 dite to the United States any individuals deter20 mined to be members of Hamas, including 

21 Ismail Haniyeh, Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled 

22 Mashal, and any other individuals bearing re23 sponsibility for the terror attack on October 7, 

24 2023. 


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1 (2) FORM AND PUBLICATION.—The certifi2 cation required under paragraph (1) shall be in un3 classified form and posted on a publicly available 

4 website of the Department of State. 

5 (c) TERMINATION.—In the event that the Secretary 

6 of State cannot in good faith certify the determinations 

7 described under subsection (b)(1) in the affirmative, the 

8 President— 

9 (1) shall immediately terminate the designation 

10 of the State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally 

11 pursuant to section 517(a)(1) of the Foreign Assist12 ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321k(a)(1)) or any 

13 other provision of law; and 

14 (2) may not issue a separate designation of the 

15 State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally pursuant 

16 to section 517(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act 

17 of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321k(a)(1)) or any other provi18 sion of law unless the President submits to Congress 

19 a certification described in subsection (b). 

Æ 


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