I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4603 

To provide for the continuation in effect of sanctions with respect to Yemen, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 7, 2017 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. 

MCCAUL, and Mr. DONOVAN) 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 provide for the continuation in effect of sanctions with 

respect to Yemen, 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 ‘‘Houthis and Iran 

5 Sanctions Accountability Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) On April 2015, the United Nations Security 

2 Council adopted United Nations Security Council 

3 Resolution 2216 by 14 affirmative votes to none 

4 against, with one abstention (by the Russian Fed5 eration), imposing sanctions on individuals under6 mining the stability of Yemen, and demanded that 

7 the Houthis withdraw from all areas seized during 

8 the latest conflict, relinquish arms seized from mili9 tary and security institutions, cease all actions fall10 ing exclusively within the authority of the legitimate 

11 Government of Yemen, and fully implement previous 

12 Security Council resolutions. 

13 (2) On May 16, 2012, the Obama administra14 tion issued Executive Order 13611 (50 U.S.C. 1701 

15 note; relating to Blocking Property of Persons 

16 Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of 

17 Yemen), imposing sanctions on persons that ‘‘have 

18 engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten 

19 the peace, security, or stability of Yemen, such as 

20 acts that obstruct the implementation of the agree21 ment of November 23, 2011, between the Govern22 ment of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which 

23 provides for a peaceful transition of power in 

24 Yemen, or that obstruct the political process in 

25 Yemen’’. 


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1 (3) On November 10, 2014, the Obama admin2 istration designated the leadership of the Iranian3 supported Houthi insurgent group, and their ally 

4 former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, for im5 position of sanctions under Executive Order 13611. 

6 (4) Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has 

7 transferred increasingly sophisticated weapons sys8 tems to the Houthis, who have in turn shot missiles 

9 into Saudi Arabia from positions in northern Yemen, 

10 including a missile in November 2017 that targeted 

11 Riyadh International Airport. In response, Ambas12 sador Nikki Haley called on ‘‘the United Nations 

13 and international partners to take necessary action 

14 to hold the Iranian regime accountable for these vio15 lations’’. 

16 (5) In addition to weapons, Iran is reportedly 

17 providing Afghan and Shi’ite Arab specialists, in18 cluding Hizballah, to train Houthi units and act as 

19 logistical advisers. 

20 (6) The Iranian-supported Houthis have at21 tacked coalition or coalition-affiliated maritime tar22 gets multiple times, a United States Navy ship 

23 twice, and other shipping, forcing the United States 

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1 brated military strikes against three radar facilities 

2 in Houthi-controlled territory. 

3 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

4 It shall be the policy of the United States to condemn 

5 Iranian activities in Yemen in violation of United Nations 

6 Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), and call on all 

7 responsible countries to take appropriate and necessary 

8 measures against the Government of Iran, including the 

9 interdiction of Iranian weapons to the Houthis, and the 

10 bilateral and multilateral application of sanctions against 

11 Iran for its violations of United Nations Security Council 

12 Resolution 2216. 

13 SEC. 4. CONTINUATION IN EFFECT OF SANCTIONS WITH RE14 SPECT TO YEMEN. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—United States sanctions with re16 spect to Yemen provided for in Executive Order 13611 

17 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to Blocking Property of 

18 Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of 

19 Yemen), as in effect on the day before the date of the 

20 enactment of this Act, shall remain in effect. 

21 (b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec22 tion shall be construed to limit the authority of the Presi23 dent pursuant to the International Emergency Economic 

24 Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). 


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1 SEC. 5. DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN IRA2 NIAN PERSONS. 

3 (a) DETERMINATIONS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall, not 

5 later than 45 days after the date of the enactment 

6 of this Act, determine whether the Iranian persons 

7 listed in paragraph (2) are responsible for engaging 

8 in activities described in section 1 of Executive 

9 Order 13611 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 

10 Blocking Property of Persons Threatening the 

11 Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen). 

12 (2) IRANIAN PERSONS LISTED.—The Iranian 

13 persons listed in this paragraph are the following: 

14 (A) Members of the Supreme National Se15 curity Council. 

16 (B) The Minister of Intelligence and Secu17 rity. 

18 (C) The Commander of the Iran’s Revolu19 tionary Guard Corps. 

20 (D) The Commander of the Iran’s Revolu21 tionary Guard Corps, Qods Force. 

22 (E) The Minister of Defense. 

23 (F) Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

24 (G) Any other Iranian person that the 

25 President determines is appropriate. 

26 (3) REPORT.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The President shall 

2 submit to the appropriate congressional com3 mittees a report that contains— 

4 (i) the determinations made under 

5 paragraph (1) together with the reasons 

6 for those determinations; and 

7 (ii) an identification of the Iranian 

8 persons that the President determines are 

9 responsible for engaging in activities de10 scribed in section 1(c) of Executive Order 

11 13611. 

12 (B) FORM.—A report submitted under 

13 subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in unclas14 sified form but may contain a classified annex. 

15 (b) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—The President shall 

16 impose the sanctions described in section 1 of Executive 

17 Order 13611 with respect to each Iranian person identi18 fied in the report submitted to the appropriate congres19 sional committees under subsection (a)(3). 

20 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT22 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com23 mittees’’ means— 

24 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

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1 mittee on Financial Services of the House of 

2 Representatives; and 

3 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 

4 the Committee on Finance, and the Committee 

5 on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 

6 Senate. 

7 (2) ENTITY.—The term ‘‘entity’’— 

8 (A) means a partnership, association, cor9 poration, or other organization, group, or sub10 group; and 

11 (B) includes a governmental entity. 

12 SEC. 6. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN FOREIGN 

13 PERSONS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on and after the date 

15 that is 120 days after the date of the enactment of this 

16 Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in 

17 subsection (c) on a person described in subsection (b). 

18 (b) PERSONS DESCRIBED.—A person described in 

19 this subsection is a foreign person that the President de20 termines knowingly provides significant financial, mate21 rial, or technological support for— 

22 (1) Ansar Allah in Yemen; 

23 (2) a person designated pursuant to an applica24 ble Executive order; 


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1 (3) a person that the President determines is in 

2 violation of an applicable United Nations Security 

3 Council resolution; 

4 (4) an Iranian person identified in the report 

5 submitted to the appropriate congressional commit6 tees under section 5(a)(3); or 

7 (5) a foreign person owned or controlled by a 

8 foreign person described in paragraphs (1) through 

9 (4). 

10 (c) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—The sanctions to be 

11 imposed on a person described in subsection (b) are the 

12 following: 

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall exercise 

14 all of the powers granted to the President under the 

15 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 

16 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block 

17 and prohibit all transactions in property and inter18 ests in property of the person if such property and 

19 interests in property are in the United States, come 

20 within the United States, or are or come within the 

21 possession or control of a United States person. 

22 (2) ALIENS INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS, ADMISSION, 

23 OR PAROLE.— 

24 (A) IN GENERAL.—An alien who the Sec25 retary of State or the Secretary of Homeland 


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1 Security determines is a foreign person de2 scribed in subsection (b) is— 

3 (i) inadmissible to the United States; 

4 (ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 

5 documentation to enter the United States; 

6 and 

7 (iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 

8 or paroled into the United States or to re9 ceive any other benefit under the Immigra10 tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et 

11 seq.). 

12 (B) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.— 

13 (i) IN GENERAL.—Any visa or other 

14 documentation issued to an alien who is a 

15 foreign person described in subsection (b), 

16 regardless of when such visa or other docu17 mentation was issued, shall be revoked and 

18 such alien shall be denied admission to the 

19 United States. 

20 (ii) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.—A rev21 ocation under clause (i)— 

22 (I) shall take effect immediately; 

23 and 

24 (II) shall automatically cancel 

25 any other valid visa or documentation 


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1 that is in the possession of the alien 

2 who is the subject of such revocation. 

3 (3) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NA4 TIONS HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT.—Sanctions 

5 under paragraph (2) shall not apply to an alien if 

6 admitting the alien into the United States is nec7 essary to permit the United States to comply with 

8 the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 

9 United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 

10 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, 

11 between the United Nations and the United States, 

12 or other applicable international obligations. 

13 (4) PENALTIES.—The penalties provided for in 

14 subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the Inter15 national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 

16 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person that knowingly 

17 violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 

18 causes a violation of regulations promulgated under 

19 subsection (f) to carry out paragraph (1) of this sub20 section to the same extent that such penalties apply 

21 to a person that commits an unlawful act described 

22 in section 206(a) of such Act. 

23 (d) IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORITY.—The President 

24 may exercise all authorities provided to the President 

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1 gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) 

2 for purposes of carrying out this Act. 

3 (e) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President shall, 

4 not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment 

5 of this Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the 

6 implementation of this Act. 

7 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) ADMITTED; ALIEN.—The terms ‘‘admitted’’ 

9 and ‘‘alien’’ have meanings given those terms in sec10 tion 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 

11 U.S.C. 1101). 

12 (2) APPLICABLE EXECUTIVE ORDER.—The 

13 term ‘‘applicable Executive order’’ means— 

14 (A) Executive Order 13611 (50 U.S.C. 

15 1701 note; relating to Blocking Property of 

16 Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or 

17 Stability of Yemen); or 

18 (B) any Executive order adopted on or 

19 after the date of the enactment of this Act, to 

20 the extent that such Executive order authorizes 

21 the imposition of sanctions on persons for con22 duct with respect to Yemen. 

23 (3) APPLICABLE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY

24 COUNCIL RESOLUTION.—The term ‘‘applicable 


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1 United Nations Security Council resolution’’ 

2 means— 

3 (A) United Nations Security Council Reso4 lution 2216; or 

5 (B) any United Nations Security Council 

6 resolution adopted on or after the date of the 

7 enactment of this Act that authorizes the impo8 sition of sanctions on persons for conduct with 

9 respect to Yemen. 

10 (4) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT11 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com12 mittees’’ means— 

13 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

14 Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee 

15 on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Finan16 cial Services of the House of Representatives; 

17 and 

18 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 

19 the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

20 Urban Affairs, and the Committee on the Judi21 ciary of the Senate. 

22 (5) ENTITY.—The term ‘‘entity’’— 

23 (A) means a partnership, association, cor24 poration, or other organization, group, or sub25 group; and 


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1 (B) includes a governmental entity. 

2 (6) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per3 son’’ means— 

4 (A) an individual who is not a United 

5 States person or an alien lawfully admitted for 

6 permanent residence into the United States; or 

7 (B) a corporation, partnership, or other 

8 entity which is not a United States person. 

9 (7) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means an in10 dividual or entity. 

11 (8) UNITED STATES PERSON.—The term 

12 ‘‘United States person’’ means a United States cit13 izen, permanent resident alien, entity organized 

14 under the laws of the United States (including for15 eign branches), or a person in the United States. 

16 SEC. 7. REPORT ON IRANIAN ACTIVITIES IN YEMEN. 

17 (a) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 

18 of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days there19 after for a period not to exceed 5 years, the President shall 

20 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re21 port on Iranian activities in Yemen. 

22 (b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re23 quired by subsection (a) shall include a description of the 

24 following: 


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1 (1) Iran’s support for certain Yemeni militias 

2 or political parties, including weapons, financing, 

3 training, and other forms of material support includ4 ing media and communications support. 

5 (2) A list of referrals to the relevant United 

6 Nations Security Council sanctions committees by 

7 the United States Permanent Representative to the 

8 United Nations. 

9 (c) FORM.—The President may submit the report re10 quired by subsection (a) in classified form if the President 

11 determines that it is necessary for the national security 

12 interests of the United States to do so. 

13 (d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro14 priate congressional committees’’ means— 

15 (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

16 Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 

17 Ways and Means, and the Committee on Financial 

18 Services of the House of Representatives; and 

19 (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 

20 Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Fi21 nance, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, 

22 and Urban Affairs of the Senate. 

Æ 


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