I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8445 

To impose certain measures with respect to Hezbollah-dominated areas in 

Lebanon and Latin America and to impose sanctions with respect to 

senior foreign political figures in Lebanon, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua supporting Hezbollah. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself, Mrs. WAGNER, Mr. PERRY, Mr. 

YOHO, Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. WALKER, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, Mr. BACON, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. GOSAR, Mrs. 

LESKO, and Mr. MCCLINTOCK) introduced the following bill; which was 

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

Committees on the Judiciary, and Financial Services, 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 impose certain measures with respect to Hezbollah-dominated areas in Lebanon and Latin America and to impose sanctions with respect to senior foreign political 

figures in Lebanon, Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua 

supporting Hezbollah. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Hezbollah Money 

3 Laundering Prevention Act of 2020’’. 

4 SEC. 2. MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO HEZBOLLAH-DOMI5 NATED AREAS IN LEBANON AND LATIN AMER6 ICA. 

7 (a) DETERMINATION REGARDING JURISDICTIONS OF

8 LEBANON.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec11 retary of the Treasury shall determine, under section 

12 5318A of title 31, United States Code, whether rea13 sonable grounds exist for concluding that any of the 

14 jurisdictions of Lebanon described in paragraph (2) 

15 are jurisdictions of primary money laundering con16 cern. 

17 (2) JURISDICTIONS DESCRIBED.—The jurisdic18 tions of Lebanon described in this paragraph are the 

19 following: 

20 (A) The Nabatieh Governorate. 

21 (B) The Haret Hreik municipality in the 

22 Baabda district in the Dahieh suburbs south of 

23 Beirut. 

24 (C) The Chiyah municipality in the 

25 Baabda district in the western suburbs of Bei26 rut. 


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1 (D) The Hadeth Beirut municipality in the 

2 Baabda district in the suburbs of Beirut. 

3 (E) The Hermel district in the Baalbek4 Hermel Governorate. 

5 (F) The Baalbek and Temnin el-Foka mu6 nicipalities in the Baalbe-Hermel Governorate. 

7 (G) The Tyre district in the South 

8 Governorate. 

9 (b) DETERMINATION REGARDING THE ARGENTINA, 

10 BRAZIL, PARAGUAY TRI-BORDER AREAS.—Not later than 

11 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

12 Secretary of the Treasury shall determine, under section 

13 5318A of title 31, United States Code, whether reasonable 

14 grounds exist for concluding that the Argentina, Brazil, 

15 Paraguay tri-border areas, are jurisdictions of primary 

16 money laundering concern. 

17 (c) PROHIBITIONS OR CONDITIONS ON OPENING OR

18 MAINTAINING CERTAIN CORRESPONDENT OR PAYABLE19 THROUGH ACCOUNTS.—If the Secretary of the Treasury 

20 determines under subsection (a) or (b) that reasonable 

21 grounds exist for concluding that any jurisdiction de22 scribed in subsection (a) or (b) is a jurisdiction of primary 

23 money laundering concern, the Secretary, in consultation 

24 with the Federal functional regulators (as defined in sec25 tion 509 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 


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1 6809)), shall impose the special measures described in sec2 tion 5318A(b)(5) of title 31, United States Code, with re3 spect to the Central Bank of Syria. 

4 (d) REPORT REQUIRED.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

6 making a determination under subsection (a) and 

7 (b) with respect to whether a jurisdiction is a juris8 diction of primary money laundering concern, the 

9 Secretary of the Treasury shall submit to the appro10 priate congressional committees a report that in11 cludes the reasons for the determination. 

12 (2) FORM.—A report required by paragraph (1) 

13 shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in14 clude a classified annex. 

15 (3) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT16 TEES DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘ap17 propriate congressional committees’’ means— 

18 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

19 the Committee on Financial Services of the 

20 House of Representatives; and 

21 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

22 and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

23 Urban Affairs of the Senate. 


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1 SEC. 3. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO SENIOR FOREIGN 

2 POLITICAL FIGURES IN LEBANON, VEN3 EZUELA, CUBA, AND NICARAGUA SUP4 PORTING HEZBOLLAH. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 

6 sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to each 

7 individual on the list required by subsection (b). 

8 (b) LIST.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

11 President shall submit to the appropriate congres12 sional committees a list of individuals who are senior 

13 foreign political figures in Lebanon, Venezuela, 

14 Cuba, and Nicaragua that the President determines 

15 have knowingly provided material support to or en16 gaged in a significant transaction with Hezbollah or 

17 meet the criteria for sanctions under the Hezbollah 

18 International Financing Prevention Act, the 

19 Hezbollah International Financing Amendment Act, 

20 or the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Ac21 countability Act. 

22 (2) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT.—The Presi23 dent shall include Major General Abbas Ibrahim, the 

24 head of Lebanon’s General Directorate of General 

25 Security, on the list required by this subsection. 


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1 (3) FORM.—The list required by this subsection 

2 shall be submitted in unclassified form but may con3 tain a classified annex. 

4 (c) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—The sanctions de5 scribed in this subsection with respect to an individual are 

6 the sanctions described in section 1263(b) of the Global 

7 Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F 

8 of title XII of Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note). 

9 (d) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS

10 HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT; ENFORCEMENT.—Sub11 sections (e) and (f) of section 1263 of the Global 

12 Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 

13 2656 note) apply with respect to the imposition of sanc14 tions under this section to the same extent as such sub15 sections apply with respect to the imposition of sanctions 

16 under such section 1263. 

17 (e) WAIVER.—The President may waive the imposi18 tion of sanctions under subsection (c) with respect to an 

19 individual if the President— 

20 (1) determines that such a waiver is in the na21 tional interests of the United States; and 

22 (2) submits to the appropriate congressional 

23 committees notice of, and a justification for, the 

24 waiver. 


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1 (f) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President shall 

2 issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as are nec3 essary to carry out this section. 

4 (g) EXCEPTION RELATING TO IMPORTATION OF

5 GOODS.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The authorities and require7 ments to impose sanctions under this section shall 

8 not include the authority or requirement to impose 

9 sanctions on the importation of goods. 

10 (2) GOOD DEFINED.—In this subsection, the 

11 term ‘‘good’’ means any article, natural or man12 made substance, material, supply or manufactured 

13 product, including inspection and test equipment, 

14 and excluding technical data. 

15 (h) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

16 DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con17 gressional committees’’ means— 

18 (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 

19 Committee on Financial Services of the House of 

20 Representatives; and 

21 (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and 

22 the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af23 fairs of the Senate. 


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1 SEC. 4. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN PERSONS 

2 SUPPORTING HEZBOLLAH IN LATIN AMER3 ICA. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 

5 sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to each 

6 foreign person on the list required by subsection (b). 

7 (b) LIST.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 

9 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

10 President shall submit to the appropriate congres11 sional committees a list of foreign persons that the 

12 President determines have knowingly directly or in13 directly engaged in significant transactions with or 

14 provided material support to Hezbollah in Mexico, 

15 Venezuela, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, Panama, 

16 Cuba, Bolivia, or any other country in Latin Amer17 ica. 

18 (2) FORM.—The list required by this subsection 

19 shall be submitted in unclassified form but may con20 tain a classified annex. 

21 (c) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—The sanctions de22 scribed in this subsection with respect to a foreign person 

23 are the sanctions described in section 1263(b) of the Glob24 al Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle 

25 F of title XII of Public Law 114–328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 

26 note). 


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1 (d) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS

2 HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT; ENFORCEMENT.—Sub3 sections (e) and (f) of section 1263 of the Global 

4 Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act apply with 

5 respect to the imposition of sanctions under this section 

6 to the same extent as such subsections apply with respect 

7 to the imposition of sanctions under such section 1263. 

8 (e) WAIVER.—The President may waive the imposi9 tion of sanctions with respect to a foreign person under 

10 this section if the President— 

11 (1) determines that such a waiver is in the na12 tional interests of the United States; and 

13 (2) submits to the appropriate congressional 

14 committees notice of, and a justification for, the 

15 waiver. 

16 (f) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President shall 

17 issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as are nec18 essary to carry out this section. 

19 (g) EXCEPTION RELATING TO IMPORTATION OF

20 GOODS.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The authorities and require22 ments to impose sanctions under this section shall 

23 not include the authority or requirement to impose 

24 sanctions on the importation of goods. 


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1 (2) GOOD DEFINED.—In this subsection, the 

2 term ‘‘good’’ means any article, natural or man3 made substance, material, supply or manufactured 

4 product, including inspection and test equipment, 

5 and excluding technical data. 

6 (h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

7 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT8 TEES.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con9 gressional committees’’ means— 

10 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

11 the Committee on Financial Services of the 

12 House of Representatives; and 

13 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

14 and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

15 Urban Affairs of the Senate. 

16 (2) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per17 son’’ has the meaning given the term in section 

18 1262 of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Ac19 countability Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note). 

Æ 


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