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 re-
ferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in 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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Houthis and Iran 
Sanctions Accountability Act of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) On April 2015, the United Nations Security 
Council adopted United Nations Security Council 
Resolution 2216 by 14 affirmative votes to none 
against, with one abstention (by the Russian Fed-
eration), imposing sanctions on individuals under-
mining the stability of Yemen, and demanded that 
the Houthis withdraw from all areas seized during 
the latest conflict, relinquish arms seized from mili-
tary and security institutions, cease all actions fall-
ing exclusively within the authority of the legitimate 
Government of Yemen, and fully implement previous 
Security Council resolutions. 
(2) On May 16, 2012, the Obama administra-
tion issued Executive Order 13611 (50 U.S.C. 1701 
note; relating to Blocking Property of Persons 
Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of 
Yemen), imposing sanctions on persons that ‘‘have 
engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten 
the peace, security, or stability of Yemen, such as 
acts that obstruct the implementation of the agree-
ment of November 23, 2011, between the Govern-
ment of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which 
provides for a peaceful transition of power in 
Yemen, or that obstruct the political process in 
Yemen’’. 
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(3) On November 10, 2014, the Obama admin-
istration designated the leadership of the Iranian- 
supported Houthi insurgent group, and their ally 
former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, for im-
position of sanctions under Executive Order 13611. 
(4) Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps has 
transferred increasingly sophisticated weapons sys-
tems to the Houthis, who have in turn shot missiles 
into Saudi Arabia from positions in northern Yemen, 
including a missile in November 2017 that targeted 
Riyadh International Airport. In response, Ambas-
sador Nikki Haley called on ‘‘the United Nations 
and international partners to take necessary action 
to hold the Iranian regime accountable for these vio-
lations’’. 
(5) In addition to weapons, Iran is reportedly 
providing Afghan and Shi’ite Arab specialists, in-
cluding Hizballah, to train Houthi units and act as 
logistical advisers. 
(6) The Iranian-supported Houthis have at-
tacked coalition or coalition-affiliated maritime tar-
gets multiple times, a United States Navy ship 
twice, and other shipping, forcing the United States 
to respond with a combination of diplomacy and cali-
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brated military strikes against three radar facilities 
in Houthi-controlled territory. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It shall be the policy of the United States to condemn 
Iranian activities in Yemen in violation of United Nations 
Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), and call on all 
responsible countries to take appropriate and necessary 
measures against the Government of Iran, including the 
interdiction of Iranian weapons to the Houthis, and the 
bilateral and multilateral application of sanctions against 
Iran for its violations of United Nations Security Council 
Resolution 2216. 
SEC. 4. CONTINUATION IN EFFECT OF SANCTIONS WITH RE-
SPECT TO YEMEN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—United States sanctions with re-
spect to Yemen provided for in Executive Order 13611 
(50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to Blocking Property of 
Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of 
Yemen), as in effect on the day before the date of the 
enactment of this Act, shall remain in effect. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to limit the authority of the Presi-
dent pursuant to the International Emergency Economic 
Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). 
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SEC. 5. DETERMINATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN IRA-
NIAN PERSONS. 
(a) DETERMINATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The President shall, not 
later than 45 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, determine whether the Iranian persons 
listed in paragraph (2) are responsible for engaging 
in activities described in section 1 of Executive 
Order 13611 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to 
Blocking Property of Persons Threatening the 
Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen). 
(2) IRANIAN
PERSONS
LISTED.—The Iranian 
persons listed in this paragraph are the following: 
(A) Members of the Supreme National Se-
curity Council. 
(B) The Minister of Intelligence and Secu-
rity. 
(C) The Commander of the Iran’s Revolu-
tionary Guard Corps. 
(D) The Commander of the Iran’s Revolu-
tionary Guard Corps, Qods Force. 
(E) The Minister of Defense. 
(F) Minister of Foreign Affairs. 
(G) Any other Iranian person that the 
President determines is appropriate. 
(3) REPORT.— 
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—The President shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a report that contains— 
(i) the determinations made under 
paragraph (1) together with the reasons 
for those determinations; and 
(ii) an identification of the Iranian 
persons that the President determines are 
responsible for engaging in activities de-
scribed in section 1(c) of Executive Order 
13611. 
(B) FORM.—A report submitted under 
subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in unclas-
sified form but may contain a classified annex. 
(b) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—The President shall 
impose the sanctions described in section 1 of Executive 
Order 13611 with respect to each Iranian person identi-
fied in the report submitted to the appropriate congres-
sional committees under subsection (a)(3). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and the Com-
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mittee on Financial Services of the House of 
Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
the Committee on Finance, and the Committee 
on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the 
Senate. 
(2) ENTITY.—The term ‘‘entity’’— 
(A) means a partnership, association, cor-
poration, or other organization, group, or sub-
group; and 
(B) includes a governmental entity. 
SEC. 6. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN FOREIGN 
PERSONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on and after the date 
that is 120 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in 
subsection (c) on a person described in subsection (b). 
(b) PERSONS DESCRIBED.—A person described in 
this subsection is a foreign person that the President de-
termines knowingly provides significant financial, mate-
rial, or technological support for— 
(1) Ansar Allah in Yemen; 
(2) a person designated pursuant to an applica-
ble Executive order; 
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(3) a person that the President determines is in 
violation of an applicable United Nations Security 
Council resolution; 
(4) an Iranian person identified in the report 
submitted to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees under section 5(a)(3); or 
(5) a foreign person owned or controlled by a 
foreign person described in paragraphs (1) through 
(4). 
(c) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—The sanctions to be 
imposed on a person described in subsection (b) are the 
following: 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall exercise 
all of the powers granted to the President under the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block 
and prohibit all transactions in property and inter-
ests in property of the person if such property and 
interests in property are in the United States, come 
within the United States, or are or come within the 
possession or control of a United States person. 
(2) ALIENS INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS, ADMISSION, 
OR PAROLE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—An alien who the Sec-
retary of State or the Secretary of Homeland 
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Security determines is a foreign person de-
scribed in subsection (b) is— 
(i) inadmissible to the United States; 
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
documentation to enter the United States; 
and 
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 
or paroled into the United States or to re-
ceive any other benefit under the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et 
seq.). 
(B) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Any visa or other 
documentation issued to an alien who is a 
foreign person described in subsection (b), 
regardless of when such visa or other docu-
mentation was issued, shall be revoked and 
such alien shall be denied admission to the 
United States. 
(ii) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.—A rev-
ocation under clause (i)— 
(I) shall take effect immediately; 
and 
(II) shall automatically cancel 
any other valid visa or documentation 
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that is in the possession of the alien 
who is the subject of such revocation. 
(3) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NA-
TIONS
HEADQUARTERS
AGREEMENT.—Sanctions 
under paragraph (2) shall not apply to an alien if 
admitting the alien into the United States is nec-
essary to permit the United States to comply with 
the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 
1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, 
between the United Nations and the United States, 
or other applicable international obligations. 
(4) PENALTIES.—The penalties provided for in 
subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the Inter-
national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person that knowingly 
violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
causes a violation of regulations promulgated under 
subsection (f) to carry out paragraph (1) of this sub-
section to the same extent that such penalties apply 
to a person that commits an unlawful act described 
in section 206(a) of such Act. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION AUTHORITY.—The President 
may exercise all authorities provided to the President 
under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emer-
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gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) 
for purposes of carrying out this Act. 
(e) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President shall, 
not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the 
implementation of this Act. 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ADMITTED; ALIEN.—The terms ‘‘admitted’’ 
and ‘‘alien’’ have meanings given those terms in sec-
tion 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101). 
(2) 
APPLICABLE
EXECUTIVE
ORDER.—The 
term ‘‘applicable Executive order’’ means— 
(A) Executive Order 13611 (50 U.S.C. 
1701 note; relating to Blocking Property of 
Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or 
Stability of Yemen); or 
(B) any Executive order adopted on or 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, to 
the extent that such Executive order authorizes 
the imposition of sanctions on persons for con-
duct with respect to Yemen. 
(3) APPLICABLE
UNITED
NATIONS
SECURITY 
COUNCIL
RESOLUTION.—The 
term 
‘‘applicable 
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United 
Nations 
Security 
Council 
resolution’’ 
means— 
(A) United Nations Security Council Reso-
lution 2216; or 
(B) any United Nations Security Council 
resolution adopted on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act that authorizes the impo-
sition of sanctions on persons for conduct with 
respect to Yemen. 
(4) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee 
on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Finan-
cial Services of the House of Representatives; 
and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs, and the Committee on the Judi-
ciary of the Senate. 
(5) ENTITY.—The term ‘‘entity’’— 
(A) means a partnership, association, cor-
poration, or other organization, group, or sub-
group; and 
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(B) includes a governmental entity. 
(6) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per-
son’’ means— 
(A) an individual who is not a United 
States person or an alien lawfully admitted for 
permanent residence into the United States; or 
(B) a corporation, partnership, or other 
entity which is not a United States person. 
(7) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means an in-
dividual or entity. 
(8) 
UNITED
STATES
PERSON.—The 
term 
‘‘United States person’’ means a United States cit-
izen, permanent resident alien, entity organized 
under the laws of the United States (including for-
eign branches), or a person in the United States. 
SEC. 7. REPORT ON IRANIAN ACTIVITIES IN YEMEN. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days there-
after for a period not to exceed 5 years, the President shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port on Iranian activities in Yemen. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re-
quired by subsection (a) shall include a description of the 
following: 
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(1) Iran’s support for certain Yemeni militias 
or political parties, including weapons, financing, 
training, and other forms of material support includ-
ing media and communications support. 
(2) A list of referrals to the relevant United 
Nations Security Council sanctions committees by 
the United States Permanent Representative to the 
United Nations. 
(c) FORM.—The President may submit the report re-
quired by subsection (a) in classified form if the President 
determines that it is necessary for the national security 
interests of the United States to do so. 
(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro-
priate congressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
Ways and Means, and the Committee on Financial 
Services of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Fi-
nance, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
and Urban Affairs of the Senate. 
Æ 
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