Iron Dome Reinforcement Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3977 | Sponsor: Rep. Budd, Ted (R-NC)
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Iron Dome Reinforcement Act of 2021
This bill prohibits certain foreign assistance to the Palestinian Authority or the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) unless the Department of State certifies to Congress that the receiving entity (and its officials and agencies) has ceased paying compensation or benefits, other than benefits that are generally available to Palestinians, to the families of Palestinians killed in connection with committing an act of terrorism.
The State Department shall periodically report to Congress on whether such requirements are being met. If they are not, foreign assistance that would have gone to the Palestinian Authority or the PLO shall be made available as assistance to Israel for its Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system.

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to limit assistance to the 
 Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Iron Dome Reinforcement Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND THE 
              PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.

    Chapter 1 of part III of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 620N. LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND 
              THE PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION.

    ``(a) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Palestinian authority.--In addition to the limitation 
        on assistance to the Palestinian Authority described in 
        sections 620K and 620L, assistance may be provided under this 
        Act to the Palestinian Authority only during a period for which 
        a certification described in subsection (b) is in effect.
            ``(2) Palestine liberation organization.--Assistance may be 
        provided under this Act to the Palestine Liberation 
        Organization only during a period for which a certification 
        described in subsection (b) is in effect.
    ``(b) Certification.--A certification described in this subsection 
is a certification submitted by the Secretary of State to Congress that 
contains a determination of the Secretary that the Palestinian 
Authority, including any ministry, agency, or instrumentality, or any 
official acting on behalf of any such ministry, agency, or 
instrumentality, and the Palestine Liberation Organization, as the case 
may be, has ceased the payment of any bonuses, financial compensation, 
or any other benefit not generally or otherwise available to the 
Palestinian population at large to the families of Palestinians killed 
in connection with--
            ``(1) conspiring to commit an act of terrorism; or
            ``(2) the commission of an act of terrorism.
    ``(c) Recertifications.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
which the Secretary of State submits to Congress an initial 
certification under subsection (b) and every six months thereafter--
            ``(1) the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
        recertification that the conditions described in such 
        subsection are continuing to be met; or
            ``(2) if the Secretary is unable to make such a 
        recertification, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
        report that contains the reasons therefor.
    ``(d) Congressional Notification.--Assistance made available under 
this Act to the Palestinian Authority or the Palestine Liberation 
Organization may not be provided until 15 days after the date on which 
the Secretary of State has provided notice thereof to the appropriate 
congressional committees in accordance with the procedures applicable 
to reprogramming notifications under section 634A(a).
    ``(e) Availability of Funds for Iron Dome.--If the Secretary of 
State is unable to submit to Congress a certification under subsection 
(b) or a recertification under subsection (c), funds made available 
under this Act for assistance to the Palestinian Authority and the 
Palestine Liberation Organization that otherwise would have been 
provided to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation 
Organization shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, be 
transferred and made available to the Secretary of Defense to provide 
assistance to the Government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron 
Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats.
    ``(f) Annual Reports.--The Secretary of State shall annually submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the amount of 
any bonuses, financial compensation, or any other benefit described in 
subsection (b) that have been disbursed by the Palestinian Authority, 
including by any ministry, agency, or instrumentality or any official 
acting on behalf of any such ministry, agency, or instrumentality, and 
the Palestine Liberation Organization in the preceding 12-month period.
    ``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Act of terrorism.--The term `act of terrorism' means 
        an act dangerous to human life that would violate the criminal 
        laws of the United States if committed within the jurisdiction 
        of the United States that appears to be intended to--
                    ``(A) intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
                    ``(B) influence the policy of a government by 
                intimidation or coercion;
                    ``(C) affect the conduct of a government by mass 
                destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; or
                    ``(D) impair Israel's existence as a Jewish, 
                democratic state within its current territorial 
                boundaries.
            ``(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        `appropriate congressional committees' means--
                    ``(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    ``(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            ``(3) Foreign terrorist organization.--The term `foreign 
        terrorist organization' means an organization designated as a 
        foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary of State in 
        accordance with section 219(a) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)).
            ``(4) Palestinian authority.--The term `Palestinian 
        Authority' means the interim Palestinian administrative 
        organization that governs part of the West Bank and all of the 
        Gaza Strip (or any successor Palestinian governing entity), 
        including the Palestinian Legislative Council.''.
                                 <all>