Stop Support for Hamas Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-3174
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
Introduced: 2023-10-31
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-10-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3174 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 31, 2023 Mr. Ricketts (for himself and Mr. Scott of South Carolina ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To prohibit aid that will benefit Hamas, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stop Support for Hamas Act of 2023 . 2. United States Contributions to UNRWA The United States may not make any voluntary or involuntary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (referred to in this Act as UNRWA ), to any successor or related entity, or to the regular budget of the United Nations for the support of UNRWA or a successor entity. 3. Prohibition on use of economic support funds (a) In general None of the amounts appropriated under the heading Economic Support Fund in any Act making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs may be obligated or expended to provide assistance to the West Bank and Gaza until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that on or after October 7, 2023, the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza of Hamas and any other foreign terrorist organization (as that term is defined in section 620K of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2378b ), as amended by section 4) has been verifiably dismantled. (b) Comptroller General review of certification Not later than 90 days after the Secretary of State makes a certification under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress an assessment of whether the infrastructure described in subsection (a) has been verifiably dismantled. (c) Reports on consultations (1) Initial report Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on relevant consultations with United States partners in the region, including Israel. (2) Report following certification Not later than 90 days after the Secretary makes a certification to Congress under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on relevant consultations with United States partners in the region, including Israel. (3) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 4. Modifications to limitation on assistance to the Palestinian Authority Section 620K of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2378b ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking Hamas-controlled and inserting Hamas-inclusive ; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking is effectively and all that follows through Palestinian Authority and inserting employs Hamas members, or agents or affiliates of Hamas, unless Hamas ; and (B) in paragraph (2)— (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking Hamas-controlled and inserting Hamas-inclusive ; (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking security services and inserting agencies and security services ; and (iii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting verifiably before dismantling ; (3) in subsection (c) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting for a period of not more than 2 years after thereafter ; (4) by striking subsection (e); (5) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e); and (6) by amending subsection (e)(2), as so redesignated, to read as follows: (2) Foreign terrorist organization The term foreign terrorist organization means— (A) 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) ); or (B) an entity designated pursuant to Executive Order No. 13224 ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism). . 5. Modifications to limitation on assistance for the West Bank and Gaza (a) Modifications to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 Section 620L of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2378c ) is amended— (1) in subsection (b)— (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting provided that such assistance does not benefit Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization after human needs ; (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting or indirectly after directly ; (C) by striking paragraph (3); (D) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3); and (E) in paragraph (3)(B), as so redesignated— (i) in clause (i), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (ii) in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: (iii) submits a confirmation to the appropriate congressional committees that such assistance does not directly or indirectly benefit Hamas or any other foreign terrorist organization. ; and (2) by amending subsection (e)(2) to read as follows: (2) Foreign terrorist organization defined The term foreign terrorist organization means— (A) 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) ); or (B) an entity designated pursuant to Executive Order No. 13224 ( 50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism). . (b) Modifications to the Taylor Force Act Section 1004 of the Taylor Force Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2378c-1 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting or indirectly after directly ; and (2) in subsection (f)(1)— (A) by inserting or indirectly after directly ; and (B) by inserting or its agents or affiliates after the Palestinian Authority .