Sec. 101. Findings; statement of policy

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Congress finds the following: The United States Government holds Hezbollah responsible for the largest number of American deaths overseas by a terrorist organization prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001, including a number of attacks on and hostage takings targeting Americans in Lebanon during the 1980s, including the bombing of the United States Embassy in Beirut in April 1983 and the bombing of the United States Marine barracks in October 1983. Hezbollah’s operations outside of Lebanon, including its participation in bombings of Israeli and Jewish institutions in Argentina during the 1990s, recent support to Shiite insurgents in Iraq, recent attacks and attempted attacks in Europe, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere, and extensive international operational, logistical, and financial networks have rendered it a capable and deadly adversary with global reach.

Hezbollah has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States since 1995, and remains on foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Terrorist lists. In March 2013, a Cypriot court convicted a Hezbollah member for participation in a criminal organization, planning to commit a crime and money laundering. In June 2013, the Government of Bulgaria concluded that Hezbollah was responsible for the 2012 Burgas bombing, which killed 6 people. In July 2013, the European Union designated the military wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.

The designation helps to facilitate European law enforcement agencies’ actions against Hezbollah’s fundraising, logistical activity, and terrorist plotting on European soil. In July 2013, the Gulf Cooperation Council, consisting of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates, declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization. Hezbollah continues to provide material assistance, including assuming a combat role, in Syria, and aids the Government of Iran and the Government of Syria in their human rights and other abuses perpetrated against the Syrian people.

An estimated 5,000 Hezbollah fighters are supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria by fighting on his behalf and by providing military training, advice, and logistical support to regime forces. Hezbollah continues to serve as a proxy of Iran, in its effort to target the United States and its allies and interests. Hezbollah’s global logistics and financial network serves as a lifeline to the organization, and enables it to consolidate power within Lebanon and provides it with the capabilities to perpetrate complex attacks internationally.

Hezbollah has evolved into a significant drug smuggling organization, and also engages in other serious criminal activity, including money laundering, counterfeiting pharmaceuticals, and trade in conflict diamonds. In April 2013, the Department of the Treasury blacklisted two Lebanese exchange houses, Kassem Rmeiti & Co. and Halawi Exchange Co., for laundering drug profits for Hezbollah. In February 2011, the Department of the Treasury blacklisted the Lebanese Canadian Bank as of primary money laundering concern, alleging that it moved approximately $200,000,000 as part of a drug trafficking network that profited Hezbollah.

The Department of Justice reports that 29 of the 63 organizations on its Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Priority Organization Targets list, which includes the most significant international drug trafficking organizations threatening the United States, were associated with terrorist groups. There is concern about Hezbollah’s drug and criminal activities, as well as indications of links between al-Qaeda in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb and the drug trade. Al-Manar, the Lebanese satellite television station affiliated with Hezbollah broadcasting from Beirut, Lebanon, was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity in May 2006, but continues to be carried by international broadcasting agents.

Hezbollah continues to present a threat to the United States and its allies and interests. It shall be the policy of the United States to— prevent Hezbollah’s global logistics and financial network from operating in order to curtail funding of its domestic and international activities; and utilize all available diplomatic, legislative, and executive avenues to combat the criminal activities of Hezbollah as a means to block the ability of Hezbollah to fund its global terrorist activities.