March 25, 2025
Mr. Ricketts (for himself and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
To require the imposition of sanctions on the Popular Resistance Committees and other associated entities, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Accountability for Terrorist Perpetrators of October 7th Act
.
Sec. 2. Imposition of terrorism sanctions with respect to the popular resistance committees
(a) Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
Since its founding in 2000, during the second intifada, the Popular Resistance Committees has regularly carried out terror attacks against Israelis, Americans, and Palestinians.
(2)
The ranks of the Popular Resistance Committees include former operatives from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, all of which are designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations.
(3)
The Popular Resistance Committees carried out an attack in 2003 on a United States diplomatic convoy that injured a diplomat and killed 3 security guards from the United States. The Popular Resistance Committees has also carried out the 2004 murder of a pregnant Israeli woman and her 4 daughters, aged 11, 9, 7 and 2, and the executions of Palestinians, including the former Palestinian Authority Gaza security chief.
(4)
The Popular Resistance Committees has been the third-largest terror group in the Gaza strip, after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, since as early as 2011.
(5)
On October 7, 2023, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Resistance Committees terrorists launched a massive, unprovoked war on Israel by air, land, and sea, including firing thousands of rockets, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 innocent Israelis, Americans, and others, the abduction of 250 hostages, and widespread torture and sexual violence.
(6)
On October 7, 2023, the Popular Resistance Committees issued a statement claiming responsibility for participating in the terrorist attack against Israel alongside Hamas and their affiliates, including the kidnaping of soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, and posted photos of items taken from soldiers killed and captured by the group as evidence.
(7)
On October 8, 2023, the Popular Resistance Committees issued a statement claiming responsibility for dispatching kamikaze drones during the attack on Israel.
(b) In general
On and after the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described under subsection (c) with respect to—
(1)
the Popular Resistance Committees;
(2)
any foreign person that is an official, agent, or affiliate of a foreign person described in paragraph (1);
(3)
any foreign person that is owned or controlled by a foreign person described in paragraph (1) or (2); and
(4)
any current or future armed organization the President determines is operating under the umbrella of the Popular Resistance Committees or any other person described in this subsection.
(c) Sanctions described
The sanctions described in this subsection are the following:
(1) Blocking of property
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 interests in property of a foreign person described in subsection (b) 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 inadmissable for visas, admission, or parole
(A) Visas, admission, or parole
An alien who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, is described 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 receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked
(i) In general
The issuing consular officer, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry documentation issued to an alien described in subparagraph (A) regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is issued.
(ii) Effect of revocation
A revocation under clause (i) shall take effect immediately and shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.
(d) Exceptions
(1) United Nations headquarters agreement
The sanctions described in subsection (c) shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the United States is necessary 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.
(2) Exception for intelligence, law enforcement, and national security activities
The sanctions in subsection (c) shall not apply to any authorized intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities of the United States.
(e) Penalties
The penalties provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this section, regulations promulgated to carry out this section, or the sanctions imposed pursuant to this section to the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act.
(f) Implementation authority
The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) for purposes of carrying out this section.
(g) Waiver
The President may, for 1 or more periods of not more than 180 days each, waive the application of sanctions imposed with respect to a foreign person under this section if the President certifies to the appropriate committees of Congress, not later than 15 days before such waiver takes effect, that the waiver is vital to the national security interests of the United States.
(h) Termination
The President may terminate sanctions imposed with respect to any foreign person under this section if the President certifies to the appropriate committees of Congress that—
(1)
such foreign person is no longer engaging in acts of terrorism, as defined for purposes of Executive Order 13224 (relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism); or
(2)
with respect to a foreign person that is an entity, such entity has wound down.
Sec. 3. Report on the designation of the Lions' Den and the Popular Resistance Committees as specially designated global terrorists
(a) Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
Since its founding in 2022, Lions' Den has carried out a number of terror attacks including more than 61 shooting attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
(2)
The ranks of the Lions' Den include former operatives from Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, all of which are designated foreign terrorist organizations.
(3)
Lions' Den receives funds from designated foreign terrorist organizations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
(b) Initial report
(1) Report required
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress—
(A)
a detailed report on whether—
(i)
the Lions' Den meets—
(I)
the criteria for designation as a specially designated global terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism); and
(II)
the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); and
(ii)
the Popular Resistance Committees meet the criteria for designation as a specially designated global terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224; and
(B)
if the Secretary reaches a negative determination with respect to any entity under subparagraph (A), a detailed justification as to which criteria have not been met.
(2) Form
The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
(c) Ongoing determinations required
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that—
(1)
identifies each new entity operating under the umbrella of the Popular Resistance Committees, or any successor of the Popular Resistance Committees;
(2)
includes a determination as to whether each such entity meets the criteria—
(A)
for designation as a specially designated global terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism);
(B)
for designation as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); or
(C)
for the imposition of sanctions under section 2; and
(3)
provides a detailed justification in the event that the Secretary identifies a new entity pursuant to paragraph (1), but does not determine that the entity meets the criteria for designation as a specially designated global terrorist or a foreign terrorist organization or for imposition of sanctions under section 2.
Sec. 4. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Admitted; alien; lawfully admitted for permanent residence
The terms admitted, alien, and lawfully admitted for permanent residence have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Appropriate committees of Congress
The term appropriate committees of Congress means—
(A)
the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; and
(B)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives.
(3) Entity
The term entity means a partnership, association, corporation, or other organization, group, or subgroup.
(4) Foreign person
The term foreign person—
(A)
means an individual or entity that is not a United States person; and
(B)
does not include the government of a foreign country.
(5) Foreign terrorist organization
The term foreign terrorist organization means an entity designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).
(6) United States person
The term United States person means—
(A)
an individual who is a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States;
(B)
an entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity; or
(C)
any person in the United States.