January 21, 2025
Mr. Daines (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Sheehy, Mr. Budd, Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Ricketts, Mr. Crapo, Ms. Lummis, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Schmitt, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mrs. Britt, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cassidy, and Ms. Ernst) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
To designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and impose certain sanctions on Ansarallah, 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 Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act
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Sec. 2. Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
It was reported by Reuters on March 21, 2017, that Iran, a designated state sponsor of terror, sent advanced weapons and military advisers to assist and support Yemen’s Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis
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(2)
On January 19, 2021, the Trump Administration designated Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist.
(3)
On February 16, 2021, Secretary of State Blinken revoked the designation of Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219(a)(6)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)(6)(A)).
(4)
On March 7, 2021, an Ansarallah drone strike had been intercepted by Saudi Arabia, which targeted an oil storage yard at Ras Tanura.
(5)
On March 19, 2021, another Ansarallah drone strike hit a Riyadh oil refinery, which caused a fire that was brought under control.
(6)
After the March 19, 2021, attack, Ansarallah proclaimed that they launched six drones at a Saudi Aramco facility, and vowed to continue operations against Saudi Arabia as long as its aggression against Yemen would continue
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Sec. 3. Designation as foreign terrorist organization; imposition of sanctions
(a) Designation as foreign terrorist organization
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a)).
(b) Imposition of sanctions
(1) In general
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the sanctions described in paragraph (2) with respect to—
(A)
Ansarallah; and
(B)
any foreign person that is a member, agent, or affiliate of, or owned or controlled by, Ansarallah.
(2) Sanctions described
The sanctions described in this paragraph are—
(A)
sanctions applicable with respect to a foreign person pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism); and
(B)
sanctions described in Executive Order 13780 (8 U.S.C. 1182 note; relating to protecting the Nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States), as in effect on January 19, 2021, with respect to nationals of Yemen.