Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act”.
Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act
AN ACT
To designate Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and impose certain sanctions on Ansarallah, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds the following:
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”.
On January 19, 2021, the Trump Administration designated Ansarallah as a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist.
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)).
Since October 7, 2023, the Houthis have launched over 40 ballistic missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, including direct attacks on United States sailors and taking an international ship and its crew hostage. This follows years of Houthi cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Houthi attacks on global shipping have caused many shipping companies to re-route to avoid the area, resulting in a de-facto blockade against Yemen, while also driving up shipping costs, disrupting supply chains, and negatively impacting the global economy.
In addition to providing the Houthis with advanced conventional weapons and component parts, Iran and their Hezbollah proxies have also enabled the Houthis with financial support, training, and technical knowledge to manufacture weapons, including long range drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in Yemen, resulting in increased Houthi weapons stockpiles and illegal weapons proliferation throughout the region.
Sec. 3 Designation as FTO; imposition of sanctions
Designation as FTO— 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)).
Imposition of sanctions—
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—
Ansarallah; and
any foreign person that is a member, agent, or affiliate of, or owned or controlled by Ansarallah.
Sanctions described— The sanctions described in this paragraph are the following:
Blocking of property— The President shall exercise all authorities granted 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 Ansarallah or the foreign person if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or come within the possession or control of a United States person.
Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole—
Visas, admission, or parole— An alien described in paragraph (1) shall be—
inadmissible to the United States;
ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and
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 16 seq.).
Current visas revoked—
In general— The visa or other entry documentation of any alien described in paragraph (1) is subject to revocation regardless of the issue date of the visa or other entry documentation.
Immediate effect— A revocation under subclause (I) shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i))—
take effect immediately; and
cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the possession of the alien.
Penalties— Any person that violates, or attempts to violate, paragraph (2) or any regulation, license, or order issued pursuant to that subsection, shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.
Implementation— The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this subsection.
Regulations—
In general— The President shall, not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the implementation of this subsection.
Notification to Congress— Not less than 10 days before the promulgation of regulations under paragraph (1), the President shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of the proposed regulations and the provisions of this subsection that the regulations are implementing.
Appropriate congressional committee defined— In this paragraph, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
Exceptions—
Exception for intelligence activities— Sanctions under this subsection shall not apply to any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.
Exception to comply with international obligations and for law enforcement activities— Sanctions under this subsection 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; or
to carry out or assist authorized law enforcement activity in the United States.