[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9564 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9564
To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the Houthis,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 12, 2024
Mr. Issa (for himself and Mr. Phillips) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition
to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to the Houthis,
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 ``Houthi Human Rights Accountability
Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into a violent,
anti-Semitic, and extremist worldview are a threat to a Yemeni-
led peace process and to regional stability; and
(2) it is counter to United States policy to provide
support to the Houthis in Yemen, including by supporting any
efforts by the Houthis to indoctrinate, coerce, or force
Yemenis to conform to their violent, anti-Semitic, and
extremist worldview.
SEC. 3. REPORT ON HOUTHI INDOCTRINATION.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of
the United States Agency for International Development, shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report on--
(1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into a violent,
anti-Semitic, or extremist worldview; and
(2) the long-term threat this indoctrination campaign poses
to regional stability.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON OBSTACLES TO PROVISION OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN AREAS
OF YEMEN UNDER DE-FACTO HOUTHI CONTROL.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report on obstacles to the provision of humanitarian aid by
international organizations and nongovernmental organizations in areas
of Yemen under de-facto Houthi control.
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required by subsection (a)
shall include the following:
(1) An identification of challenges to distribution of
humanitarian aid created by Houthi-enforced rules, regulations,
and bureaucracy with respect to access, and freedom of
movement, and the overall impact on such rules, regulations,
and bureaucracy have on the international community's ability
to distribute such aid in a manner consistent with basic
humanitarian principles.
(2) An assessment of attempted Houthi interference in the
delivery of humanitarian aid, including the manipulation or
undue influence of beneficiary lists or related data for
political or military purposes, and the implications of any
interference on civilian needs and aid distribution.
(3) An evaluation of the Houthis' use of violence and
intimidation against humanitarian workers and diplomats,
including current and former United States Embassy locally
employed staff.
(4) An overview of the steps the United States and its
partners are taking to ensure humanitarian assistance is
delivered unhindered and consistent with basic humanitarian
principles, including how United States-supported organizations
respond to attempted Houthi diversion or interference.
(5) Scope.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
address the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on
the date that is 90 days after date of the enactment of this
Act.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES COMMITTED BY THE HOUTHIS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on human rights abuses
committed by the Houthis, including gender-based discrimination and
violence, including--
(1) mahram regulations;
(2) recruitment and use of child soldiers;
(3) enforced disappearance;
(4) prolonged and arbitrary detention;
(5) conduct that amounts to torture; and
(6) unlawful killing.
(b) Scope.--The report required by subsection (a) shall address the
period beginning on March 1, 2015, and ending on the date that is 90
days after date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. SANCTIONS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE GLOBAL MAGNITSKY HUMAN RIGHTS
AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State,
in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a determination on whether foreign
persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions
authorized under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability
Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note), including with respect to acts that
constitute gross violations of internationally recognized human rights
as defined in section 502B(d)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)).
(b) Persons Described.--A foreign person described in this
subsection is a foreign person that--
(1) is a member of the Houthis; and
(2) knowingly--
(A) imposes arbitrary or unlawful restriction on
the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Yemen; or
(B) engages in the human rights abuses described in
section 5(a).
SEC. 7. SANCTIONS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE ROBERT LEVINSON HOSTAGE TAKING
AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State,
in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a determination on whether foreign
persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions
authorized under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-
Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741 et seq.), and Executive Order
14078.
(b) Persons Described.--A foreign person described in this
subsection is a foreign person that--
(1) is a member of the Houthis; and
(2)(A) is responsible for or is complicit in, or
responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing,
the hostage-taking of a United States national abroad or the
unlawful or wrongful detention of a United States national
abroad; or
(B) knowingly provides financial, material, or
technological support for, or goods or services in support of,
an activity described in subparagraph (A).
SEC. 8. SUNSET.
This Act shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(2) the term ``foreign person'' means a person that is not
a United States person;
(3) the term ``Houthis'' refers to persons officially known
as ``Ansarallah'';
(4) the term ``person'' means and individual or entity; and
(5) the term ``United States person'' means--
(A) a national of the United States;
(B) an alien who is lawfully present in the United
States; or
(C) an entity organized under the laws of the
United States or of any jurisdiction within the United
States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.
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