[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5356 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5356
To support Lebanon's rule of law and democratic institutions through
sanctions and support, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2026
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself and Mr. Lankford) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To support Lebanon's rule of law and democratic institutions through
sanctions and support, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Lebanon Sanctions,
Stabilization, and Support Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Sanctions.
Sec. 3. Stabilization.
Sec. 4. Security assistance.
Sec. 5. Oversight.
SEC. 2. SANCTIONS.
(a) In General.--The President may impose the sanctions described
in subsection (c) with respect to each foreign person, regardless of
employment, who the President determines, on or after the date of the
enactment of this Act, has knowingly and significantly engaged in any
activity described in subsection (b).
(b) Activities Described.--A foreign person has engaged in any
activity described in this subsection if the foreign person has--
(1) knowingly undertaken actions or policies that provide
material support in furtherance of the Government of Iran's
illicit financing and support of armed non-state actors in
Lebanon, including Hezbollah;
(2) significantly delayed or impeded the work of the
Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces to
implement the August 2025 decision to exercise a state monopoly
of arms, the September 2025 plan to achieve that monopoly by
disarming Hezbollah, the March 2026 decision to ban security
and military activities of Hezbollah, or the April 2026
decision to bring weapons in Beirut under government control;
(3) provided material support to Hezbollah; or
(4) taken significant actions to delay or impede the
progress of reforms to the banking and financial sectors of
Lebanon.
(c) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this
subsection are the following:
(1) 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 a foreign person described in subsection (a) 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.
(2) Prohibitions on financial transactions.--The President
may exercise all authorities granted under the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the
extent necessary--
(A) to prohibit any United States financial
institution from making loans or providing credit to
the applicable foreign person; or
(B) to prohibit any transactions in foreign
exchange that are subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States and in which such foreign person has any
interest.
(3) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien
described in subsection (a) shall be--
(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 valid visa or other
entry documentation of any alien described in
subsection (a) is subject to revocation
regardless of the issue date of the visa or
other entry documentation.
(ii) Effect.--In accordance with section
221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), a revocation authorized
under clause (i) shall--
(I) take effect in accordance with
established procedures; and
(II) cancel any other valid visa or
entry documentation that is in the
possession of the alien.
(4) Licensing.--For any sanctions imposed pursuant to this
subsection, the Secretary of the Treasury shall issue such
general licenses and public guidance as may be necessary--
(A) to clarify that such sanctions do not apply to
any government entity with which the sanctioned person
may be officially associated;
(B) to clarify that such sanctions do not apply to
any person the sanctioned person owns or controls that
contributes to legitimate economic activity in Lebanon,
unless the owned person is itself designated based on
its behavior; and
(C) to limit adverse impacts to employment,
legitimate economic activity, and humanitarian
conditions in Lebanon.
(d) Exceptions.--
(1) Humanitarian assistance.--Sanctions under this section
may not apply to--
(A) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction
for the provision of agricultural commodities, food,
medicine, medical devices, humanitarian assistance, or
for humanitarian purposes; or
(B) transactions that are necessary for, or
ordinarily incident to, the activities described in
subparagraph (A).
(2) Intelligence activities.--Sanctions under this section
shall not apply to--
(A) 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
(B) any authorized intelligence activities of the
United States.
(3) Compliance with international obligations and law
enforcement activities.--Visa restrictions under subsection
(c)(3) shall not apply with respect to the admission or parole
of an alien into the United States if admitting or paroling the
alien is necessary--
(A) to comply with United States obligations
under--
(i) the Agreement between the United
Nations and the United States of America
regarding the Headquarters of the United
Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947,
and entered into force November 21, 1947;
(ii) the Convention on Consular Relations,
done at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into
force March 19, 1967; or
(iii) any other applicable international
obligations; or
(B) to carry out or assist law enforcement activity
in the United States.
(e) Rulemaking.--The President may prescribe such regulations as
are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section (which may
include regulatory exceptions), including under section 205 of the
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1704).
(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to limit the authorities of the President under the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).
(g) Termination.--This section, and any sanctions imposed under
this section, shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Admission; admitted; alien; lawfully admitted for
permanent residence.--The terms ``admission'', ``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 of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives.
(3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means any
individual or entity that is not a United States person.
(4) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) 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 located in the United States.
SEC. 3. STABILIZATION.
(a) Humanitarian Assistance.--The Secretary of State shall continue
to support humanitarian assistance in Lebanon in furtherance of the
political and economic stability, sovereignty, and territorial
integrity of Lebanon, which is important for regional stability and the
national economic and security interests of the United States,
including--
(1) health assistance, including logistical and technical
assistance to hospitals, ambulances, and health clinics in
affected communities, and the provision of basic public health
commodities;
(2) assistance to provide--
(A) protection, food, and shelter;
(B) water, sanitation, and hygiene; and
(C) demining and disposal of unexploded ordinance;
and
(3) technical assistance to ensure health, food, and
commodities are appropriately selected, procured, targeted,
monitored, and distributed.
(b) Incentive Fund for Reconstruction of Lebanese Government
Services and Infrastructure.--
(1) In general.--There shall be established a fund, to be
administered by the Secretary of State, which, subject to the
limitations set forth in paragraph (2), shall support--
(A) the reconstruction of services and institutions
of the Government of Lebanon and of municipal
governments in Lebanon; and
(B) the building and rebuilding of civilian
infrastructure in Lebanon.
(2) Limitation.--Amounts from the fund established pursuant
to paragraph (1) may not be made available for use by the
Council for South Lebanon.
(3) Notice before provision of assistance.--
(A) Restriction.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), not more than 50 percent of the
amounts deposited into the fund established pursuant to
paragraph (1) may be obligated until the Secretary of
State certifies to the Committee on Foreign Relations
of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the House of Representatives that--
(i) the Government of Lebanon has declared
Hezbollah's military activities illegal; and
(ii) the Lebanese Armed Forces are
implementing directives of the Government of
Lebanon regarding--
(I) the establishment of a monopoly
of force within Lebanon; and
(II) the disarmament of Hezbollah.
(B) Waiver.--The Secretary of State may waive the
restriction under subparagraph (A) after certifying to
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives that such a waiver is in the national
interest of the United States.
(c) Livelihood and Scholarship Assistance to the Lebanese Armed
Forces and the Internal Security Forces.--
(1) In general.--There shall be established a fund, to be
administered by the Secretary of State, which shall provide for
the sustainment of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal
Security Forces in accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Department of State, for each of the
first 3 fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment
of this Act, $20,000,000, which shall be deposited into the
fund established under paragraph (1) and expended for salaries
and stipends for members of the Lebanese Armed Forces and
Internal Security Forces.
(d) Strategy.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a strategy
to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives that details how amounts from the fund
established pursuant to this section, in conjunction with funds
authorized to be appropriated under section 4, will be used to help
support and implement a plan to expand Lebanese state services and
increase legitimate political participation in Lebanese communities
that are currently dependent on parallel services from Hezbollah.
SEC. 4. SECURITY ASSISTANCE.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations for Security Assistance to the
Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to
the Department of State, for each of the first 5 fiscal years
beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act--
(A) $200,000,000 for Foreign Military Financing;
(B) $25,000,000 for International Narcotics Control
and Law Enforcement;
(C) $11,500,000 for Non-proliferation, Anti-
terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs; and
(D) $3,500,000 International Military Education and
Training.
(2) Notice before provision of assistance.--
(A) Restriction.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), not more than 50 percent of the funds
appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) may be obligated
until after the Secretary of State certifies to the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives that--
(i) the Government of Lebanon has declared
Hezbollah's military activities illegal; and
(ii) the Lebanese Armed Forces are
implementing directives of the Government of
Lebanon regarding--
(I) the establishment of a monopoly
of force within Lebanon; and
(II) the disarmament of Hezbollah.
(B) Inapplicability.--The restriction on obligating
funds under subparagraph (A) shall not apply to
assistance provided to special operations units and
associated enabling forces of the Lebanese Armed
Forces.
(3) Authorization of contingent funding after the first
fiscal year.--
(A) Contingency.--Subparagraph (B) shall take
effect if a briefing required under subsection (c)
during the fiscal year beginning after the date of the
enactment of this Act demonstrates meaningful progress,
as determined by the Secretary of State--
(i) by the Lebanese Armed Forces and the
Internal Security Forces to counter Iranian
proxy forces operating in Lebanon, including
Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic
Jihad; and
(ii) by the Government of Lebanon to
develop and implement a plan to expand state
services and increase legitimate political
participation in Lebanese communities that are
currently dependent on parallel services from
Hezbollah.
(B) Funding.--Subject to the contingency described
in subparagraph (A), in addition to the appropriations
authorized under paragraph (1), there is authorized to
be appropriated to the Department of State, for the
second, third, fourth, and fifth fiscal year beginning
after the date of the enactment of this Act--
(i) $50,000,000 for Foreign Military
Financing;
(ii) $6,000,000 for International Narcotics
Control and Law Enforcement;
(iii) $3,000,000 for Non-proliferation,
Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs;
and
(iv) $1,000,000 for International Military
Education and Training.
(4) Authorization of additional contingent funding after
the second fiscal year.--
(A) Contingency.--Subparagraph (B) shall take
effect if the briefings required under subsection (c)
dur