Urges the European Union (EU) to classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization for purposes of prohibiting EU funding to Hezbollah and recognizing it as a threat to international security.
Condemns: (1) the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hezbollah; and (2) Hezbollah's continuous support of Palestinian terrorist organizations on the EU terrorist list, such as the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 101 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 101
Urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's
wide-ranging list of terrorist organizations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 15, 2005
Mr. Saxton (for himself, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Engel, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Cantor,
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Ackerman) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's
wide-ranging list of terrorist organizations.
Whereas Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based radical organization with terrorist cells
based in Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Asia, and
elsewhere, receiving financial, training, weapons, and political and
organizational aid from Iran and Syria;
Whereas Hezbollah has led a 23-year global campaign of terror targeting
American, German, French, British, Italian, Israeli, Kuwaiti, Saudi
Arabian, Argentinean, Thai, Singaporean, and Russian civilians, among
others;
Whereas former Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet called Hezbollah
``an organization with the capability and worldwide presence [equal to]
al Queda, equal if not far more [of a] capable organization . . .
[t]hey're a notch above in many respects . . . which puts them in a
state sponsored category with a potential for lethality that's quite
great'';
Whereas Hezbollah has been suspected of numerous terrorist acts against
Americans, including the suicide truck bombing of the United States
Embassy and Marine Barracks in Beirut in October 1983 and the Embassy
annex in Beirut in September 1984;
Whereas the French unit of the Multinational Force in Beirut was also targeted
in the October 1983 attack, in which 241 United States soldiers and 58
French paratroopers were killed;
Whereas Hezbollah has attacked Israeli and Jewish targets in South America in
the mid-1990s, including the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina,
in March 1992 and the AMIA Jewish Cultural Center in Buenos Aires in
July 1994;
Whereas Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for kidnappings of United States
and Israeli civilians and French, British, German, and Russian
diplomats, among others;
Whereas even after the adherence of Israel to United Nations Security Council
Resolution 425 (1978) by withdrawing from Lebanon, Hezbollah has
continued to carry out attacks against Israel and its citizens;
Whereas Hezbollah has expanded its operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
providing training, financing and weapons to Palestinian terrorist
organizations on the European Union terrorist list, including the Al
Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine;
Whereas in 2004 Hezbollah instigated, financed, or played a role in implementing
nearly 80 percent of Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israeli
targets, resulting in over 20 percent of Israeli casualties in terrorist
attacks for that year;
Whereas the European Union agreed by consensus to classify Hamas, another
Palestinian terrorist organization, as a terrorist organization for
purposes of prohibiting funding from the European Union to Hamas;
Whereas the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of
2003 (Public Law 108-175) urges the Government of Lebanon to assert the
sovereignty of the Lebanese state over all of its territory and to evict
all terrorist and foreign forces from southern Lebanon, including
Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards;
Whereas, although the European Union has included Imad Fayiz Mughniyah, a key
operations and intelligence officer of Hezbollah, on its terrorist list,
it has not included his organization on the list;
Whereas the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have all
classified Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and the United Kingdom
has placed the Hezbollah External Security Organization on its terrorist
list;
Whereas leaders of Hezbollah have made statements denouncing any distinction
between its ``political and military'' operations, such as Hezbollah's
representative in the Lebanese Parliament, Mohammad Raad, who stated in
2001 that ``Hezbollah is a military resistance party, and it is our task
to fight the occupation of our land. . . . There is no separation
between politics and resistance.'';
Whereas in a book recently published by the deputy secretary-general of
Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, entitled ``Hezbollah -- the Approach, the
Experience, the Future'', Qassem writes ``Hezbollah is a jihad
organization whose aim, first and foremost, is jihad against the Zionist
enemy, while the political, pure and sensible effort can serve as a prop
and a means of support for jihad'';
Whereas United Nations Security Council resolution 1559 (2004), jointly
sponsored by the United States and France, calls upon all remaining
foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon and for the disbanding and
disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, among other
things;
Whereas in December 2004 the Department of State placed Al-Manar, Hezbollah's
satellite television network, on the Terrorist Exclusion List, and in
December 2004 the French Council of State banned the broadcasting of Al-
Manar in France
Whereas France, Germany, and Great Britain, with the support of the High
Representative of the European Union, have created a working group with
Iran to discuss regional security concerns, including the influence of
terror stemming from Hezbollah and other extremist organizations; and
Whereas cooperation between the United States and the European Union regarding
combating international terrorism is essential to the promotion of
global security and peace: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) urges the European Union to classify Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization for purposes of prohibiting funding from
the European Union to Hezbollah and recognizing it as a threat
to international security;
(2) condemns the continuous terrorist attacks perpetrated
by Hezbollah; and
(3) condemns Hezbollah's continuous support of Palestinian
terrorist organizations on the European Union terrorist list,
such as the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Hamas, the Palestinian
Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mr. Barrett (SC) moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1398-1401)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H. Res. 101.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1404-1405)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 380 - 3, 5 Present (Roll no. 67).(text: CR H1398)
Roll Call #67 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 380 - 3, 5 Present (Roll no. 67). (text: CR H1398)
Roll Call #67 (House)Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.