text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Iran and Hizballah Western 
  Hemisphere Prevention Act of 2017''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) On June 26, 2017, Ali Issa Chamas, a dual Paraguayan-
          Lebanese national reportedly with ties to Hizballah, was 
          indicted by a Miami Federal grand jury for drug trafficking 
          after being arrested in the Tri-Border Area of Argentina, 
          Paraguay, and Brazil for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine to 
          the United States.
              (2) On June 8, 2017, the Department of Justice announced 
          the arrest of Ali Kourani and Samer El Debek for attempting to 
          provide support to Hizballah, including in Panama, which 
          involved locating the United States and Israeli Embassies and 
          casing security procedures at the Panama Canal.
              (3) In April 2017, Commander, United States Southern 
          Command, Admiral Kurt Tidd testified to Congress that ``as a 
          continuing state sponsor of terrorism, Iranian involvement in 
          the Western Hemisphere is always a matter of concern [and] with 
          the easing of economic sanctions, Iran may be seeking to 
          rebuild its relationships in the region''.
              (4) In February 2017, the United States imposed sanctions 
          on Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami, designating him 
          as a drug kingpin for facilitating narcotics to the United 
          States. A subsequent CNN investigation linked El Aissami to 
          ``173 Venezuelan passports and IDs that were issued to 
          individuals from the Middle East, including people connected to 
          the terrorist group Hezbollah''.
              (5) In September 2016, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani 
          conducted his first visit to Latin America, visiting Venezuela 
          and Cuba. In the same month, Iran's Foreign Minister Javad 
          Zarif also visited Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, 
          Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
              (6) In February 2016, a Federal prosecutor in Argentina 
          alleged that Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman's death in 
          January 2015 was a homicide. Nisman had previously published 
          two reports documenting Iranian activities in several countries 
          in the region and filed a judicial complaint against former 
          Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner for 
          minimizing Iranian involvement in the 1994 terrorist attack 
          against the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) that 
          killed 85 people.
              (7) In February 2016, the U.S. Drug Enforcement 
          Administration (DEA) announced the disruption of a Hizballah 
          network as part of DEA's ``Project Cassandra'', which affirmed 
          that members of Hizballah's External Security Organization 
          Business Affairs Component (BAC) had established business 
          relationships with South American drug cartels, such as La 
          Oficina de Envigado.
              (8) According to the Department of State's 2015 Country 
          Report on Terrorism, Hezbollah maintains a presence in the 
          Western Hemisphere ``with members, facilitators, and supporters 
          engaging in activity in support of the organization'', which 
          includes ``efforts to build Hezbollah's infrastructure in South 
          America and fundraising, both through licit and illicit 
          means''.
              (9) In 2015, former Commander, United States Southern 
          Command, General Kelly testified to Congress that ``our limited 
          intelligence capabilities make it difficult to fully assess the 
          amount of terrorist financing generated in Latin America, or 
          understand the scope of possible criminal-terrorist 
          collaboration''.
              (10) In November 2014, Brazilian media published police 
          reports that revealed that Hizballah helped a Brazilian prison 
          gang, the First Capital Command (PCC), obtain weapons in 
          exchange for the protection of prisoners of Lebanese origin 
          tied to Hizballah. Those same reports also found that Lebanese 
          traffickers tied to Hizballah helped sell C4 explosives that 
          the PCC allegedly stole in Paraguay.
              (11) In November 2014, Peruvian counterterrorism police 
          arrested Mohammed Amadar, a Lebanese citizen, who was 
          reportedly a Hizballah operative, after finding traces of 
          explosive materials and detonators at his home. His targets 
          reportedly included places associated with Israelis and Jews in 
          Peru, the Israeli embassy in Lima, and Jewish community 
          institutions.
              (12) Hizballah is classified by the Department of State as 
          a Foreign Terrorist Organization, but multiple reports have 
          found that Hizballah has significant and expanding ties to 
          transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, and money-
          laundering activities in the Western Hemisphere, including 
          partnerships with Mexico's Los Zetas, Colombia's Revolutionary 
          Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and Brazil's Primeriro Comando 
          de la Capital.
              (13) As of June 2017, the United States has sanctioned 11 
          individuals and four companies in the Tri-Border Area of 
          Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil for their involvement with 
          Hizballah's terror finance networks. However, multiple reports 
          show that despite United States measures, some of these 
          individuals who are Specially Designated Global Terrorists 
          (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224 of September 2001 continue 
          to have access to the global financial system.
  
  SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
  
      Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to 
  continue the policy outlined in the Hizballah International Financing 
  Prevention Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-102) and the government-wide 
  strategy outlined in Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 
  2012 (Public Law 112-220) to prevent further penetration of Iran and 
  Hizballah into the Western Hemisphere and prioritize United States 
  diplomatic efforts to engage countries in the Western Hemisphere to 
  disrupt and degrade Hizballah's illicit networks operating in the 
  region.
  
  SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Western hemisphere.--The term ``Western Hemisphere'' 
          has the meaning given such term in section 4(1) of the 
          Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere Act of 2012 (Public 
          Law 112-220; 22 U.S.C. 8701 note).
              (2) Relevant congressional committees.--The term ``relevant 
          congressional committees'' has the meaning given such term in 
          section 4(2) of the Countering Iran in the Western Hemisphere 
          Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-220; 22 U.S.C. 8701 note).
              (3) Hizballah.--The term ``Hizballah'' has the meaning 
          given such term in section 102(f) of the Hizballah 
          International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-
          102; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note).
              (4) Hostile activities.--The term ``hostile activities'' 
          means any activities that promote anti-American or undemocratic 
          views that threaten United States national security through 
          government-to-government, private sector, nongovernmental 
          organizations, or public diplomacy engagement.
  
  SEC. 5. UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PREVENT HOSTILE ACTIVITIES BY IRAN 
                AND DISRUPT AND DEGRADE HIZBALLAH'S ILLICIT NETWORKS IN 
                THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
  
      (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 
  relevant congressional committees a strategy to prevent hostile 
  activities by Iran and disrupt and degrade Hizballah's illicit networks 
  in the Western Hemisphere that--
              (1) identifies Department of State priorities, in 
          coordination with other executive branch agencies, for defining 
          United States policy to protect United States interests from 
          Iranian and Hizballah threats in the Western Hemisphere;
              (2) involves a whole-of-government approach led by the 
          Secretary of State, in coordination with other executive branch 
          agencies, to ensure that information-sharing, interdictions, 
          arrests, investigations, indictments, sanctions, and 
          designations related to Hizballah individuals or networks in 
          the Western Hemisphere are integrated, coordinated, and 
          publicly communicated by the United States in a manner that 
          supports United States interests;
              (3) outlines a counter-network disruption campaign that 
          includes the input of other executive branch agencies and that 
          uses all appropriate United States national tools;
              (4) describes Iranian and Hizballah activities in the 
          Western Hemisphere, their relationships with transnational 
          criminal organizations in the region, their use of the region's 
          commodities trade to engage in illicit activities, and their 
          use of Latin American and Caribbean visas, including through 
          Citizenship by Investment Programs to seek admittance into the 
          United States, as well as a plan to address any security 
          vulnerabilities to the United States;
              (5) includes a review of all relevant United States 
          sanctions that relate to Hizballah's activities in Latin 
          America and the Caribbean and an assessment of their use, 
          effectiveness, and any capability gaps;
              (6) includes a review of the use of the Department of 
          State's rewards program under section 36 of the State 
          Department Basic Authorities Act (22 U.S.C. 2708) to obtain 
          information related to Latin America-based Hizballah operatives 
          and illicit networks and an assessment of the effectiveness of 
          this program for targeting Hizballah in the Western Hemisphere;
              (7) includes a review of all relevant United States 
          sanctions on financial institutions in Latin America and the 
          Caribbean that engage in activities outlined by section 102 of 
          Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 
          (Public Law 114-102; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) and an assessment of 
          the use of the authorities outlined, their effectiveness, and 
          recommendations for improvement;
              (8) describes Hizballah criminal support networks, 
          including country facilitation, in the Western Hemisphere and 
          outlines a United States approach to partners in the region to 
          address those illicit networks and build country capacity to 
          combat the transnational criminal activities of Hizballah; and
              (9) includes a review of the actions of governments in the 
          Western Hemisphere to identify, investigate, and prosecute 
          Latin America-based Hizballah operatives, and enforce sanctions 
          either personally or to their business interests of Latin 
          America-based Hizballah operatives as well as recommendations 
          for United States action towards governments who refuse to 
          impose sanctions or who willingly facilitate Latin America-
          based Hizballah illicit activities.
      (b) Form.--The strategy required by subsection (b) shall be 
  submitted in unclassified form to the greatest extent possible but may 
  include a classified annex.
  
  SEC. 6. UNITED STATES BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL ENGAGEMENT ON 
                HIZBALLAH IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
  
      (a) Bilateral Engagement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
  the enactment of this Act, the President shall instruct the Secretary 
  of State to prioritize United States diplomatic engagement with 
  countries in the Western Hemisphere to increase cooperation and build 
  governments' capacity to prevent hostile activities by Iran and disrupt 
  and degrade Hizballah's illicit networks operating in the region. Such 
  diplomatic engagement may include--
              (1) efforts to target and expose illicit networks, arrest 
          perpetrators, freeze assets, and attack Iran and Hizballah's 
          use of illicit networks using international trade and banking 
          systems;
              (2) efforts to revoke or deny visas from those implicated 
          in Hizballah activity in the region, including lawyers, 
          accountants, business partners, and service providers and 
          politicians who knowingly facilitate or fail to take measures 
          to counter Hizballah's illicit finance in their own 
          jurisdictions;
              (3) efforts to assist willing nations with the development 
          of counter-organized crime legislation, the strengthening of 
          financial investigative capacity, and a fully-vetted counter-
          organized crime judicial model in places plagued with 
          corruption; and
              (4) efforts to persuade governments in the region to list 
          Hizballah as a terrorist organization.
      (b) Multilateral Engagement.--
              (1) In general.--Title I of the Hizballah International 
          Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-102; 129 Stat. 
          2206; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note) is amended by adding at the end the 
          following:
  
  ``SEC. 103. DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES.
  
      ``(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
              ``(1) the designation of Hizballah as a terrorist 
          organization by the Gulf Cooperation Council represents a 
          positive step; and
              ``(2) the United States should provide necessary technical 
          and other advice to the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council 
          to enhance the effectiveness of that designation.
      ``(b) Diplomatic Initiatives.--Not later than 90 days after the 
  date of the enactment of this section, the President shall instruct--
              ``(1) the United States Permanent Representative to the 
          Organization of American States to work to secure support at 
          the Organization of American States for a resolution that would 
          declare Hizballah as a terrorist organization and address 
          Hizballah's illicit networks operating in the region;
              ``(2) the United States Ambassador to the Organization for 
          Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to work to secure a 
          report on compliance by participating states with OSCE Decision 
          Number 1063, the `Consolidated Framework for the Fight Against 
          Terrorism', in regard to Hizballah, with particular focus on 
          the mandate to `suppress the financing of terrorism, including 
          its links with money-laundering and illegal economic 
          activities', especially as it relates transatlantic relations, 
          including with Latin America and the Caribbean; and
              ``(3) United States diplomats to work with international 
          forums, including the Financial Action Task Force, to identify 
          government entities within Latin America and the Caribbean that 
          provide support, facilitation, or assistance to individuals 
          affiliated with Hizballah in the Western Hemisphere.
      ``(c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
  of this section, and every 180 days thereafter for a period not to 
  exceed 3 years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on 
  Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
  Foreign Relations of the Senate a report describing efforts of the 
  United States Permanent Representative to the Organization of American 
  States with respect to matters described in subsection (b)(1), efforts 
  of the United States Ambassador to the Organization for Security and 
  Cooperation in Europe with respect to the matters described in 
  subsection (b)(2), and efforts by United States diplomats with respect 
  to the matters described in subsection (b)(3).''.
              (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for the 
          Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 is 
          amended by inserting after the item related to section 102 the 
          following new item:
  
  ``Sec. 103. Diplomatic initiatives.''.
  
  SEC. 7. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT BRIEFINGS.
  
      The Secretary of State provide to the relevant congressional 
  committees annual briefings that review Department of State efforts to 
  implement the strategy to prevent hostile activities by Iran and 
  disrupt and degrade Hizballah's illicit networks in the Western 
  Hemisphere under section 5 and United States bilateral and multilateral 
  engagement with respect to Hizballah in the Western Hemisphere in 
  accordance with section 6 and the amendments made by section 6.
  
  SEC. 8. REGULATORY AUTHORITY.
  
      (a) 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 Act and the amendments made by 
  this Act.
      (b) Notification to Congress.--Not less than 10 days before the 
  promulgation of regulations under subsection (a), the President shall 
  notify the relevant congressional committees of the proposed 
  regulations and the provisions of this Act that the regulations are 
  implementing.
  
  SEC. 9. SUNSET.
  
      This Act shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after the date 
  on which the President certifies to Congress that Hizballah meets the 
  requirements described in section 303 of Hizballah International 
  Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-102; 50 U.S.C. 1701 
  note).
target: Iran and Hizballah Western Hemisphere Prevention Act of 2017 This bill declares it to be U.S. policy to prevent further penetration of Iran and Hizballah into the Western Hemisphere and to prioritize diplomatic efforts to engage countries in the hemisphere to disrupt and degrade Hizballah's illicit networks operating in the region. The Department of State shall submit a strategy to prevent hostile activities by Iran and disrupt and degrade Hizballah's illicit networks in the hemisphere. The President shall instruct the State Department to prioritize U.S. diplomatic engagement with countries in the hemisphere in order to increase cooperation and build the capacity of the governments of those countries to prevent such activities and disrupt and degrade such networks.  The bill amends the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 to require the President to instruct:    the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to work to secure OAS support for a resolution that would declare Hizballah to be a terrorist organization and address such illicit networks; and  the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to work in securing a report on compliance by participating states with OSCE Decision Number 1063, the Consolidated Framework for the Fight Against Terrorism, with regard to Hizballah; and  U.S. diplomats to work with international forums to identify government entities in Latin America and the Caribbean that support individuals affiliated with Hizballah in the hemisphere.   The State Department must provide to the relevant congressional committees annual briefings that review its efforts to implement such strategy and U.S. bilateral and multilateral engagement with respect to Hizballah in the hemisphere. 
feat_title: Iran and Hizballah Western Hemisphere Prevention Act of 2017