[Pages H7908-H7911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

URGING THE EUROPEAN UNION TO DESIGNATE HIZBALLAH IN ITS ENTIRETY AS A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 558) urging the European Union to designate
Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist organization, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:

H. Res. 558

Whereas, in April 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against
the United States Embassy in Beirut killed 63 people;
Whereas, in October 1983, a Hizballah terror attack against
the United States Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killed
241 American and 58 French servicemembers supporting the
Multinational Force peacekeeping mission;
Whereas, in July 2012, a Hizballah terror attack, carried
out by an operative with dual Lebanese-French citizenship, in
Burgas, Bulgaria, killed 5 Israeli tourists and 1 Bulgarian;
Whereas, in March 2013, a Swedish-Lebanese Hizballah
operative in Cyprus was convicted of planning terror attacks
against Israeli tourists;
Whereas, in June 2015, a Hizballah operative was sentenced
to 6 years in prison after he stockpiled more than 8 tons of
ammonium nitrate in Cyprus;
Whereas the Hizballah International Financing Prevention
Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-102) and the Hizballah
International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2018
(Public Law 115-272) broadened financial sector sanctions
against Hizballah to compel foreign financial institutions to
refrain from supporting the terrorist group;
Whereas, in May 2018, the Department of the Treasury
imposed sanctions on Abdullah Safi-Al-Din, Hizballah's
representative to Iran, Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi, a Hizballah
financier, and blacklisted 5 of Bazzi's companies, including
Belgian energy services conglomerate Global Trading Group NV;
Whereas, in October 2018, French police raided the Islamic
Zahra Centre on suspicion of supporting Hizballah, freezing
the organization's funds, and seizing illegal weapons;
Whereas, in September 2020, 4 former leaders of the Zahra
Centre France were arrested on suspicion of continuing to run
the association;
Whereas, in July 2019, the Department of the Treasury
designated 2 Hizballah-backed members of Lebanese Parliament,
Amin Sherri and Muhammad Hasan Ra'd, and Hizballah security
official Wafiq Safa, stating that Hizballah uses its
operatives in parliament to advance its violent activities;
Whereas, as of April 2020, Germany believed there to be
1,050 people with suspected links to Hizballah in the
country;
Whereas Europol's June 2020 European Union Terrorism
Situation and Trend Report outlined that Hizballah is
``suspected of trafficking diamonds and drugs and of money
laundering via the trade in second-hand cars'', and the
report also stated that ``investigations face the difficulty
of demonstrating that the funds collected are channeled to
the military wing of the organization'';
Whereas United States-led Project Cassandra and Operation
Cedar exposed the criminal-business wing of Hizballah, the
Business Affairs Component (BAC) of Hezbollah's External
Security Organization;
Whereas, during Project Cassandra, Hizballah elements
involved in drug trafficking were arrested in the United
States, South America, and several European countries,
including France, Belgium, Germany, and Italy;
Whereas Hizballah's criminal activity in Europe is run by
the BAC, which reports to the External Security Organisation,
also known as Unit 910, or the Islamic Jihad Organization,
and Abdallah Safieddine, Hizballah's representative in Iran,
is also involved in this activity;
Whereas, in August 2020, United Nations Secretary General
Guterres called on Lebanon to disarm Hizballah, citing the
terror group's persistent violation of Resolution 1701
(2006);
Whereas Iran is the prime sponsor of Hizballah, harboring,
financing, training, and arming the group;
Whereas the Department of the Treasury and Department of
State estimate that Iran provides as much as $700,000,000 per
year to Hizballah in the form of financial and logistical
support, weapons, and training;
Whereas Hizballah now has an arsenal of approximately
150,000 missiles and rockets, many of which can reach deep
into Israel;
Whereas Hizballah fighters have been supporting the Assad
regime in Syria, often leading operations in the conflict
which has left more than 500,000 dead;
Whereas Hizballah's destabilizing actions in Syria have
contributed to a migrant crisis that has brought over 700,000
refugees to Europe;
Whereas Hizballah trains and provides weapons for militias
in Iraq and Yemen, further destabilizing the region and
perpetuating violence in those countries;
Whereas Hizballah activities continue to plague Lebanon
with profound economic and political instability and
violence;
Whereas, in August 2020, at least 220 people died and
thousands more were injured when a massive stockpile of
ammonium nitrate exploded in Beirut's port;
Whereas Hizballah's cross border illicit arms and drugs
trafficking undermines the Lebanese Armed Forces, the
legitimate security establishment of the country as outlined
in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006);
Whereas, in October 2012, Hizballah Deputy Secretary
General Naim Qassem stated that ``[Hizballah does not] have a
military wing

[[Page H7909]]

and a political one . . . Every element of Hizballah, from
commanders to members as well as our various capabilities,
are in the service of the resistance'';
Whereas the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Serbia,
and Kosovo, among others, have designated Hizballah in its
entirety as a terror organization;
Whereas, in March 2016, the Gulf Cooperation Council
formally branded Hizballah, in its entirety, a terrorist
organization, and the League of Arab States shortly
thereafter adopted the same designation;
Whereas the Department of the Treasury has diligently added
persons and entities to the list of Specially Designated
Global Terrorists who have provided material support to the
Hizballah terrorist organization, thereby hampering its
financing and logistical capabilities;
Whereas the European Union, in July 2013, designated
Hizballah's so-called ``military wing'', but not the
organization as a whole, as a terrorist organization;
Whereas, despite restrictions put on Hizballah since the
designation of its military wing, the group continues to
conduct illicit narcotrafficking, money laundering, and
weapons trafficking throughout Europe and the world; and
Whereas the House of Representatives has previously called
on the European Union to fully designate Hizballah as a
terrorist organization, passing House Resolution 359 in
October 2017: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) applauds and expresses support for the continued,
increased cooperation between the United States and the
European Union (EU) in thwarting Hizballah's criminal and
terrorist activities;
(2) supports transcontinental efforts within Europe to
share intelligence information among police and security
services to facilitate greater cooperation in tracking,
apprehending, and prosecuting terrorists, foreign fighters,
and potential offenders;
(3) encourages the European Union to implement sanctions
against Hizballah-affiliated terrorists in tandem with the
United States;
(4) recommends greater civil society engagement in both the
United States and Europe to underscore Hizballah's malign
regional influence; and
(5) urges the European Union to designate Hizballah in its
entirety as a terrorist organization and increase pressure on
the group, including through--
(A) facilitating better cross-border cooperation between
European Union members in combating Hizballah;
(B) issuing arrest warrants against members and active
supporters of Hizballah;
(C) freezing Hizballah's assets in Europe, including those
masquerading as charities; and
(D) prohibiting fundraising activities in support of
Hizballah.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski).

General Leave

Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H. Res. 558, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 558, urging the
European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist
organization.
I thank first my dear friend, Ted Deutch, the chairman of our
Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global
Counterterrorism for reintroducing this important legislation which
previously did pass the House in the 115th Congress. When Ted departs
our Foreign Affairs Committee in October, we are all going to miss his
voice, particularly on issues regarding the Middle East, and his
tireless advocacy in defense of American interests and those of our
allies around the world.
Now, despite all we know about Hizballah, a murderous, terrorist
organization that also serves as an Iranian proxy in the region, our
friends and partners in the European Union only include Hizballah's
military branch, not its political branch, on its list of sanctioned
terrorist organizations.
The Government of the United States, in contrast, makes no
distinction between its two branches and includes Hizballah in its
entirety on the U.S. foreign terrorist organization list because we
know they are one and the same. The European Union is long overdue in
coming to the same realization.
Congress is pleased that many individual European countries have
acted despite the position of the E.U. as a whole. The Arab League and
the Gulf Cooperation Council have also designated Hizballah in its
entirety. So it remains troubling that the E.U., an organization that
shares so many of our values, interests, and policy goals, continues to
allow Hizballah's political wing to operate freely, advancing
Hizballah's violent agenda around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this important
resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution.
I would like to start off by thanking my good friend and colleague,
Ted Deutch, for not only introducing this important resolution but his
tremendous work during his tenure in the House, particularly in
combating anti-Semitism. There is no better friend of Israel than Ted
Deutch, and there is no better friend of the Jewish community that is
under siege here in the United States and around the world than Ted
Deutch.

{time} 1545

He and I co-chaired the House Anti-Semitism Task Force. As we all
know, and many of my colleagues know, he is leaving on October 1 to
head up the American Jewish Committee, AJC.
What is AJC's gain is our loss, for Mr. Deutch has brought character
and leadership to this Congress, and he will be deeply missed, and I
thank him again for his very, very strong voice.
Mr. Speaker, as the Lebanese lira continues its downward decline,
Hizballah has become increasingly reliant on illicit criminal networks
across Europe to help finance their criminal enterprise.
Combating Hizballah's malign activity requires robust transatlantic
law enforcement cooperation. This can only take place once Hizballah is
designated as a terrorist organization in its entirety.
Recognizing an arbitrary distinction between Hizballah's political
and military wings gives Hizballah space to operate across Europe,
providing legal cover for its military wing to continue financing
terrorism through its political branch.
There is no distinction between Hizballah's political and military
wings--both serve the same ugly malign agenda that seeks to undermine
the stability of the Lebanese state, prop up the murderous dictatorship
of Bashar al-Assad, and threaten Israel's security.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the recent steps taken by Germany and others
to designate Hizballah in full as a terrorist organization, and all of
the European Union needs to do likewise.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from North Carolina (Ms. Manning).
Ms. MANNING. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative
Malinowski, for yielding. I also thank my dear friend and colleague,
Congressman Ted Deutch, for his tremendous leadership on this and so
many issues as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Middle East, North
Africa, and Global Counterterrorism. It is a privilege to serve with
him.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 558, a bipartisan
resolution I was proud to help introduce with Chairman Deutch, urging
the European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a
terrorist organization.
The Iranian-backed terrorist group, Hizballah, is responsible for
thousands of civilian deaths, not just in the Middle East, but around
the globe. Until 9/11, Hizballah had killed more Americans than any
other terrorist group. Today, it maintains an arsenal of 150,000
rockets aimed at Israel.
Just this past week, Hizballah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, issued a
series of grave threats and provocations against Israel, claiming its
missiles are locked on an Israel offshore gas field, which Israel seeks
to develop to export much-needed energy supplies to Europe.
This is another reminder of why it is incomprehensible that any EU
member

[[Page H7910]]

can credibly assert any distinction between Hizballah's so-called
military and political wings. The truth is, there is one unified
Hizballah, and it is dedicated to carrying out terrorist activities
around the world.
That is why this bipartisan resolution calls on our partners in the
EU to take a stronger stand against worldwide terrorism by designating
Hizballah--as a whole--as a terrorist organization.
We must continue to keep pressure on Hizballah and all other
terrorist groups that threaten the United States and our ally Israel,
and undermine peace, security, and stability throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bipartisan measure, and I thank
Chairman Deutch for his steadfast leadership on this important issue.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Deutch).
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Mr. Malinowski, for
yielding, and for his friendship, leadership, and kind words. I thank
my other friend from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his leadership and for
his kind words. I thank Ms. Manning for her leadership and kind words,
as well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 558, which urges the
European Union to designate Hizballah in its entirety as a terrorist
organization.
Mr. Speaker, this is Hizballah. Hizballah that bombed the U.S.
Embassy in Beirut, the U.S. and French Marine barracks in Beirut, the
Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, the AMIA Jewish Center in Buenos
Aires, bombed Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and has--as Ms. Manning
pointed out--over 150,000 rockets pointed at Israeli civilians.
First, I thank Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member McCaul for their
leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee and for bringing this
resolution to the floor today.
I also want to extend my gratitude to my good friend from Florida
(Mr. Bilirakis) for partnering with me on this resolution, and to
Ranking Member Joe Wilson for his leadership on the subcommittee and
for his commitment to working with me on this and a host of so many
other critical issues--issues critical to America's security.
Mr. Speaker, I also take this moment on the House floor to thank my
Foreign Affairs staff, Sophie Mirviss, MENA staff director;
professional staff member, Jack Steinberg; and of course, Casey Kustin,
our former staff director.
Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago, a Hizballah suicide bomber blew up a bus
in Burgas, Bulgaria. On that bus were 42 Israeli tourists, mostly young
people. That day, Hizballah ended five lives and injured 32 others. In
2013, almost exactly 1 year later, the European Union took action to
designate Hizballah's military wing as a terrorist organization.
But the inadvertent result of this designation was that a false
distinction was made: a false distinction between Hizballah's military
and political wings. Let me be clear, there are no different branches
of Hizballah; it is in its entirety a terrorist organization.

You don't need to take my word for this. The United States Government
makes no distinction between the organization's branches and includes
Hizballah, in its entirety, on the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization
List. But you also don't need to take our Government's word for it, or
the word of Germany, Israel, Guatemala, Argentina, the United Kingdom,
or the many other countries that have designated all of Hizballah,
rightfully, as a terrorist organization. Take Hizballah's word for it.
One of their own representatives in the Lebanese Parliament explicitly
said, ``the military wing of Hizballah is inseparable from its
political wing.''
It is a fact that Hizballah is one unified terrorist organization. An
organization that, with support from the Iranian regime, has carried
out horrific terror attacks around the globe and continues to spread
violence and terror throughout the Middle East.
It is an Iranian terror proxy. The same Iranian regime whose
President last night on American television deemed the reality of the
Holocaust--deemed it false--denied the reality of the Holocaust. It
denied Israel's very right to exist.
Iran-backed Hizballah consistently threatens Israel and its citizens
with drones, missiles, threats of invasion, and undermines stability
and economic opportunity in Lebanon. What's more, the organization
supports the brutal Assad regime and is complicit in its murder of more
than half a million people from the ongoing conflict in Syria.
The facts are clear: Around the world, Hizballah should be designated
as a terrorist organization in its entirety.
That is why I stand in support of this resolution: as global partners
of the United States and key players in the international rules-based
order, the EU must designate all of Hizballah as a terrorist
organization so we can increase global cooperation to isolate and
dismantle this group.
I recognize there are legal concerns from our European friends that
designating all of Hizballah as a terrorist organization could prevent
support for the Lebanese people, as Hizballah has infiltrated the
country's political system.
The EU rightful recognizes Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist
organization, despite that fact that Hamas operates as a political
party in Gaza. This does not impact the EU's ability to support Gaza
reconstruction, just as designating Hizballah as a whole would not
prevent the EU from supporting the needs of the people of Lebanon, and
the refugees inside Lebanon.
It is time for the EU to fix this false distinction once and for all,
and the global momentum is on our side. In 2016, the Gulf Cooperation
Council and the Arab League both designated Hizballah as a terrorist
organization with no distinction between its political and military
wings, despite Lebanon being a member of the Arab League. The EU should
take note of that.
A full EU designation now would demonstrate Europe's commitment to
cracking down on Iran's use of proxy terrorist groups, destabilizing
the region, and attacking our shared national security priorities.
This resolution sends an important message to our European allies.
More can and must be done to counter the Iranian proxy Hizballah, which
begins with calling them what they are, a terrorist organization in its
entirety that is committed to the destruction of our ally, Israel, and
continues to undermine the values and interests of both the United
States and Europe. It is time for the EU to join us in designating
Hizballah in its entirety. A nearly identical measure passed the House
in 2017 by voice vote.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute and 30
seconds to the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I came to Congress in April 2010 committed
to standing up to Iran's malign activities, and support for Hizballah
is a prime example. As I prepare to conclude my time in this Chamber, I
urge my colleagues to continue to unite the world against Iran's terror
proxies and to boldly take action to ensure Iran never has nuclear
weapons; never forgets that the U.S. will always stand against its
human rights violations, against its support for terror, against its
anti-Semitism, against its call for Israel's destruction, against its
unlawfully detention of Americans--Morad Tahbaz, Emad Sharghi, Siamak
Namazi, Baquer Namazi, and refuses to bring closure to the family of
Bob Levinson.
My colleagues, we must continue to stand up to Iran's aggression.
Today's vote is a vote to urge our European allies to designate all of
Hizballah--what it is--an Iran-backed terror proxy.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their cooperation on this
bill, and I thank them for their friendship all these many years.
Mr. MALINOWSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly agree with Representative Deutch. I have
always believed the first principle of foreign policy is to call things
by their proper name. Sometimes we have to be pragmatic in our dealings
around the world, but always start by being honest. Hizballah is a
terrorist organization.

[[Page H7911]]

Say it. The European Union should do so, as well.
Today, we are being heard again on a bipartisan basis--loud and
clear--and I hope the European Union hears our message. I hope my
colleagues will join us in supporting this resolution, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 558, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

____________________