Ranking Member Shaheen, Senator Lankford Introduce Legislation to Support Lebanon’s Sovereignty and Counter Hezbollah

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced the Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization and Support Act, legislation to support Lebanon’s rule of law and democratic institutions through targeted sanctions, support for expanding the state’s civil authority, and security assistance to help the Lebanese state establish a monopoly of force over its territory, disarm Hezbollah, integrate communities into the state and free Lebanon from Iran’s malign influence.

“For the first time in decades, Lebanon has a real chance to reclaim its sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and break free from Iran’s malign influence, but success depends on sustained American support,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization and Support Act with Senator Lankford. It combines tough sanctions on Hezbollah’s enablers with targeted security and recovery assistance as well as congressional oversight. This legislation helps the Lebanese state extend its authority and build toward a peaceful future with its neighbors. A sovereign, stable Lebanon is firmly in America’s interests, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”

“For decades, Iran has used Hezbollah to destabilize Lebanon, Israel, and threaten Americans who live in the region, but President Trump has created a real opening for change by bringing Israel and Lebanon to the table for the first direct talks in 30 years,” said Senator Lankford. “That's why I'm proud to introduce the Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization, and Support Act with Senator Shaheen. Our bill imposes tough sanctions on the network financing Hezbollah and provides security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces. A sovereign Lebanon protects Lebanese, Israeli, and American citizens living in the region, and puts real pressure on the terrorists.”

The Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization, and Support Act seizes on the opportunity presented by direct negotiations and the trilateral framework between the United States, Israel and Lebanon to ensure the disarmament of Hezbollah, integrate Lebanese communities previously reliant on Hezbollah into the Lebanese state and build toward peaceful relations between Lebanon and Israel.

After years of Iranian proxy influence through Hezbollah, a banking sector crisis and challenges in government formation, Lebanon’s reform-minded government represents the best chance in decades to secure a safe and prosperous future. While the Lebanese Armed Forces, with U.S. support to coordinate with the Israel Defense Forces, have made progress in disarming Hezbollah, Iran’s illicit financing and support of the group remains a significant impediment to completing that effort. Deepening this crisis, an estimated 1.2 million people have been displaced from southern Lebanon, risking another regional crisis.

Specifically, this legislation would:

• Impose sanctions on foreign persons who support Iran's financing of Hezbollah or obstruct Lebanon’s efforts to disarm the group and reform its financial sector. Sanctions include blocking of property, financial transaction prohibitions and visa ineligibility, with exceptions for humanitarian assistance.

• Support stabilization by continuing humanitarian assistance and establishing an incentive fund for recovery of infrastructure and civil services run by the state, as opposed to Hezbollah.

• Authorize $200 million annually in security assistance to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, conditioned on demonstrated progress against Hezbollah and with the opportunity to increase to $300 million annually if there is sufficient progress, including Foreign Military Financing and support to interdict weapons, Captagon and other illicit goods that fund the group.

• Require recurring oversight, including reporting on Lebanon's progress in disarming Hezbollah, a strategy for use of stabilization and security funds to provide Lebanese communities with an alternative to Hezbollah, efforts to secure funding from international donors, U.S. efforts to coordinate between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Israel Defense Forces, banking-sector reform and progress toward peaceful relations between Lebanon and Israel.

A one pager explainer of the bill can be found here.

The text of the bill is available here.

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