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House Passes Boyle Amendment to Sanction Russian Support of Hezbollah

October 25, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House passed Congressman Brendan F. Boyle's (PA-13) amendment to sanction Russia for its support of the terrorist organization Hezbollah. H.R. 3329, the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2017, with Boyle's amendment, passed the House and now awaits consideration by the U.S. Senate.

"This is a critical first step in censuring the disturbing relationship between Russia and Hezbollah, a terrorist group that has repeatedly violated international law," said Congressman Boyle, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a statement after the passage of the bill. "It is high time we take a stand against international support for Hezbollah and commit to ensuring the security of Americans abroad and defending our international allies like Israel."

"In the course of their collaboration during the Syrian conflict, Russia has provided Hezbollah with funding, training, air support, and advanced weaponry. This expansion of Hezbollah's capacity for destruction poses an imminent threat to peace and democracy in the region. This amendment will compel Russia to cease its support for Hezbollah in Syria or anywhere else, or else face sanctions by the United States."

H.R. 3329 targets foreign governments that knowingly provide significant financial support to Hezbollah and foreign individuals and companies that aid its fundraising or recruitment activities. In the decade since the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah has transformed, emboldened by learning Russian methods of war and becoming familiar with their advanced weaponry and technologies. Hezbollah has now amassed up to 150,000 rockets and missiles, and could launch over 1,500 rockets per day in a future conflict with Israel. On the Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Boyle remains steadfast in his efforts to hold Hezbollah and its allies accountable.

Congressman Boyle remains outspoken in his commitment to ending violence in the Middle East and serves as co-chair of the Friends of a Free, Stable and Democratic Syria Caucus, which recently met with the renowned White Helmet search-and-rescue team to discuss humanitarian responses to the Syrian conflict and atrocities committed by the Assad regime and Russian military. He is also leading congressional efforts to hold the Russian government accountable for its military incursion into Ukrainian territory and its cybersecurity attacks on America and its allies.
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