Issue Position: Anti-Terrorist Financing

Issue Position

One of the most daunting issues we face in the current global political environment is halting the flow of dollars illegally making their way to terrorist organizations around the world. While Congress has taken significant steps towards improving our ability to monitor and disrupt the financing of terrorist activities, terrorists' proven track record of moving money through innovative means requires that we make further progress in this critical counterterrorism area.

As a member of the House Committee on Financial Services, Congressman Lynch is particularly concerned with tracking and halting the flow of funds to terrorist groups. Congressman Lynch helped establish the bipartisan Task Force on Anti-Terrorism and Proliferation Financing during the 109th Congress and has been the Democratic Chairman since that time. The Task Force seeks to strengthen our national anti-terrorist finance strategy by holding hearings and roundtable discussions involving security and finance experts, as well as representatives from the Departments of State, Treasury, and Justice. The Task Force also educates Members of Congress and their staff on the status of national and international efforts to track and stop the flow of funds to terrorist organizations. You can find out more about the work of the Task Force on Anti-Terrorism and Proliferation Financing here.

In addition, Congressman Lynch was appointed as the Ranking Member on the Financial Services Committee's Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing on March 19, 2015. This Task Force holds hearings within the Financial Services Committee to identify weaknesses in current authority and works to ensure terror groups are unable to finance their operations, particularly through the American financial system.

As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Congressman Lynch has participated in bipartisan Congressional Delegations to the Middle East, Africa, and other regions, where he conducted direct oversight of issues pertaining to terrorist financing and money laundering activities. In particular, Congressman Lynch has examined efforts to combat terrorist financing in Afghanistan in the context of the developing Afghan banking system and has reviewed the role of regional anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism banking regulations in relation to the stabilization of the Gaza Strip banking sector. Moreover, Congressman Lynch monitored the progress of Financial Intelligence Units in Jordan, Morocco, and Nigeria. These offices track terrorism financing and money laundering in the region. Congressman Lynch will continue his efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering activities as the lead Democrat on the Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing.

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