Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. ZELDIN. Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Royce for his leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as Ranking Member Engel, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Meadows, Ms. Meng, and Mr. Tom Price of Georgia.

This has been a strong bipartisan effort that was started before I came to Congress this past January. Some of my fellow lead cosponsors on this bill have worked tirelessly over years.

America's greatness is nothing to apologize for. We are a great, free, exceptional nation. Being the leader of the free world is, this body, today, passing legislation, the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act, to tackle a rising threat in the Middle East and to United States interests all around the world. American leadership is on display here in the Halls of Congress.

Hezbollah has helped Assad fight Syrian rebels in that country. It is estimated that Iran has provided Hezbollah $60 million to $100 million per year in financial assistance.

The Dubai-based Gulf Research Center estimates Hezbollah's armed wing at about 1,000 full-time fighters and 6,000 to 10,000 volunteers. According to the Iranian Fars News Agency, Hezbollah has up to 65,000 fighters.

This legislation, H.R. 2297, addresses the need to pursue foreign banks that knowingly do business with entities that facilitate Hezbollah's activities. This legislation addresses the need to counter Hezbollah's other criminal enterprises, which include money laundering and counterfeiting of goods and pharmaceuticals.

Madam Speaker, this legislation helps address the need to obtain more information on Hezbollah's fundraising, financing, and money-laundering networks. It requires the administration to provide a comprehensive overview of countries supporting Hezbollah as well as those countries that aren't doing enough.

Again, I thank Chairman Royce for his leadership with this legislation, Mr. Engel, and my fellow co-lead sponsors as we tackle this rising tide of radical Islamic extremism in the Middle East with Hezbollah, Hamas, al Qaeda, Boko Haram, and ISIS. Every day, our 24-hour news cycle is dominated with our constituents watching, reading, and hearing about this threat that exists in the Middle East, understanding that if we do not defeat it overseas, we will be facing it here at home.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand with my fellow co-leads and my colleagues from both parties as American exceptionalism is on display here. I rise in support today, and I encourage my colleagues to vote for this legislation.

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