Free Yemen from Iran Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10354 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10354

To impose targeted sanctions on the Houthi terrorists and their supporters, and to support the internationally recognized Government of Yemen in their fight against Houthi terrorists.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 14, 2026

Mr. Wilson of South Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To impose targeted sanctions on the Houthi terrorists and their supporters, and to support the internationally recognized Government of Yemen in their fight against Houthi terrorists.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Free Yemen from Iran Act''.

SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Free Yemen from Iran Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following: (1) The Iran-backed Houthi movement has killed and displaced innocent Yemeni people. (2) The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has enabled Ansar Allah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, to target United States persons and interests in the Red Sea. (3) The Russian Federation has assisted the Houthis in gathering information on United States assets in the region. (4) The internationally recognized Government of Yemen is the sole legitimate representative of the Yemeni people. (5) For as long as the Houthis remain in power and continue to control territory in Yemen--maritime navigation in the Red Sea will not be safe; allies and partners of the United States, will remain threatened; United States persons and assets will remain under imminent threat; global energy security will remain threatened; Yemen will remain a failed state; Yemeni Jews and other minorities will remain subject to persecution and threats; and al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and other foreign terrorist organizations will be provided an environment in which to flourish and will continue to pose direct and indirect threats to the United States.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

It is the policy of the United States-- (1) to help the Yemeni people liberate and free Yemen from Iranian control and influence; (2) to support the internationally recognized Government of Yemen in liberating areas controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-backed Houthi movement; (3) to support the restoration of the authority and sovereignty of the internationally recognized Government of Yemen throughout Yemen; and (4) to promote peace and stability in Yemen.

SEC. 4. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN PERSONS THAT ENGAGE IN CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS WITH THE HOUTHIS.

(a) Imposition of Sanctions.-- (1) In general.--On and after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President-- (A) shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to a foreign person that the President determines-- (i) knowingly engages, on or after such date of enactment, in an activity described in paragraph (2); (ii) is an adult family member of a foreign person described in clause (i), unless the President determines that there is clear and convincing evidence that such adult family member-- (I) has disassociated from the foreign person described in clause (i); and (II) has no history of assisting such foreign person in concealing or transferring assets; or (iii) is owned or controlled by a foreign person described in clause (i) or (ii); and (B) may impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to a foreign person that the President determines knowingly provides significant financial, material, or technological support to a foreign person engaging in an activity described in subparagraphs (B) through (H) of paragraph (2). (2) Activities described.--A foreign person engages in an activity described in this paragraph if the foreign person-- (A) knowingly provides significant financial, material, or technological support to, or knowingly engages in a significant transaction with-- (i) Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, including any entity owned or controlled by Ansar Allah, or any senior political, military, security, or financial official of Ansar Allah; (ii) the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, or a foreign person acting for or on behalf of either such organization for the purpose of supporting Ansar Allah; (iii) a foreign person subject to sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or any other provision of law for providing support to Ansar Allah; or (iv) an agency or instrumentality of a foreign government that knowingly provides significant financial, material, military, technological, intelligence, or logistical support to Ansar Allah; (B) knowingly sells, supplies, or provides significant goods, services, technology, information, or other support that significantly facilitates the acquisition, development, production, maintenance, repair, transportation, transfer, or deployment by Ansar Allah of-- (i) ballistic missiles or cruise missiles; (ii) unmanned aerial systems; (iii) unmanned surface or subsurface vessels; (iv) anti-ship weapons; (v) naval mines; (vi) air-defense systems; (vii) firearms, explosives, or other conventional weapons; or (viii) components, technology, equipment, or other materiel used in connection with a weapon described in clauses (i) through (vii); (C) knowingly sells, supplies, leases, transfers, or provides an aircraft, vessel, vehicle, or spare parts for an aircraft, vessel, or vehicle that is used to transport weapons, military materiel, or other significant material support to or for the benefit of Ansar Allah; (D) knowingly provides significant goods or services associated with the operation of an aircraft or vessel described in subparagraph (C), including-- (i) shipping services; (ii) insurance or reinsurance; (iii) vessel registration or flagging services; (iv) port services; (v) bunkering; (vi) maintenance or repair; (vii) crewing; or (viii) other logistical services; (E) knowingly, directly or indirectly, provides significant financial, shipping, insurance, reinsurance, logistics, construction, engineering, or other commercial services to Ansar Allah or in support of an activity described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D); (F) knowingly engages in a significant transaction involving petroleum, petroleum products, natural gas, or other energy products if the foreign person knows that such transaction generates significant revenue for Ansar Allah or an entity owned or controlled by Ansar Allah; (G) knowingly finances, brokers, transports, transships, insures, or otherwise facilitates the transfer to Ansar Allah of arms, weapons components, military technology, or other military materiel originating in or transferred through the Islamic Republic of Iran, the People's Republic of China, or any other foreign country; or (H) knowingly engages in or facilitates a significant transaction intended to evade or circumvent, or has the effect of evading or circumventing, sanctions imposed with respect to Ansar Allah or a person sanctioned under this section. (3) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, in implementing paragraph (2)(A), significant financial support should be considered to include the provision of loans, credits, export credits, guarantees, insurance, reinsurance, or other significant financial services. (4) Transactions.--For purposes of this subsection, the term ``transaction'' includes an in-kind transaction. (b) Sanctions Described.-- (1) In general.--The sanctions to be imposed with respect to a foreign person described in subsection (a) are the following: (A) Blocking of property.--The President shall exercise all powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the foreign person if such property and interests in property-- (i) are in the United States; (ii) come within the United States; or (iii) are or come within the possession or control of a United States person. (B) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole.-- (i) Visas, admission, or parole.--In the case of a foreign person who is an alien, such alien shall be-- (I) inadmissible to the United States; (II) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and (III) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). (ii) Current visas revoked.-- (I) In general.--An alien described in clause (i) shall be subject to revocation of any visa or other entry documentation regardless of when such visa or documentation was issued. (II) Immediate effect.--A revocation under subclause (I) shall-- (aa) take effect immediately; and (bb) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation in the possession of the alien. (2) Penalties.--A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of regulations issued to carry out paragraph (1)(A) shall be subject to the penalties specified in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705). (c) Exceptions Relating to Admission to the United States.-- Subsection (b)(1)(B) shall not apply if admission or parole of an alien is necessary-- (1) to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations or another applicable international obligation; or (2) to carry out or assist law enforcement activity in the United States. (d) Humanitarian Exception.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to a transaction solely for the provision of-- (1) agricultural commodities or food; (2) medicine or medical devices; (3) humanitarian assistance; or (4) goods or services necessary to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen, unless the President determines that such assistance has been knowingly diverted for the significant benefit of Ansar Allah or a person subject to sanctions under this section. (e) Congressional Requests for Sanctions Determinations.--Not later than 120 days after receiving a request from the chair and ranking member of an appropriate congressional committee with respect to whether a foreign person knowingly engages in an activity described in subsection (a)(2), the President shall-- (1) make a determination as to whether such foreign person meets the criteria for the imposition of sanctions under subsection (a); and (2) submit to the chair and ranking member making such request a report that-- (A) states the determination of the President; and (B) states whether the President has imposed or intends to impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to such foreign person. (f) Implementation.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 5. IDENTIFICATION AND SANCTIONING OF HOUTHI FINANCING AND ARMS NETWORKS.

(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive report identifying persons and entities throughout the world that finance, arm, supply, or otherwise provide material support to the Houthis. (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include, to the extent practicable, the identification of-- (1) Houthi financiers; (2) arms brokers and procurement agents that support the Houthis; (3) vessels used to transport weapons or other material support to the Houthis; (4) oil companies that provide significant support to the Houthis; (5) members, agents, affiliates, and instrumentalities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that support the Houthis; (6) shipping companies that facilitate the provision of material support to the Houthis; (7) insurers that knowingly facilitate such activities; (8) logistics companies and logistics networks that facilitate the provision of material support to the Houthis; and (9) persons and networks that enable the transfer of Iranian-origin or Chinese-origin arms, weapons components, or other military materiel to the Houthis. (c) Imposition of Sanctions.--The President shall impose sanctions under section 4, or another applicable sanctions authority, with respect to each person identified pursuant to subsection (b) that meets the criteria for the imposition of such sanctions. (d) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.

SEC. 6. DESIGNATION OF THE HOUTHIS AS A TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall designate Ansar Allah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a significant transnational criminal organization pursuant to Executive Order 13581 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of transnational criminal organizations), as amended by Executive Order 13863, and shall impose all sanctions applicable pursuant to such designation.

SEC. 7. BRIEFINGS ON RUSSIAN AND CHINESE MALIGN INFLUENCE IN YEMEN.

(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall provide the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on-- (1) Iranian influence and activities in Yemen; (2) Russian influence and activities in Yemen; (3) Chinese influence and activities in Yemen; and (4) efforts by the United States to counter such influence and activities. (b) Elements.--Each briefing required by subsection (a) shall include an assessment of-- (1) financial, military, intelligence, political, and other assistance provided to the Houthis by Iran, Russia, or the People's Republic of China; (2) foreign weapons, weapons components, and military technology provided to or acquired by the Houthis; and (3) actions undertaken by the United States to counter such activities.

SEC. 8. STRATEGY TO COUNTER HOUTHI MARITIME SECURITY THREATS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Commander of the United States Central Command and in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall, within 180 days of enactment, submit a strategy to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, the House Committee on Armed Services, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Senate Committee on Armed Services regarding how to work with the Government of Yemen to enhance maritime security and counter threats by the Houthis. (b) Purposes.--The strategy required by subsection (a) shall be designed to-- (1) counter the smuggling of weapons and military materiel to the Houthis; (2) strengthen the maritime security capabilities of the Government of Yemen; (3) disrupt Iranian weapons smuggling and other illicit networks supporting the Houthis; and (4) improve maritime security in-- (A) the Red Sea; (B) the Gulf of Aden; and (C) the Arabian Sea.

SEC. 9. SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF YEMEN.

The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, are authorized to provide $100 million in assistance to train, equip and professionalize Yemeni security forces for the purposes of-- (1) restoring state authority throughout Yemen; (2) restoring and protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen; (3) countering the Houthis and foreign terrorist organizations operating in Yemen; (4) strengthening maritime and border security; and (5) strengthening legitimate Yemeni security institutions.

SEC. 10. SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF YEMEN.

The Secretary of State is authorized to provide $100 million in economic stabilization initiatives in areas under the authority of the internationally recognized Government of Yemen that-- (1) reduce reliance on Iranian-backed economic and financial networks; (2) reduce reliance on Iranian proxy structures; (3) strengthen legitimate Yemeni economic and governmental institutions; and (4) promote economic stability and resilience in Yemen.

SEC. 11. SUPPORT FOR YEMENI CIVIL SOCIETY TO COUNTER THE HOUTHIS.

The Secretary of State is authorized to provide $100 million to support-- (1) Yemeni civil society working against the Houthis; (2) independent Yemeni media countering Houthi propaganda; and (3) educational initiatives that counter-- (A) Iranian propaganda; and (B) sectarian narratives promoted by Iran, the Houthis, or other Iranian-backed entities.

SEC. 12. SUPPORT FOR YEMENI CIVIL SOCIETY TO COUNTER THE HOUTHIS.

The Secretary of State shall submit a strategy to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations within 180 days of enactment, detailing ways to prioritize supporting programs in Yemen that invest in-- (1) youth employment; (2) workforce development; and (3) local governance, for the purpose of reducing recruitment by foreign terrorist organizations operating in Yemen.

SEC. 13. INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IRANIAN ACTIVITIES IN YEMEN.

The Secretary of State shall submit a strategy to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations within 180 days of enactment detailing ways it intends on assisting appropriate international accountability mechanisms to-- (1) document violations of international law in Yemen; (2) document Iranian involvement in or support for such violations; (3) preserve information and evidence relating to such involvement; and (4) expose Iranian involvement in such violations and support appropriate efforts to hold responsible persons accountable.

SEC. 14 APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.

In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Financial Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. <all>