Combating Houthi Threats and Aggression Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2052 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2052

    To impose sanctions on the Houthis for attacks on international
                   shipping, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2025

 Mr. Green of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Perry, and Mrs.
Kim) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary,
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 sanctions on the Houthis for attacks on international
                   shipping, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Combating Houthi Threats and
Aggression Act''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to work with United States
allies and partners to safeguard maritime security in the Red Sea and
the Gulf of Aden, including by supporting interdiction efforts and by
opposing attacks on international shipping that threaten the free flow
of commerce, endanger innocent mariners, and violate international law,
as such attacks harm the global economy, destabilize the Middle East
and Africa region, and undermine United States national security
interests.

SEC. 3. REPORT ON CAPABILITY OF THE HOUTHIS TO THREATEN UNITED STATES
              NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY GOALS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the
capability of the Houthis (also known as ``Ansar Allah'') to threaten
United States national security and foreign policy goals.
    (b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required by subsection (a)
shall include the following:
            (1) An assessment of senior Houthi leadership' intentions
        and capacity to conduct and sustain military operations from
        Yemen that target the United States, Israel, or global
        shipping.
            (2) A description of the funding, materiel, training, and
        other forms of support the Houthis receive from Iran,
        Hezbollah, or any other entity acting for or on behalf of Iran,
        including contributions to advance the Houthis' indigenous
        weapons production capability and existing weapons arsenal.
            (3) A description of the Houthis' ballistic missile and
        unmanned delivery systems, including those that are covered
        under Category 1 or Category 2 of the Missile Control
        Technology Regime and the precision and reach of such weapons.
            (4) A description of the Houthis' maritime capabilities,
        including sea missiles and drones.
            (5) An analysis of the Houthis' current indigenous weapons
        production capabilities and how their control over the Al-
        Hudaydah port and Sana'a international airport enables them to
        sustain weapons production.
            (6) An assessment of the Houthis' stockpiles and employment
        of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) dual-use drone technology,
        and the countries of origin for these products.
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
        Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
        Armed Services of the Senate.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON HOUTHI ATTACKS THAT THREATEN FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION IN
              THE RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the day of enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the following:
            (1) A summary of Houthi (also known as ``Ansar Allah'')
        attacks that threaten freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and
        Gulf of Aden.
            (2) An assessment of the impact that Houthi threats to
        freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have on
        United States security interests.
            (3) An assessment of the impact that Houthi threats to
        freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have on
        the global economy, including the United States economy.
            (4) An assessment of Iran's role in the Houthis' attacks
        that threaten freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Gulf of
        Aden, including Iran's provision of targeting assistance to the
        Houthis.
            (5) A description of China's presence in the Red Sea and
        Gulf of Aden during the reporting period.
            (6) An assessment of how the Houthis' attacks in the Red
        Sea and Gulf of Aden impact Russia, China, and Iran's freedom
        of navigation in those waterways relative to the United States
        and our partners' freedom of navigation.
    (b) Scope.--The initial report required by subsection (a) shall
address the period beginning on October 7, 2023, and ending on the date
that is 90 days after date of the enactment of this Act, and each
subsequent report shall address the one-year period following the
conclusion of the prior report.
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
        Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
        Armed Services of the Senate.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON VIOLATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST
              YEMEN AUTHORIZED UNDER UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
              RESOLUTION 2216.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the
following:
            (1) A description of violations or attempted violations of
        the United Nations arms embargo against Yemen authorized under
        United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015) and
        successor resolutions.
            (2) A list of incidents in which the United States or other
        countries interdicted weapons and related components believed
        to be intended for the Houthis, including--
                    (A) for each interdiction incident, what specific
                entity conducted the interdiction, the circumstances
                and location of such interdiction, what weapons or
                components were seized and the believed origins of such
                components, and under what authority each such seizure
                took place;
                    (B) a description of what United States Government
                resources are currently devoted to identifying,
                disrupting, interdicting, or otherwise dismantling the
                flow of illicit weapons intended for the Houthis, and
                identifying under what authorities these activities
                take place; and
                    (C) United States coordination with international
                partners on efforts to identify, disrupt, dismantle or
                interdict illicit weapons flows to the Houthis,
                including identifying United States security assistance
                and cooperation programs that contribute to the
                interdiction efforts of such partners.
    (b) Scope.--The initial report required by subsection (a) shall
address the period beginning on January 1, 2022, and ending on the date
that is 90 days after date of the enactment of this Act, and each
subsequent report shall address the one-year period following the
conclusion of the prior report.
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
        Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
        Armed Services of the Senate.

SEC. 6. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO ANY ATTACKS BY THE HOUTHIS ON
              INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IN THE RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN
              AND OTHER MILITARY SUPPORT TO THE HOUTHIS.

    (a) In General.--The President shall impose the sanctions described
in subsection (b) with respect to any foreign person the President
determines, on or after the date of enactment of this Act--
            (1) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have
        directly or indirectly engaged in, any attacks by the Houthis
        (also known as ``Ansar Allah'') that threaten international
        shipping in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden;
            (2) knowingly engages in, or attempts to engage in,
        activities or transactions that have materially contributed to,
        or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to the
        conduct described in paragraph (1); or
            (3) knowingly engages in any activity that materially
        contributes to the supply, sale, or transfer directly or
        indirectly of arms and related materiel of all types, including
        weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment,
        paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned,
        and technical assistance, training, financial or other
        assistance, to any foreign person engaging in the conduct
        described in paragraph (1).
    (b) Sanctions Described.--The sanctions described in this
subsection are the following:
            (1) Blocking of property.--The President shall exercise all
        authorities granted 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 are in the United States, come within the
        United States, or come within the possession or control of a
        United States person.
            (2) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole.--
                    (A) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien
                described in subsection (a) 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.).
                    (B) Current visas revoked.--
                            (i) In general.--The visa or other entry
                        documentation of any alien described in
                        subsection (a) is subject to revocation
                        regardless of the issue date of the visa or
                        other entry documentation.
                            (ii) Immediate effect.--A revocation under
                        clause (i) shall, in accordance with section
                        221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act
                        (8 U.S.C. 1201(i))--
                                    (I) take effect immediately; and
                                    (II) cancel any other valid visa or
                                entry documentation that is in the
                                possession of the alien.
    (c) Penalties.--Any person that violates, or attempts to violate,
subsection (b) or any regulation, license, or order issued pursuant to
that subsection, shall be subject to the penalties set forth in
subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person
that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that
section.
    (d) Waiver.--
            (1) In general.--The President may waive, on a case-by-case
        basis, the application of sanctions under this section for
        periods not to exceed 180 days with respect to a foreign person
        only if, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the
        waiver is to take effect, the President submits to the
        appropriate congressional committees a written determination
        and justification that the waiver is in the national security
        interests of the United States.
            (2) Briefing.--Not later than 60 days after the issuance of
        a waiver under paragraph (1), and every 180 days thereafter
        while the waiver remains in effect, the President shall brief
        the appropriate congressional committees on the reasons for the
        waiver.
    (e) Implementation.--The President may exercise all authorities
provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out this
section.
    (f) Regulations.--
            (1) In general.--The President shall, not later than 120
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate
        regulations as necessary for the implementation of this
        section.
            (2) Notification to congress.--Not later than 10 days
        before the promulgation of regulations under this subsection,
        the President shall notify the appropriate congressional
        committees of the proposed regulations and the provisions of
        this section that the regulations are implementing.
    (g) Exceptions.--
            (1) Exception for intelligence activities.--Sanctions under
        this section shall not apply to any activity subject to the
        reporting requirements under title V of the National Security
        Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any authorized
        intelligence activities of the United States.
            (2) Exception to comply with international obligations and
        for law enforcement activities.--Sanctions under this section
        shall not apply with respect to an alien if admitting or
        paroling the alien into the United States is necessary--
                    (A) to permit the United States to comply with the
                Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United
                Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and
                entered into force November 21, 1947, between the
                United Nations and the United States, or other
                applicable international obligations; or
                    (B) to carry out or assist authorized law
                enforcement activity in the United States.

SEC. 7. SUNSET.

    This Act shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
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