Released by United States Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana – November 2, 2023
“The White House must stand firm against the Houthis, one of Iran’s proxy armies, by imposing sanctions and preventing them from launching further attacks on Israel.”
WASHINGTON – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) in introducing the Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act to redesignate Ansarallah, more commonly known as the Houthis, as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), given the group’s actions to destabilize the region, the security threat it poses to the U.S., and most recently, its involvement in the ongoing attacks on Israel.
On Oct. 19, 2023, the U.S.S. Carney intercepted cruise missiles and military drones that the Houthis launched from Yemen.
“Sec. Blinken must act now to reverse the Biden administration’s irresponsible decision to revoke the designation of one of Yemen’s most notorious perpetrators of violence as a foreign terror organization. The White House must stand firm against the Houthis, one of Iran’s proxy armies, by imposing sanctions and preventing them from launching further attacks on Israel,” said Kennedy.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated the Houthis as an FTO on Jan. 19, 2021. Approximately one month later, the Biden administration revoked the Houthi’s FTO designation.
“The Biden administration needs to send a strong, decisive message to the Iranian regime that the U.S. will not stand idly by and watch Iran’s proxies try and destroy Israel. The unspeakable horrors that we have witnessed over the past several weeks have been at the hands of Iranian-backed terror groups. As the situation in Israel escalates and the Houthis insert themselves in the conflict, the U.S. must immediately redesignate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization and enforce sanctions that will help strengthen our national security and weaken terrorist organizations,” said Daines.
Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) also cosponsored the bill.
Full bill text is available here.
