Sponsors (21)
The bill strengthens U.S. tools and planning to disrupt Houthi financing and protect shipping, but it raises the risk of escalation, could hinder humanitarian aid, and will likely increase taxpayer costs.
U.S. policymakers gain legal authority to freeze assets and block transactions of Ansarallah (Houthi) leaders and affiliates, constraining their financing and limiting their ability to support attacks or acquire weapons.
U.S. government must develop a strategy to restore freedom of navigation in the Bab al‑Mandeb/Red Sea, reducing threats to commercial shipping and lowering risks of disruption for U.S. businesses and consumers.
Required reporting on humanitarian obstacles will give U.S. agencies better information for aid planning, potentially improving delivery of assistance to civilians in Houthi‑controlled areas.
Designation and sanctions of Ansarallah may escalate tensions and provoke retaliation against U.S. forces or commercial shipping, increasing danger to service members and possibly requiring additional deployments.
Sanctions, enforcement actions, or associated military steps could disrupt humanitarian access and complicate aid delivery, worsening civilian suffering if partners curtail operations for security or compliance reasons.
Implementing the navigation‑security strategy and any associated military or enforcement activity is likely to increase government costs, imposing additional expenses on taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the President to designate Ansarallah as an FTO, impose EO13224 sanctions, assess named individuals, and deliver strategy and humanitarian-access reports to Congress.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by James Risch · Last progress January 16, 2025
Requires the President to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) as a foreign terrorist organization within 30 days and apply blocking and transaction sanctions under Executive Order 13224 to Ansarallah and any officials, agents, or affiliates the President identifies. The President must also determine within 30 days whether three named individuals are officials, agents, or affiliates, and must deliver a 180-day plan to Congress to restore freedom of navigation in the Bab al Mandeb/Red Sea and to degrade Ansarallah’s offensive capabilities. The Secretary of State, with the USAID Administrator, must report within 180 days on obstacles to humanitarian aid in areas under Ansarallah control.