Lebanon Election Integrity and Diaspora Voting Protection Act of 2026

Summary

Authorizes the President to impose economic and immigration sanctions on foreign persons who obstruct Lebanese parliamentary elections or interfere with voting by the Lebanese diaspora, and requires recurring reports to Congress documenting identified actors, sanctions taken, and election developments; the sanction authority sunsets five years after enactment. The law defines key terms (including "foreign person," "diaspora voting obstruction," and "United States person"), relies on IEEPA authorities for blocking property, uses immigration inadmissibility and visa revocation as tools, and directs interagency consultation before action.

• Grants the President authority to sanction foreign persons who obstruct Lebanese parliamentary elections or diaspora voting.
• Sanctions tools include blocking property under IEEPA and making persons inadmissible or revoking visas.
• Requires an initial report to Congress within 60 days and regular semiannual follow-ups identifying actors and sanctions.
• Defines key terms such as "diaspora voting obstruction," "foreign person," and "United States person."
• Sanctioning authority automatically sunsets five years after enactment.
• Targets not only direct actors but also those who materially, financially, or operationally assist election obstruction.
• Uses existing statutory authorities rather than creating new spending programs or criminal categories.
• Directs interagency consultation (State, Treasury, DNI) before sanctions are imposed.
• Explicitly links protection of diaspora voting to U.S. national security interests.