HYDE-SMITH, COLLEAGUES REINTRODUCE ‘STOP TAXPAYER FUNDING OF HAMAS ACT’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today joined U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) in reintroducing the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act (S.489) to ensure no American taxpayer dollars will be authorized to the territory of Gaza until the President certifies to Congress that these funds can be spent without benefitting terrorist organizations.
The legislation was introduced following President Biden’s State Department admission that American taxpayer dollars could potentially fund Hamas terrorists through Palestinian aid.
“There is no circumstance in which taxpayer dollars should prop up terrorist organizations, especially when such an organization’s goal is the destruction of Israel, an important ally to us. Hamas is just such an organization,” Hyde-Smith said. “This legislation is in the best interest of our national security, and sends a strong message against terrorism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Israel propaganda.”
“As President Biden appeases dictators around the world, U.S. allies, like Israel are left abandoned. Israel is a country facing unyielding attacks from terrorist groups, like Hamas, who wish to destroy the Jewish state and its people. Our bill, the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act, requires the president to certify that any taxpayer money authorized to the territory of Gaza will not end up in the hands of Hamas terrorists, making clear that we will cut off ANY AND ALL ties, direct or indirect, to terrorist organizations that attack our allies,” said Scott, who authored the measure. “Our resolve to stand united with Israel – a shining example of democracy in the Middle East – MUST be stronger than ever. We must never accept a weakened position or back down in the face of terrorism.”
The Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act would:
- Prohibit funds from being authorized for expenditure in the territory of Gaza until the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that U.S. funds can be expended without benefitting organizations and persons who are members of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or any other terrorist organization as identified by U.S. law, nor controlled or influenced by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or any other terrorist organization as identified by U.S. law.
- Ensure U.S. funds are not authorized for expenditure in the territory of Gaza through any United Nations entity or office that the President cannot certify is not encouraging or teaching anti-Israel and anti-Semitic ideas and propaganda.
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