Treasure Coast Sun

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Brian Mast (FL-21) is calling for swift action to punish those who have supported the Iran-backed terrorist group, Hamas. His bipartisan legislation, the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act, has gained approval from the House Foreign Affairs Committee and aims to impose sanctions on any entity offering financial or material support to Hamas.

In the wake of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, Rep. Mast believes that it is crucial to hold accountable those who have funded the atrocities committed by the terrorist organization. "We've been bombarded by images of the absolute worst of humanity for the last two weeks, but support for Hamas still looms large," said Rep. Mast. "There should be no ambiguity here: Hamas is responsible for absolutely every innocent life lost in this war. Full stop. And any supporter of Hamas is complicit."

Rep. Mast's co-sponsor, Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), echoes the sentiment, emphasizing the need to isolate and punish radical terrorist groups like Hamas. "Just days ago, the world watched Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invade Israel and brutally kidnap, torture, rape, burn alive, and murder innocent babies, children, women, men, and the elderly, including Americans," said Rep. Gottheimer. "This unprovoked war has wreaked havoc upon thousands of lives and underscored why I will always stand with Israel and support our partner's right to defend herself from those who seek her destruction."

The United States has long designated Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad as foreign terrorist organizations. However, in less than two weeks, Hamas has committed numerous war crimes and claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians. The group continues to launch rockets into Israel, indiscriminately targeting men, women, and children.

The Hamas International Financing Prevention Act was initially included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 but was later omitted from the final version of the bill. Representative Mast reintroduced the legislation, alongside Representative Gottheimer, earlier this year. On October 19, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the bill with a vote of 45-2.

As the bill progresses, the focus remains on taking concrete action to combat terrorism and ensure that those who support Hamas face consequences. The full text of the motion can be found here.

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To learn more, click on this link: https://mast.house.gov/press-releases?ID=E06E203A-7297-4F01-9CDE-01FB63450A3F