PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025
PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025 – Summary **What the Bill Would Do** If passed, this bill would require the U.S. President to impose sanctions—including visa bans and asset freezes—against individuals and organizations involved in a Palestinian compensation system. Specifically, it targets payments made to prisoners convicted of terrorism against Israeli or American citizens, their families, or individuals who died while committing such acts. The bill also covers compensation tied to how long someone is imprisoned for terrorism-related offenses. **Who It Affects** The sanctions would apply to Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials, as well as organizations like the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs.
More broadly, it could impact foreign entities and individuals worldwide that help facilitate these payment systems. Palestinians receiving such payments and their families would also be indirectly affected. **Current Status** The bill (S 198) was introduced in the 119th Congress by Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. It has not been passed into law.
CRS Official Summary
PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons (individuals and entities) that are involved with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) or Palestinian Authority (PA) system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism. The bill defines this system of compensation as payments to an individual who (1) has been imprisoned for terrorist acts against Israeli or U.S. citizens after being fairly tried, (2) died while committing such terrorist acts, or (3) is a family member of such individuals. The definition also includes compensation for individuals imprisoned for terrorism where the level of compensation is based on the length of incarceration.Specifically, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that has facilitated this compensation system, including PLO and PA officials as well as entities such as the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs and the Wounded. The President must also impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign persons who knowingly provide significant support to, or engage in significant transactions with, any of the aforementioned persons.The President must sanction foreign financial institutions that facilitate payments or benefits related to this compensation system by (1) prohibiting them from opening correspondent or payable-through accounts in the United States, and (2) prohibiting or imposing strict conditions on the maintenance of such accounts.The provisions of this bill shall terminate if the Department of State certifies that such compensation system has ceased.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.