“A bill to support Lebanon's rule of law and democratic institutions through sanctions and support, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section provides the short title of the Act as the Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization, and Support Act and lists the table of contents for sections addressing sanctions, stabilization, security assistance, and oversight.
This section authorizes the President to impose sanctions on any foreign person who knowingly provides material support to Hezbollah or Iran’s financing of armed non-state actors in Lebanon, impedes the Lebanese Armed Forces or Internal Security Forces from implementing the August 2025 decision to establish a state monopoly on arms or the September 2025 disarmament plan, or delays banking and financial sector reforms in Lebanon. Sanctions include blocking of property and interests in property, prohibitions on loans or foreign exchange transactions by U.S. financial institutions, and visa inadmissibility with revocation of existing visas; the authority terminates 5 years after enactment and excludes humanitarian assistance, intelligence activities, and compliance with U.S. international obligations.
This section directs the Secretary of State to continue humanitarian assistance in Lebanon for health, food, shelter, water, sanitation, demining, and related technical support. It establishes a reconstruction fund for Lebanese government services and civilian infrastructure, prohibits use by the Council for South Lebanon, and limits obligation of more than 50 percent of amounts until the Secretary certifies that Lebanon has declared Hezbollah’s military activities illegal and the Lebanese Armed Forces are enforcing a monopoly of force and disarming Hezbollah, with a national interest waiver available. It also establishes a fund authorizing $20 million per year for the first three fiscal years after enactment for salaries and stipends for the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, and requires submission of a strategy within 60 days detailing use of the funds to expand state services in areas dependent on Hezbollah.
This section authorizes $240 million annually for five fiscal years after enactment for security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces, including $200 million for Foreign Military Financing, $25 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, $11.5 million for Non-proliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs, and $3.5 million for International Military Education and Training. It withholds 50 percent of the funds until the Secretary of State certifies that Lebanon has declared Hezbollah’s military activities illegal and the Lebanese Armed Forces are disarming Hezbollah and establishing a state monopoly on force, with an exception for special operations units. It also authorizes up to $60 million in additional annual funding for the second through fifth years, and another $60 million annually for the third through fifth years, contingent on demonstrated progress against Iranian proxy forces and Hezbollah’s parallel services, and establishes a program to build Lebanese capacity to counter Captagon and other illicit goods trafficking that funds Hezbollah.
This section requires the Secretary of State to submit an unclassified strategy within 90 days describing U.S. efforts, working with foreign governments and multilateral organizations, to support the safe return of Syrian refugees from Lebanon, diplomatic initiatives to strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces after UNIFIL withdrawal, and measures to counter Hezbollah’s role in reconstruction while preventing diversion of assistance. It also mandates an initial report before obligating stabilization funds, a report within 180 days on Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces retention and readiness, and annual reports for three years on progress disarming Hezbollah, Iran’s financing of armed groups, and U.S.-facilitated coordination between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Israel Defense Forces.