Rep. Mast bill to sanction financial supporters of Hamas passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Brian Mast’s (FL-21) bill, the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act, passed the House of Representatives this week with a vote of 363-46.  

The bipartisan bill cosponsored by Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) will sanction the financiers of Hamas so that those who wage attacks on Israel aren’t rewarded with access to the U.S. economy.

“An attack on Israel is an attack on the American ideals of freedom and rule of law,” said Rep. Mast.  

“The attack waged by the Hamas terrorists on October 7th that left thousands of innocent people dead will go down in history as one of the biggest violations of the ideals that we cherish. The United States needs to send a clear message that anyone or any group that enables these barbarians will not go unpunished and that the U.S. will never waiver in its commitment to freedom.”

“On October 7, the world watched Hamas terrorists invade Israel and brutally kidnap, torture, rape, burn alive, and murder innocent babies, children, women, men, and the elderly, including Americans. 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. I’m proud that our bipartisan legislation has passed the House to ensure that we isolate and punish radical terrorist groups like Hamas and PIJ by cutting off their financial resources at the moment our most historic ally in the Middle East needs it most,” said Rep. Gottheimer.

The Hamas International Financing Prevention Act would impose sanctions on any entity that offers financial or material support to Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or its affiliates.  The United States has designated Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad as foreign terrorist organizations for nearly three decades.

Last year, the Hamas International Financing Prevention Act passed the House of Representatives as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 but was not included in the final version of the bill.  Representative Mast re-introduced this bill with Representative Gottheimer earlier this year.  On October 19, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed this bill with a vote of 45-2.

The legislation now awaits consideration from the Senate.

Congressman Brian Mast is in his fourth term representing the 21st Congressional District of Florida. Prior to his election to Congress, he followed in his father’s footsteps by serving in the U.S. Army for more than 12 years, earning medals including The Bronze Star Medal, The Army Commendation Medal for Valor, The Purple Heart Medal and The Defense Meritorious Service Medal. While deployed in Afghanistan, he worked as a bomb disposal expert under the elite Joint Special Operations Command. The last improvised explosive device that he found resulted in catastrophic injuries, which included the loss of both of his legs. Rep. Mast subsequently received a degree from Harvard University and volunteered to serve alongside the Israel Defense Forces to show support for the freedom Israel represents throughout the Middle East and the world.