Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Mike Braun (R-IN) reintroduced the Stop Taxpayer Funding of Hamas Act.
The bill looks to guarantee that “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.”
According to Sen. Scott’s press release regarding the reintroduction of the bill, President Joe Biden and his administration admitted it is possible that taxpayer dollars could seep its way into the hands of terrorist organizations such as Hamas through the aid intended for Palestine.
Sen. Scott stated that “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.”
He would go on to mention that the legislation is dedicated to “making clear that we will cut off ANY AND ALL ties, direct or indirect, to terrorist organizations that attack our allies. 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 bill does not only stops at organizations such as Hamas. It also includes any terrorist group including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or “any other terrorist organization as identified by U.S. law, nor controlled or influenced by Hamas…or any other terrorist organization as identified by U.S. law.
Moreover, it does not allow the usage of funds that encourages or teaches “anti-Israel and anti-Semitic ideas and propaganda.”
The President must be able to certify that any funding to Palestine meets these requirements.
