House Passes Bill To Cut Off Hamas Financing With Iranian Oil Sanctions

The House on Friday passed a bill to impose sanctions on anyone involved in the production, shipping or sale of Iranian oil in an effort to cut off a source of financing for Middle East terrorist groups.

The bill passed 342-69. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie was the only Republican to vote against it; the rest of the no votes came from Democrats.

The legislation was introduced earlier this year, long before Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, but its passage this week is part of a larger bipartisan effort to condemn the barbaric assault on a key U.S. allly and kneecap adversaries looking to escalate conflict in the region.

Hamas' attack underscores the need for the U.S. to “confront Iran and its proxies in the region with a strong sanctions regime,” New York GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, the bill’s sponsor, said during floor debate on the bill earlier in the week.

Lawler said his legislation "sends a message to those who trade in Iranian oil that they'll have the United States to deal with."

“They can't pretend to separate Iranian oil from the very terrorism it supports," he said.

Lawler and other lawmakers supporting the bill argued that one of the chief targets of the sanctions is China, the largest purchaser of Iranian oil. 

“If China stopped buying oil from Iran, Iran would be starved to the funds that it uses to destabilize its region and the world,” Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill, said.

The bill's passage follows similar-themed legislation of the week. On Wednesday the House passed a bill to impose sanctions on foreign states and persons who knowingly provide significant material or financial support for Hamas, among others related to the conflict in the Middle East.

Most of the bills passed on a strong bipartisan basis, except for a $14.3 billion Israel aid bill that Republicans made partisan by adding an equal amount of IRS funding cuts. Only 12 Democrats voted for that bill.

But the bipartisan unity existed on several other pro-Israel measures the House took up this week.

For example, the House on Thursday adopted, 396-23, a resolution condemning recent incidents across U.S. college campuses involving students demonstrating in support of Palestine — and even the terrorist group Hamas — and calling for the destruction of Israel.

The incidents have created a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty and staff, lawmakers argue.

“We must send a resounding message that we will not tolerate the spread of hatred within the halls of our universities,” Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., said during floor debate earlier.