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HR 9982

Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Don Bacon and 6 co-sponsors

Designates the Polisario Front as a U.S. terrorist organization, enabling sanctions, asset freezes, and prohibitions on support or dealings with the group.

Introduced in House
1
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 9982

Overview

HR 9982, titled the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026, is a proposed United States federal statute introduced in the 119th Congress. The bill’s stated purpose is to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization under applicable U.S. law. The measure would set forth criteria, authorities, and consequences related to such designation, aiming to align U.S. designation processes with related national security and counterterrorism objectives.

Main purpose and intent

  • Officially designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization under U.S. law.
  • Provide a framework for designation, reporting, and enforcement actions consistent with existing terrorism designation authorities.

Key provisions and changes (as inferred from the title and typical designations procedures)

  • Designation authority: Establishes or formalizes a process by which the Polisario Front would be added to the U.S. list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) or other terrorism-related lists maintained by the U.S. government.
  • Criteria and evidence: Outlines the standards and types of evidence required to designate an organization as terrorist, including acts of violence, support networks, or relation to internationally recognized terrorist activities.
  • Sanctions and enforcement: Prescribes consequences for designated entities, potentially including:
    • Prohibition on financial transactions and freezing of assets.
    • Prohibition on material support to the designated group.
    • Restrictions on U.S. persons communicating or engaging with the designated organization.
  • Reporting and compliance: Requires agencies (e.g., State Department, Treasury) to report findings, coordinate interagency actions, and implement designation-related sanctions.
  • Sunset or review provisions: Possible terms for periodic review, renewal, or sunset of designation status and associated authorities (common in designation-related bills).

Who or what would be affected

  • Polisario Front: The primary target; designation would trigger sanctions and restrictions under U.S. law.
  • U.S. individuals and entities: Possible prohibitions on transactions, support, funding, or services to or from the designated organization.
  • Financial institutions and intermediaries: New or reinforced requirements to screen for sanctions and block or report prohibited activities.
  • U.S. government agencies: Required to implement, enforce, and report on designation actions (e.g., State Department, Treasury, Justice, Homeland Security).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: Introduced in the House on 2026-07-30.
  • Committee action: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and, in addition, to the Committee on the Judiciary for consideration of provisions within their jurisdictions.
  • Next steps (typical): Committee hearings, markup, and potential floor action. If enacted, the bill would proceed to the Senate and potentially to a conference committee if there are version differences.
  • Sponsor and support: Primary and bipartisan co-sponsors listed, indicating cross-cutting attention to the designation issue.

Potential implications and considerations

  • Diplomatic and geopolitical: Designation could influence U.S. relations with parties involved in the Western Sahara conflict and with countries allied to or opposed to the Polisario Front.
  • Compliance burden: Financial institutions and businesses would need to ensure adherence to sanctions and screening requirements.
  • Counterterrorism posture: Aligns with broader U.S. counterterrorism enforcement tools by elevating the Polisario Front to a designated status.

Note: The summary reflects what is typically encompassed by a bill with this title and designation-focused language. For precise text, definitions, and line-by-line provisions, the bill’s official language and the accompanying committee reports should be consulted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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