PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 49 - 0.
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People & committees
Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48] · R–CA
Legislative record
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Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 49 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Sep 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-05 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would require State Department reports on Houthi indoctrination, barriers to humanitarian aid in Yemen, and human rights abuses. It would also require reviews of whether certain foreign Houthi members qualify for sanctions under existing laws, including for hostage-taking or wrongful detention of United States nationals abroad. These reviews would determine eligibility for sanctions; they would not automatically impose them.
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on— (1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into a violent, anti-Semitic, or extremist worldview
a report on obstacles to the provision of humanitarian aid by international organizations and nongovernmental organizations in areas of Yemen under de-facto Houthi control.
the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on human rights abuses committed by the Houthis
a determination on whether foreign persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions authorized under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act
a determination on whether foreign persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions authorized under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741 et seq.), and Executive Order 14078.
the hostage-taking of a United States national abroad or the unlawful or wrongful detention of a United States national abroad
The bill would be called the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act. It would express Congress's view that Houthi indoctrination threatens a Yemeni-led peace process and regional stability, and that supporting the Houthis, including their indoctrination or coercion efforts, conflicts with United States policy. These are proposed statements of congressional opinion.
This Act may be cited as the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act.
It is the sense of Congress that— (1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into a violent, anti-Semitic, and extremist worldview are a threat to a Yemeni-led peace process and to regional stability; and (2) it is counter to United States policy to provide support to the Houthis in Yemen, including by supporting any efforts by the Houthis to indoctrinate, coerce, or force Yemenis to conform to their violent, anti-Semitic, and extremist worldview.
Within 180 days after enactment, the Secretary of State would have to report to the designated congressional committees on Houthi indoctrination efforts and the long-term threat they pose to regional stability. The Secretary would consult the head of the United States Agency for International Development.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on— (1) Houthi efforts to indoctrinate Yemenis into a violent, anti-Semitic, or extremist worldview; and (2) the long-term threat this indoctrination campaign poses to regional stability.
A second report, also due within 180 days after enactment, would examine barriers faced by international organizations and nongovernmental aid organizations in areas of Yemen effectively controlled by the Houthis. The Secretary of State would prepare it in consultation with the international development agency's head. It would cover January 1, 2020, through 90 days after enactment.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on obstacles to the provision of humanitarian aid by international organizations and nongovernmental organizations in areas of Yemen under de-facto Houthi control.
The report required by subsection (a) shall address the period beginning on January 1, 2020, and ending on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
The aid report would examine Houthi rules restricting access and movement, interference with aid delivery and recipient lists, and violence or intimidation against aid workers and diplomats, including current and former local United States Embassy staff. It would also describe United States and partner efforts to protect aid delivery and how United States-supported organizations respond to attempted diversion or interference.
An identification of challenges to distribution of humanitarian aid created by Houthi-enforced rules, regulations, and bureaucracy with respect to access, and freedom of movement
An assessment of attempted Houthi interference in the delivery of humanitarian aid, including the manipulation or undue influence of beneficiary lists or related data for political or military purposes, and the implications of any interference on civilian needs and aid distribution.
An evaluation of the Houthis’ use of violence and intimidation against humanitarian workers and diplomats, including current and former United States Embassy locally employed staff.
An overview of the steps the United States and its partners are taking to ensure humanitarian assistance is delivered unhindered and consistent with basic humanitarian principles, including how United States-supported organizations respond to attempted Houthi diversion or interference.
Within 180 days after enactment, the Secretary of State would have to report on Houthi human rights abuses, covering March 1, 2015, through 90 days after enactment. Required topics include gender-based discrimination and violence, rules called “mahram regulations,” recruiting and using child soldiers, enforced disappearance, prolonged and arbitrary detention, torture, and unlawful killing. The bill does not define “mahram regulations.”
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on human rights abuses committed by the Houthis, including gender-based discrimination and violence, including— (1) mahram regulations; (2) recruitment and use of child soldiers; (3) enforced disappearance; (4) prolonged and arbitrary detention; (5) conduct that amounts to torture; and (6) unlawful killing.
The report required by subsection (a) shall address the period beginning on March 1, 2015, and ending on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Within 180 days after enactment and annually afterward, the Secretary of State, consulting the Treasury Secretary, would have to determine whether the foreign Houthi members covered by section 6 qualify for sanctions under the existing Global Magnitsky law. The review would include conduct constituting gross violations of internationally recognized human rights under the cited Foreign Assistance Act definition.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a determination on whether foreign persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions authorized under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note), including with respect to acts that constitute gross violations of internationally recognized human rights as defined in section 502B(d)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)).
The section 6 sanctions review would cover foreign Houthi members who knowingly impose arbitrary or unlawful restrictions on humanitarian assistance in Yemen, or knowingly engage in the human rights abuses listed in section 5(a).
A foreign person described in this subsection is a foreign person that— (1) is a member of the Houthis; and (2) knowingly— (A) imposes arbitrary or unlawful restriction on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Yemen; or (B) engages in the human rights abuses described in section 5(a).
A separate sanctions review would be due within 180 days after enactment and annually afterward. The Secretary of State, consulting the Treasury Secretary, would determine whether the foreign Houthi members covered by section 7 qualify for sanctions under the existing Robert Levinson hostage accountability law and Executive Order 14078.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a determination on whether foreign persons described in subsection (b) meet the criteria for sanctions authorized under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741 et seq.), and Executive Order 14078.
The section 7 review would cover foreign Houthi members responsible for, complicit in, or directing hostage-taking or unlawful or wrongful detention of United States nationals abroad. It would also cover foreign Houthi members who knowingly support those activities with money, materials, technology, goods, or services.
A foreign person described in this subsection is a foreign person that— (1) is a member of the Houthis; and (2) (A) is responsible for or is complicit in, or responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, the hostage-taking of a United States national abroad or the unlawful or wrongful detention of a United States national abroad; or (B) knowingly provides financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, an activity described in subparagraph (A).
The bill uses “Houthis” to mean persons officially known as Ansarallah. A “person” can be an individual or an entity, such as an organization. Its definition of “foreign person” excludes United States nationals, noncitizens lawfully present in the United States, and entities organized under United States or domestic jurisdiction laws, including their foreign branches.
(2) the term foreign person means a person that is not a United States person; (3) the term Houthis refers to persons officially known as Ansarallah; (4) the term person means and individual or entity; and (5) the term United States person means— (A) a national of the United States; (B) an alien who is lawfully present in the United States; or (C) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States, including a foreign branch of such an entity.
The reports and sanctions determinations would go to four congressional committees: House Foreign Affairs, House Appropriations, Senate Foreign Relations, and Senate Appropriations.
the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a determination
The proposed act would terminate five years after enactment, placing an end date on its reporting and review requirements.
This Act shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
The supplied September 19, 2026 source snapshot records House introduction and referral to the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees on March 5, 2025. It also records a committee consideration and markup session on December 3, 2025, followed by an order to report the bill with substitute text by a 49–0 vote. This records committee action, not enactment.
Source snapshot updated 2026-09-19T23:31:32Z. 2025-12-03: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 49 - 0. 2025-12-03: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
2025-03-05: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-03-05: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-05. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; earmark disclosures, committee reports, and other accompanying materials are not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential benefit, special exemption, or carve-out was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Sep 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI