S. 198: PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2025-01-22 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] |
| Policy area | International Affairs |
| Cosponsors | 11 |
| Latest action | 2025-01-22 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. |
| Last updated | 2026-01-10 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2025-01-22):
PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025
This bill requires the President to impose sanctions on foreign persons (individuals and entities) that are involved with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) or Palestinian Authority (PA) system of compensation supporting acts of terrorism. The bill defines this system of compensation as payments to an individual who (1) has been imprisoned for terrorist acts against Israeli or U.S. citizens after being fairly tried, (2) died while committing such terrorist acts, or (3) is a family member of such individuals. The definition also includes compensation for individuals imprisoned for terrorism where the level of compensation is based on the length of incarceration.
Specifically, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person that has facilitated this compensation system, including PLO and PA officials as well as entities such as the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs and the Wounded. The President must also impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign persons who knowingly provide significant support to, or engage in significant transactions with, any of the aforementioned persons.
The President must sanction foreign financial institutions that facilitate payments or benefits related to this compensation system by (1) prohibiting them from opening correspondent or payable-through accounts in the United States, and (2) prohibiting or imposing strict conditions on the maintenance of such accounts.
The provisions of this bill shall terminate if the Department of State certifies that such compensation system has ceased.
Cosponsors (11)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Kevin Cramer | R ND (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Ted Budd | R NC (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Rick Scott | R FL (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Bill Hagerty | R TN (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC] | R SC (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Pete Ricketts | R NE (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Ted Cruz | R TX (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Eric Schmitt | R MO (original cosponsor) 2025-01-22 |
| Tim Scott | R SC 2025-01-23 |
| John Cornyn | R TX 2025-01-23 |
| James C. Justice | R WV 2025-03-25 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 198 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 198?
S. 198 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2025.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 198 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).