Taylor Force Martyr Payment Prevention Act of 2022

Taylor Force Martyr Payment Prevention Act of 2022

This bill expands the institutional factors the Department of the Treasury must consider when making a finding that a foreign financial institution is of primary money laundering concern and is therefore subject to special measures, including the prohibition of opening or maintaining correspondent accounts in U.S financial institutions. Specifically, Treasury must consider (1) the extent to which an institution knowingly provides financial services to Hamas, or to an agent of Hamas; and (2) the extent to which an institution, transaction, or type of account is used to facilitate or promote payments for certain acts of terrorism against U.S. and Israeli citizens.

The Taylor Force Martyr Payment Prevention Act of 2022, also known as Bill 117 hr 7824, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress aimed at preventing the Palestinian Authority from making payments to individuals who have committed acts of terrorism. The bill is named after Taylor Force, an American citizen and former US Army officer who was killed in a terrorist attack in Israel in 2016.

The main purpose of the bill is to hold the Palestinian Authority accountable for its practice of providing financial incentives to individuals and their families who have carried out acts of terrorism against Israelis and Americans. The bill seeks to cut off US aid to the Palestinian Authority until it stops these payments, which are seen as encouraging and rewarding violence.

The bill has received bipartisan support in Congress, with lawmakers from both parties expressing concern about the Palestinian Authority's use of funds to support terrorism. Supporters of the bill argue that it is important for the US to take a stand against terrorism and to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are not being used to support violence. Opponents of the bill, however, argue that cutting off aid to the Palestinian Authority could have negative consequences for efforts to promote peace and stability in the region. They argue that the US should continue to engage with the Palestinian Authority and work towards a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Overall, the Taylor Force Martyr Payment Prevention Act of 2022 is a controversial piece of legislation that highlights the complex and sensitive issues surrounding US aid to the Palestinian Authority and efforts to combat terrorism in the Middle East.