WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Senator James Lankford introduced the Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization and Support Act in the U.S. Congress on August 7, 2026. The legislation proposes $200 million annually in U.S. security assistance to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces in countering Hezbollah.

The bill establishes a tiered funding structure that could provide up to $300 million annually if Beirut makes progress in disarming Hezbollah, disrupting foreign military financing to the group, and tackling the trafficking of Captagon and other illicit substances. In the first fiscal year, the measure allocates $25 million for narcotics control, $11.5 million for nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, demining, and related programs, and $3.5 million for international military education and training.

To enforce compliance, the bill subjects individuals who enable Hezbollah’s armed presence, permit the transfer of Iranian funds to the group, or thwart attempts to reform Lebanon’s financial sector to U.S. sanctions. The legislation also authorizes mechanisms to help the Lebanese state integrate Shi'ite citizens who have been largely reliant on Hezbollah’s civil services.

"For the first time in decades, Lebanon has a real chance to reclaim its sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and break free from Iran’s malign influence, but success depends on sustained American support," said Senator Jeanne Shaheen. She added that the proposal "combines tough sanctions on Hezbollah’s enablers with targeted security and recovery assistance as well as congressional oversight."

Shaheen stated that the legislation helps the Lebanese state extend its authority and build toward a peaceful future with its neighbors. "A sovereign, stable Lebanon is firmly in America’s interests, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill," she said.

Senator James Lankford framed the introduction of the act within the context of recent diplomatic developments. "For decades, Iran has used Hezbollah to destabilize Lebanon, Israel, and threaten Americans who live in the region, but President Donald Trump has created a real opening for change by bringing Israel and Lebanon to the table for the first direct talks in 30 years, said Senator James Lankford."

Lankford noted that the bill imposes tough sanctions on the network financing Hezbollah and provides security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces. A sovereign Lebanon protects Lebanese, Israeli, and American citizens living in the region, and puts real pressure on the terrorists," he said."

The introduction of this legislation follows a period of shifting dynamics in Lebanon. A new round of talks between Beirut and Jerusalem was recently completed, although progress on Lebanon’s policing of pilot zones under a U.S.-backed framework aimed at securing an Israeli withdrawal from the country has been slow. Hezbollah's military and security activities have been prohibited by the Lebanese government since March 2026.

Beirut banned Hezbollah from carrying out military activities and non-state actors from holding arms shortly after the group dragged Lebanon into another war in response to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Despite these prohibitions, critics have noted that Hezbollah operatives have been released by Lebanese authorities or given only symbolic fines despite violating domestic laws.

The Lebanon Sanctions, Stabilization and Support Act represents a bipartisan effort to condition U.S. aid on tangible steps toward disarming an Iranian-backed Shia Islamist political party and terrorist organization in Lebanon. Hezbollah, which was established in 1982 and maintains an active paramilitary wing known as the Jihad Council, has long influenced regional stability. The Lebanese Armed Forces, the combined military forces of Lebanon, are designated as the primary recipients of the proposed security assistance.

This legislative approach mirrors previous U.S. strategies that link financial and security support to governance reforms, such as the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007, which was sponsored by Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12]. While PureSource News previously reported on separate Senate Republican proposals for a $72 billion DHS funding bill, this act specifically targets the nexus of terrorism financing and state sovereignty in the Middle East. The bill seeks to address the open question of how to integrate populations reliant on non-state actors while ensuring that aid does not flow to entities undermining Lebanese authority.

Why It Matters

The legislation ties up to $300 million in annual U.S. security assistance to tangible progress by Beirut in disarming Hezbollah and disrupting Iranian financing. By conditioning aid on specific benchmarks while sanctioning enablers, the bill seeks to enforce domestic bans on non-state arms that have previously faced only symbolic penalties. This approach aims to shift reliance from Hezbollah's civil services to the Lebanese state, directly linking American funding to the consolidation of sovereign authority.