{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/ros-lehtinen-deutch-poe-y-sherman-dirigen-carta-al-departamento-del-tesoro-pidiendo", "Ros-Lehtinen, Deutch, Poe, y Sherman Dirigen Carta al Departamento del Tesoro Pidiendo Accin Contra Promotores de Hamas en Turqua y Qatar", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen", "R000435", "ros-lehtinen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ros-Lehtinen, Deutch, Poe, y Sherman Dirigen Carta al Departamento del Tesoro Pidiendo Acci\u00f3n Contra Promotores de Hamas en Turqu\u00eda y Qatar \n(Washington, DC) \u2013 La Congresista Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Presidenta del Subcomit\u00e9 del Medio Oriente y \u00c1frica del Norte junto al Congresista Ted Deutch (R-FL) Miembro de Alto Rango del Subcomit\u00e9 del Medio Oriente y \u00c1frica del Norte y los Congresistas Ted Poe (R-TX) y Brad Sherman (D-CA) Presidente y Miembro de Alto Rango del Subcomit\u00e9 Contra el Terrorismo, No-Proliferaci\u00f3n y Comercio enviaron una carta al Departamento del Tesoro urgi\u00e9ndole que haga m\u00e1s para designar y sancionar a individuos y entidades que proveen apoyo financiero, pol\u00edtico o material a Hamas, una organizaci\u00f3n designada por los EEUU como organizaci\u00f3n de terrorismo internacional. La carta fue co-firmada por 20 miembros adicionales de los dos subcomit\u00e9s. Destac\u00f3 Ros-Lehtinen:\n\u201cNo es un secreto que Turqu\u00eda y Qatar proveen refugio a muchos operativos de Hamas y que ambos presuntos aliados de Estados Unidos se han convertido en importantes centros financieros del terror. Mientras el Departamento del Tesoro ha tomado acci\u00f3n significativa contra Hamas y sus patrocinadores, m\u00e1s puede hacerse para detener el apoyo a este grupo terrorista. Tanto Turqu\u00eda como Qatar han sido extremadamente leves en el cumplimiento de sus leyes contra el financiamiento del terrorismo y tomado acciones contra los individuos y las organizaciones designadas por los EEUU como patrocinadores del terrorismo internacional. Al atacar a estos individuos y entidades conectadas por su apoyo a Hamas, el Departamento del Tesoro enviar\u00eda un mensaje fuerte a estos gobiernos de que necesitan sancionar a las entidades que apoyan al terrorismo o se arriesgan a mayor aislaci\u00f3n por parte de los Estados Unidos y nuestro sector financiero. \n\u00a0\nNOTA: Los co-firmantes son: Congresistas Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Ted Poe (R-TX), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA), Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Grace Meng (D-NY), Randy Weber (R-TX), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Scott Perry (R-PA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Paul Cook (R-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Bradley Schneider (D-IL), Ted Yoho (R-FL), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Doug Collins (R-GA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Curt Clawson (R-FL), y Mark Meadows (R-NC).\nEl texto de la carta se encuentra reproducido abajo. Para ver la carta firmada, por favor haga click aqu\u00ed.\n\u00a0\nDecember 9, 2014\nThe Honorable David S. Cohen  \nUnder Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence  \nDepartment of the Treasury  \n1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW  \nWashington, D.C. 20220  \nDear Under Secretary Cohen:\nWe would like to take this opportunity to recognize and commend the efforts of the Department of Treasury to hamper the ability of Hamas \u2013 a U.S. designated Foreign Terrorist Organization \u2013 to raise and move money, as well as its efforts to sanction entities controlled by Hamas, and designate senior Hamas officials on the Specially Designated Nationals List (SDN). On September 9, 2014, the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade convened a joint subcommittee hearing entitled \u201cHamas\u2019 Benefactors: A Network of Terror\u201d. While we recognize that Treasury\u2019s designations have taken a toll on the operations of this terrorist organization, we believe that more can be done, and we urge Treasury to take all necessary measures to sanction individuals or entities that are directly or indirectly financing or materially supporting Hamas.\nAs you know, Hamas traditionally relied on Iran for much of its financial and political support. However, others in the region have stepped up to provide support for Hamas. Qatar\u2019s $400 million donation for Gaza reconstruction in 2012 bolstered Hamas\u2019 credibility in Gaza and may have directly supported Hamas-backed entities. Qatar also allows Hamas\u2019 top leader, politburo chief Khalid Mishaal, to operate out of its territory knowingly and with impunity. It was even widely reported in the press that Qatar threatened to deport Mishaal if Hamas had accepted an Egypt-backed ceasefire agreement to end this summer\u2019s conflict in Gaza.\nWe are concerned about the ties between Qatar and Hamas, and we commend you on your speech before the Center for a New American Security, where you stated that, \u201cQatar, a longtime U.S. ally, has for many years openly financed Hamas,\u201d and that press reports indicate that the Qatari government is also \u201csupporting extremist groups operating in Syria,\u201d further adding to the instability of the region. As you noted in your speech, there are private fundraising networks in Qatar that solicit donations for terrorists. Qatar, in your words, is \u201ca permissive terrorist financing environment.\u201d\nWe are also concerned about Turkey\u2019s continued support for Hamas. Turkey serves as the headquarters for Saleh al-Arouri, who is believed to head Hamas\u2019 terrorist operations in the West Bank. In August, the media reported that he was behind an allegedly thwarted plot to topple, undermine, or replace the Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank. Also in August, al-Arouri stated that Hamas was behind the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teens this June.\nIn addition to Hamas figures that knowingly and openly operate in Turkey, numerous charities, front companies and possibly even banks\u00a0 provide some form of support from Turkey for the terror group. One organization that has been reported to have had direct contact with Hamas is the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) charity that planned the flotilla incident of 2010. We are aware that Treasury has expressed concerns about IHH\u2019s terrorism connections in the past.\nAny entity or nation that continues to back this U.S. designated Foreign Terrorist Organization and provide it material and financial support should be sanctioned. Therefore, as Members of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, we are requesting that Treasury use every tool available to designate all individuals, institutions, entities, charities, front companies, banks, and government officials who clearly violate U.S. laws by assisting Hamas and its proxies. We also request specific public updates on Treasury\u2019s discussions with the Qatari government on previously designated, Qatar-based terrorist financiers that the Qataris have yet to act upon.\nThank you for your immediate attention in this matter.\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\n#####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/ros-lehtinen-deutch-poe-y-sherman-dirigen-carta-al-departamento-del-tesoro-pidiendo"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0069389827549458, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}