Press Releases

Today, Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) released the following statement after introducing the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2024 with co-leads Reps. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Doug Lamborn (CO-05), and Jared Moskowitz (FL-23). There are over 30 cosponsors of the legislation, and Senator Tom Cotton (AR) is carrying a Senate companion bill.

The PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act will crack down on martyr payments, financial rewards issued to terrorists and their families after committing bombings, stabbings, or other attacks in Israel. These “pay-to-slay” policies incentivize acts of terrorism and are often directly proportional to the number of individuals injured or killed during the attack. Congress passed the Taylor Force Act in 2018 to prohibit economic aid to the PA while they continue to operate "pay-to-slay" policies. But there is much more we can do.

The PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act specifically:

• Imposes sanctions on foreign persons that facilitate terrorist martyr payments.
• Imposes sanctions on foreign persons that provide significant support to facilitators of terrorist martyr payments.
• Imposes additional sanctions on foreign financial institution that process terrorist martyr payments or facilitate significant financial transactions with other foreign persons sanctioned for "pay-to-slay" conduct.
• Requires the President to implement the sanctions in this bill within 90 days.
• Includes a sunset clause if the PLO and the PA stop terrorist martyr payment policies.

"The Taylor Force Act was a noble effort to end 'pay-to-slay' terrorism in the Middle East," said Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17). "Unfortunately, years after its enactment, we still find ourselves in the vicious, ongoing cycle of 'pay-to-slay' terrorism. It must end."

"That's why I've joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act, which will impose additional sanctions on individuals and entities that enable this horrific practice," continued Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17). "This practice is a total affront to all that the United States and Israel uphold, and it must be brought to an end."

"I won't stop working with my fellow members of Congress to pass this critical legislation, and it is my sincere hope that it will receive near-unanimous support, as it combats a grisly form of terrorism that goes against the most basic level of human rights," concluded Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17).

"Twenty-eight years ago, terrorists murdered Sara Duker, from my District, along with 25 other innocent civilians in the 1996 Jerusalem Jaffa Road bus bombing. Instead of condemning the despicable terrorist who killed Sara, the Palestinian Authority has compensated him. This is one of many disgusting cases where the Palestinian Authority has rewarded the families of jailed and killed terrorists for taking lives. Terrorism literally pays," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). "I’m proud to support the bipartisan, commonsense PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act, which will put a stop to 'Pay for Slay' terrorism. The United States does not — and will never — condone this model of terrorism, which is an affront to human rights, justice, and peace."

"I am pleased to co-lead the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act of 2024, which builds upon the foundation laid by the Taylor Force Act, which I introduced and was passed into law by the Trump Administration," stated Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05). "This legislation builds upon our commitment to curbing policies that incentivize terrorism by imposing sanctions on those who facilitate or support martyr payments. It ensures accountability by mandating swift enforcement of these measures within 90 days, with provisions for a sunset clause if the PLO and PA discontinue these harmful practices."

"The Pay to Slay program is unconscionable and incentivizes the murder of Israeli civilians. Congress needs to send a clear, bipartisan message to the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization that these atrocious martyr payments for terrorist acts against Israel will not go unpunished," said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (FL-23).

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.

The full text of the legislation can be found at this link.