Moskowitz, Diaz-Balart Lead Call to Codify Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressmen Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-26), co-Chairs of the Friends of Egypt Caucus, recently announced their Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, a step towards codifying the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Specifically, the bill directs the U.S. Secretary of State to take a targeted approach investigating and designating any arms of the Muslim Brotherhood as FTOs that do not currently carry the designation but should under the law.

A Senate companion is being led by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

“The Muslim Brotherhood has a documented history of promoting terrorism against the United States, our allies, and our society,” said Congressman Moskowitz. “Countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Austria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and France have already taken important steps to investigate and crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates. The U.S. government has to have the authority to crack down on the serious threats posed by this group as well. That’s why I’m joining Rep. Diaz-Balart and Sen. Cruz to introduce the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act. This bill builds on my call for an investigation into designating the Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and it ensures we are taking crucial steps to protect our national security.”

“Today, I once again introduced legislation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization,” said Congressman Diaz-Balart. “The global Muslim Brotherhood has numerous regional branches, including terrorist organizations such as Hamas, and spreads violence and instability throughout the Middle East. For this reason, it is crucial to U.S. national security interests that we prohibit U.S. dollars from enabling the Muslim Brotherhood’s dangerous activities, and that we ensure Muslim Brotherhood members are blocked from entering the United States. This important legislation gives the Trump Administration the additional authority it needs to protect Americans, and our closest allies, from this insidious threat.”

Earlier this Congress, Moskowitz urged the Trump Administration to conduct an investigation into designating the Muslim Brotherhood an FTO. His bipartisan bill builds on this push to codify the designation and protect national and global security.

Moskowitz is a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he leads its Subcommittee on Oversight & Intelligence as Ranking Member, and was recently appointed to the House-Knesset Parliamentary Group to strengthen the US-Israel alliance. He has been an outspoken voice boosting U.S. allies Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan and standing up to foreign adversaries like Russia, Iran, and China.

For more information on the bipartisan Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, click HERE.

###