The senators’ legislation follows reports that members of UNRWA participated in Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. After the reports, the United States suspended funding to the UN agency pending an investigation.

 “We now know that funding UNRWA is funding Hamas. The fact that the administration attempted to release millions of dollars to go to UNRWA before suspending funding temporarily makes this legislation necessary to ensure the Biden administration doesn’t send another dime of taxpayer money to this organization that has terrorists as members,” said Senator Cotton.

 Text of the legislation may be found here.

 The Defund UNRWA Act would:

• Prohibit the Biden administration from sending any funds previously obligated to UNRWA, not just funds going forward from the date of the administration’s temporary pause.
• Revoke UNRWA-USA’s tax-exempt status.
• Institute an immigration ban on UNRWA-affiliated individuals.