SEIZE Act of 2025
The Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization Act of 2025 (SEIZE Act) would allow the President to treat weapons or other materiel seized by the United States, while those items were in transit from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen, as U.S. stocks. This status would enable the President to draw down those seized items and provide them to foreign partners under the Foreign Assistance Act, broadening the U.S. toolkit for military assistance. The bill also requires regular congressional reporting on how often this authority is used, what items are seized and treated as U.S. stocks, and what items are subsequently provided to foreign partners. Oversight is assigned to the standard defense and foreign affairs committees in both chambers. In short, SEIZE Act expands how seized weapons can be redirected for foreign military assistance, with new reporting requirements to Congress.
Key Points
- 1The President may treat as U.S. stocks any weapon or materiel seized by the United States in transit from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen.
- 2The bill adds a new paragraph (4) to Section 506(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act, authorizing a drawdown of seized items to be provided to foreign partners.
- 3The President must submit a report within 180 days of enactment and annually thereafter detailing: (a) the number of times this authority was used; (b) an inventory of seized items treated as U.S. stocks; (c) an inventory of items provided to foreign partners.
- 4The required oversight committees are defined as the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, and the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees.
- 5The law’s purpose is specifically tied to items seized in transit from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen.