What Is MAHSA Act Named After Kurdish Woman Mahsa Amini?

The Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability Act (MAHSA Act), a bipartisan legislative endeavor named in honor of the late 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman whose death in police custody sparked widespread protests in Iran, has recently garnered attention in the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

After a significant passage of time since its approval in the House of Representatives, Chairman Ben Cardin has scheduled a discussion regarding the bill on April 16.

The Senate has not yet voted on this measure, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House in September 2023. Notably, the MAHSA Act seeks to address violations of human rights in Iran and pursue individuals guilty, including prominent Iranian figures like President Ebrahim Raisi and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It suggests freezing these people's assets and applying penalties within a given period of time.

A strong proponent of the measure, Republican Representative Jim Banks has encouraged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to move quickly to expedite the Senate vote in order to pay tribute to Mahsa Amini and demonstrate the Senate's commitment to opposing human rights abuses in Iran.

Several parties have expressed disapproval of the MAHSA Act's slow progress, with Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul raising concerns about the Biden administration's alleged unwillingness to uphold sanctions against Iranian officials linked to violations of human rights. Concerns about the administration's strategy for talks with Iran, especially in light of its nuclear program, have also been voiced by McCaul.

The MAHSA Act is scheduled to be discussed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; this might result in the proposal of modifications that could change the final form of the measure. Therefore, before the bill can move to the White House for presidential assent, a separate vote in the House would be necessary to resolve any discrepancies between the House and Senate versions.

In addition, the committee will discuss two other legislation that target Iran's oil industry as well as its drone and missile development, including provisions targeting its exporters, in addition to the MAHSA Act. These bills highlight continuous attempts in the U.S. Congress to confront different aspects of Iran's behavior and to apply pressure on the Iranian regime for its activities in the country and abroad.