On Tuesday, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, R-NC5, Chairwoman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, introduced legislation that would prohibit colleges and universities that engage in commercial boycotts dictated by those in the boycott-sanction-divest (BDS) movement from receiving federal student aid. This is bipartisan legislation co-sponsored with Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).
“Enough is enough,” said Foxx in a press release. “Appeasing the antisemitic mobs on college campuses threatens the safety of Jewish students and faculty, and it undermines the relationship between the U.S. and one of our strongest allies. If an institution is going to capitulate to the BDS movement, there will be consequences – starting with the Protect Economic Freedom Act.”
The Protect Economic Freedom Act (HR 10257) would require colleges and universities to certify that the institution is not participating in the non-expressive commercial boycott of Israel, better known as the BDS movement. Higher education institutions participating in the BDS movement would forfeit receiving any federal student aid. All institutions that fail to certify would also be available on a public list published by the US Department of Education.
“No later than July 31 of each year, an institution of higher education that participates in any program under Title IV shall certify to the Secretary that the institution will not engage in any non-expressive commercial boycott of Israel for the period beginning on the date of such certification and ending on July 31 of the following year,” reads the HR 10257.
Existing laws enforced by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security prohibit US persons from participating in unsanctioned foreign boycotts, which the bill is modeled after.
The investigation by the House Committee into antisemitism on college campuses revealed that radical, anti-Israel individuals were attempting to coerce institutions into divesting from and boycotting Israel. Engaging in commercial boycotts undermines the US-Israel relationship and appeases antisemitic mobs, as well as damages economic partnerships, the committee determined.
Since Oct 7, 2023, there has been a rise in antisemitic acts and protests across the nation. This includes one of the most notorious protests of the period, taking place at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus earlier this year, when pro-Palestinian protestors repeatedly tore down the American flag. Also of note, one of the captives taken by Hamas on Oct 7, who remains in captivity to this day, is a North Carolina native, Keith Samuel Sigel. Keith and his wife, Aviva, were both taken captive by Hamas; Aviva was eventually released, but Keith is still in captivity.