Lawmakers push bill to defund schools backing BDS movement
Two U.S. representatives have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at holding colleges accountable for involvement in the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC) introduced the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, which seeks to cut federal student aid to institutions that engage in commercial or academic boycotts promoted by BDS.
Two U.S. representatives have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at holding colleges accountable for involvement in the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Virginia Foxx (R-NC) introduced the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, which seeks to cut federal student aid to institutions that engage in commercial or academic boycotts promoted by BDS.
“The goal of the BDS movement is the destruction of the democratic State of Israel, America’s critical ally in the global fight against terror,” Gottheimer said in a Wednesday press release.
“At a time when our Jewish students are facing death threats, being physically assaulted, and blocked from going to class simply for who they are, we must do everything possible to ensure they can learn safely, speak freely, and get the education they deserve,” Gottheimer added.
The bill requires universities to certify they are not engaging in commercial boycotts of Israel. Failure to certify would result in loss of federal student aid eligibility.
“The antisemitic rot that has corroded college campuses must be eradicated – enough is enough,” Foxx declared in the same press release. “The safety and security of Jewish students, faculty, and staff should never be threatened under any circumstances. If an institution of higher education chooses to capitulate to the caustic BDS movement, there will be consequences.”
The bill represents a growing congressional effort to push back against what lawmakers call hate-driven discrimination affecting Jewish students nationwide.
According to its website, the BDS movement is a Palestinian-led campaign calling for global pressure on Israel to end its occupation and discrimination against Palestinians. “Since its launch in 2005, BDS has had a significant impact and is effectively challenging international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism,” the website states.
In July, Hillel International released a study showing anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses reached a record high of 2,334 during the 2024–2025 school year.
“The 2,334 incidents tracked during this academic year shows a ten-fold increase in antisemitic activity as compared to the 2022-2023 academic year,” the report concluded. “The drastic increase in antisemitic activity has led to an environment where Jewish students often feel scared and uncertain.”
Last year, a similar study from the non-profit StopAntisemitism reported a 3,000 percent rise in anti-Semitism tips, which the organization described as a “jaw-dropping” increase.
