Defeated

HR 4521 is a large bill called the “America COMPETES Act,” and the bulk of the bill is unrelated to advocacy for Palestinian rights. The version passed in the House includes a non-germane amendment directing the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations to work to end the UN Commission of Inquiry investigating violations of international law surrounding 2021’s Unity intifada, including Israel’s forced displacement of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its attacks on Gaza. The Senate version includes an amendment that bars participation of any country “that takes actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel” or its illegal settlements from National Science Foundation Technology and Innovations programs.

This bill would prohibit Amnesty International, an international human rights organization, from receiving any federal funds, and would make Amnesty International’s employees ineligible to receive any financial benefit from the United States government. Although Israel is not mentioned in the bill, a statement by the bill’s sponsors makes clear this bill is aimed at Amnesty’s work holding Israel accountable for human rights violations. Earlier in 2022, Amnesty International released a comprehensive report documenting Israel’s system of apartheid against Palestinians.

S 2489 requires an act of Congress in order to reverse Trump-era guidelines that require goods produced in Areas C and H2 in the West Bank to be labeled as “Made in Israel.” Republican Senator Marco Rubio, one of the bill’s sponsors, smears boycotts for justice while defending Israel’s illegal settlements to explain his support for the bill: “The bill would prohibit the Biden Administration from issuing new labelling guidelines that would help the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement target specific goods made in the territory controlled by Israel.

S 3467 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: S 2479, HR 4721. 

HR 4721 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: S 2479, S 3467. 

S 2479 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: HR 4721, S 3467.

This non-binding resolution adopts the distorted IHRA definition of antisemitism. The definition includes the following problematic examples of antisemitism related to Israel: “[a]pplying a double standards” to Israel,” or “[d]enying the Jewish people the right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.” The definition has been widely criticized for its potential to circumscribe political speech in support of Palestinian rights in violation of the First Amendment. 

This non-binding resolution condemns boycott, divestment, and sanctions efforts and academic boycotts, in particular. The resolution falsely claims that boycotts for Palestinian rights foster discrimination against Jewish people. Similar resolutions were introduced in 2016 (HR250, which passed), and 2019 (HR40, which was defeated).

This non-binding resolution was introduced on the same day that Angela Davis was scheduled to speak at the University of South Carolina. The resolution describes Davis as “controversial,” and notes her involvement with the Communist Party, the Black Panther Party, and her support for defunding the police. The resolution also notes that she has endorsed boycotts for Palestinian rights, which the resolution falsely claims are “inspired by, and consistent with [the objectives of] Hamas.” While stopping short of an outright call to rescind her invitation to speak, the resolution calls on the university “to recognize speakers that support the mission of the university to support the historical understanding of [the] State and all perspectives that are a better and more faithful index to the needs of [the] State.” The resolution also notes an expectation “that all ideological points of view and all future speakers will be honored in like fashion in speaking at the University of South Carolina.”

This anti-boycott bill prohibits investment of state retirement funds in entities, including non-profits, that engage in boycotts of Israel or territories occupied by Israel. Since 2015, South Carolina has had an anti-boycott law in effect (H 3583) that prohibits state contracts with companies that boycott South Carolina’s trading partners, including Israel.