Press Releases

Today, Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) praised House passage of H.R. 4795, Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, legislation that sends a strong message that our colleges and universities should not be hotbeds for antisemitic actions or boycotts.

“Calling discrimination ‘justice’ does not make it so. The boycott, divestment, and sanctions, or BDS, movement does exactly this by singling out and demonizing Israel. This is why these campaigns have played a significant role in fueling the alarming rise of antisemitism on college campuses,” said Chairman Walberg. “Our universities should not use taxpayer-funded federal programs to discriminate against Israeli students, faculty, institutions, or businesses simply because they are Israeli. I’m proud of my colleagues for standing up for that principle today and I hope to see the Senate do the same.”

H.R. 4795, Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, authored by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), would require colleges participating in those federal programs to:

• Not participate in certain commercial boycotts of Israel that are not based on a legitimate business reason.
• Treat academic opportunities involving Israel the same as those involving other countries.
• Give Israeli students and faculty the same access to academic programs as those from other countries.

###