Issue: BDS

Legislation combating BDS

You can find contact information for your Representative here.
You can find contact information for your Senators here.

(Background Only:) State-led Efforts to Counter BDS

South Carolina passed a new law in 2015 preventing public entities from contracting with businesses engaging in the “boycott of a person or an entity based in or doing business with a jurisdiction with whom South Carolina can enjoy open trade.”

Later that year, Illinois signed into law a bill last year requiring the state to divest from foreign companies that support boycott, divestment or sanctions (BDS).

Combating BDS Act of 2016

The Combating BDS Act of 2016 is a bipartisan bill authored by Sens. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) in the Senate and Reps. Juan Vargas (D-CA) and Bob Dold (R-IL) in the House.

This bill will protect state and local governments’ right to disassociate pensions and contracts from entities that boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel. It will protects these non-Federal governments from lawsuits by divested entities.

The legislation will also reaffirm the Congress’ strong opposition to BDS in all of its manifestations—and its commitment to the principle that the only way forward is a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

House & Senate:
Will you support the Combating BDS Act of 2016 which protects state and local governments’ right to disassociate pensions and contracts from entities that boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel?

House Bill #: H.R.4514
Senate Bill #: S. 2531

Articles and Further Reading on the Issue