The House of Representatives passed a bill to stop federal funding for colleges that boycott Israel. The vote count was 237 to 169, and the split was sharp. All but two Republicans voted yes, but most Democrats voted no. Thirty-three House Democrats broke with their leader to support the measure. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his top deputies voted against the bill. They joined Reps. Thomas Massie and Warren Davidson in the “no” column. Fox News reported that the vast majority of Democrats opposed the measure.
The bill would “prohibit an institution that participates in a non-expressive commercial boycott of Israel” from getting government money. Universities are also compelled to declare that their students “are not unreasonably obstructed” from studying abroad in Israel. This comes as antisemitism grows in the U.S. during the war in Gaza. The measure aims to ensure Jewish students feel safe on campuses.
Democrats have argued the bill hurts the First Amendment. Republicans say it protects Jewish students. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., co-led the legislation even though his own senior leadership opposed it. The objective of the BDS movement, according to him, is the destruction of Israel. “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 said.
Progressives such as Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who stated he generally opposes the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, labeled it a Constitution attack. “The First Amendment right to free speech does not apply only to agreeable speech,” Nadler said in a statement. He further remarked that “This is an attack on free speech and academic freedom, all in the name of defending a genocidal apartheid state”
House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said BDS policies at colleges created hostile environments by discriminating against people of the Jewish faith. She argued the bill is necessary to stop the hate. The vote shows deep cracks in the Democratic party ahead of the midterms.
Far-left Democrats, like the Democratic Socialists of America, have attacked members who are not critical enough of Israel. This has led to antisemitic incidents. Scott Wiener, a gay Jewish Democrat campaigning for Congress in California, was driven out of a pro-transgender rights march. He informed CNN that crowd members alluded to his “Israeli handlers” This is a well-worn antisemitic trope. The divisions were clear on Thursday morning as the bill moved forward.
Republicans have seized on these divisions to show the party is in civil war. The split over Israel coincides with a far-left insurgency. The party is struggling to find a unified message. The bill passed despite the opposition from the top leadership. This is a rare moment where the rank and file defied the party bosses.
The bill now moves to the Senate. It is unclear if it will pass there. The vote count of 237 to 169 shows strong support in the House. The question remains how the Democratic party will heal these wounds. Now is not the time for talk. It is the time for action. The next step is waiting for the Senate to act on the legislation.
