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House Democrats fractured Thursday again as 33 members joined Republicans to restrict federal funding for colleges participating in anti-Israel boycotts. The House passed H.R. 4795, the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, by a decisive 237-169 vote. Thirty-three Democrats supported the measure, while 167 Democrats joined two Republicans in opposition to the legislation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted against it, putting him opposite dozens of Democrats willing to confront anti-Israel campus boycotts.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and senior Democrat James Clyburn also opposed the bill, underscoring the party’s increasingly visible Israel divide. Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio were the only GOP lawmakers voting against the measure. North Carolina Republican Virginia Foxx sponsored the legislation, while New Jersey Democrat Josh Gottheimer joined as its Democratic co-sponsor.
The bill would amend higher-education law by attaching major federal-funding consequences to certain institutional commercial boycotts targeting Israel. Covered colleges participating in a “nonexpressive commercial boycott” of Israel could become ineligible for specified federal higher-education funding. Federally supported institutions would also certify that students are not “unreasonably obstructed” from participating in academic programs located in Israel
Critics Raise First Amendment Concerns
Critics counter that punishing boycott participation could chill political expression protected by the First Amendment and interfere with academic independence. Gottheimer argued the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement seeks Israel’s destruction and should have no place on American campuses. “The goal of the BDS movement is the destruction of the democratic State of Israel,” Gottheimer said.
He called Israel “America’s critical ally in the global fight against terror” while defending the legislation against progressive criticism. Gottheimer also highlighted threats, assaults and classroom disruptions affecting Jewish students during bitter campus protests surrounding Israel. Foxx argued university boycott policies have created hostile environments by “marginalizing Jewish students” and discriminating against people of Jewish faith.
“Now is not the time for talk,” Foxx said while demanding congressional action against discriminatory institutional practices. “It is the time for action,” she added, framing federal funding as leverage against universities embracing qualifying boycotts.