Providing for Consideration of H.R. Rights for Transportation Security Officers Act of Providing for Motions to Suspend the Rules; and Waiving A Requirement of Clause 6(A) of Rule Xiii with Respect to Consideration of Certain Resolutions Reported From the Committee on Rules

Floor Speech

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Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that the House may take up H.R. 5595, the Israel Anti- Boycott Act, that would help fight back against the BDS movement.

This bill would prohibit boycotts or requests for boycotts imposed by international governmental organizations against Israel and would protect American companies from being coerced to provide information to those organizations for the purpose of furthering boycotts against Israel.

This bill holds individuals who attempt to violate this protection accountable. Additionally, it establishes Congress' opposition to the BDS movement and condemns the United Nations' Human Rights Council's creation of a blacklist of companies doing business in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights as an act of BDS.

This legislation does not impede the right of any individual American to boycott or criticize Israel. It is okay to have reasonable, legitimate concerns with any government, including our own and allies like Israel, but this hate-fueled movement is not all about affirming the rights of Palestinians.

The BDS movement has fueled anti-Semitism across college campuses and in our country's politics. I hear from Jewish students on college campuses across America who are being subjected to blatant anti- Semitism under the guise of BDS. For example, at Syracuse University, they are granting internship school credit to students interning with pro-BDS organizations after a slew of anti-Semitic graffiti vandalized the school.

The founder of BDS was blatantly anti-Semitic, and this movement is being pushed by many people who support a one-state solution that would end Israel, our Nation's greatest ally.

BDS tries to delegitimize Israel by turning it into a pariah state cut off from all trade, tourism, military, diplomatic, and cultural ties with the rest of the world. Last month, the U.N. did it again and published a blacklist of companies doing business in the West Bank.

We must forcefully condemn this.

This House, last year, passed H. Res. 246, a resolution to condemn the BDS movement. Making a statement was a start, but now it is time to do something about it and pass legislation with teeth.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the rule and defeat the previous question.

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