Congresswoman Tenney Reintroduces Legislation to Counteract the Anti-Semitic BDS Movement

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today, alongside Congressman Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), reintroduced the Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act to ban the federal government from entering into contracts with entities that support the radical, anti-Semitic BDS movement targeting Israel.

Additional cosponsors include Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17), Ben Cline (VA-6), Greg Steube (FL-17), and Elise Stefanik (NY-21).

Across the United States, thirty-eight states have implemented laws blocking boycotts against Israel, demonstrating their commitment to opposing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This legislation would bring the federal procurement process in line with the majority of states that have already enacted policies to reiterate America's vital alliance with Israel.

"The BDS movement promotes and normalizes anti-Semitism by singling out the world's only Jewish state and targeting Israel's economy. The United States should not support any entity that engages in or endorses such actions. With over two-thirds of states enacting laws to counter the BDS movement, the federal procurement process must follow these states' lead by implementing legislation at the national level to ban procurement from entities that engage in this form of anti-Semitism. The Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act sends a clear message that the United States stands firmly against anti-Semitism and remains committed to supporting our greatest ally," said Congresswoman Tenney.

"Taxpayer dollars should not be going towards groups that engage in antisemitic boycotts targeting Israel. When I was in the Florida Legislature, I helped lead the charge against the BDS movement to make clear it has no place in Florida. Now, Congress ought to do the same and make clear it has no place in federal contracts. The BDS movement is antisemitism, plain and simple, and this bill will ensure we're using taxpayer dollars responsibly to stand up against hate and stand up for our ally Israel," said Congressman Moskowitz.

"BDS is nothing more than economic antisemitism and its goal is to destroy the world's one and only Jewish state. More than 2/3 of U.S states have adopted measures to thwart BDS and it is well past time for the federal government to join the rest of the country with this clear directive: if you choose to boycott Israel, you will not receive a single dollar from U.S. taxpayers. While companies have a constitutional right to engage in BDS, they do not have a right to use American tax dollars to subsidize their antisemitism. This is both a moral and strategic imperative and we are deeply grateful to Reps Tenney and Moskowitz for leading this bipartisan effort," said CUFI Action Fund Chairwoman Sandra Parker.

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