The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would restrict certain federal higher-education funding for colleges participating in specified commercial boycotts of Israel. The vote exposed differences among Democrats over how to address anti-Israel boycotts while protecting freedom of expression and academic independence.
H.R. 4795, known as the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, passed the House on September 3, 2026, by a vote of 237 to 169. The official tally recorded 33 Democrats voting in favor and 167 voting against the measure. citeturn768502search1
The legislation now faces further consideration in the Senate. Its future will depend on whether senators support the proposed restrictions and how they assess the balance between preventing discrimination and protecting constitutionally protected expression.
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