The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed confirmation that an amendment offered by Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) to revive the controversial International Governmental Organizations (IGO) Anti-Boycott Act was pulled before consideration by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Yesterday, CAIR issued a public announcement and contacted Republican and Democratic members of the committee, urging opposition to the amendment, which would have expanded the Anti-Boycott Act of 2018 to apply to boycotts associated with international governmental organizations such as the United Nations.
CAIR warned Republican and Democratic committee members that the proposal raised serious First Amendment concerns by threatening constitutionally protected political speech, advocacy, and boycott activity.
CAIR has since been informed that the amendment was withdrawn prior to consideration and was never formally offered during markup. The amendment’s link on the House repository is no longer active.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Department Director Robert S. McCaw said:
“We welcome the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s decision to pull this anti-free speech amendment before it could advance. At a time when Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and engaging in a broader campaign of ethnic cleansing, mass displacement, starvation, torture, sexual abuse of prisoners, collective punishment, and widespread destruction across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and the region, Congress should not be working to suppress Americans’ ability to advocate for accountability.
“This proposal would have expanded federal authority to investigate and penalize Americans for engaging in peaceful political advocacy and supporting international human rights efforts. The First Amendment does not disappear when the issue is Palestine. Congress was right to reject this measure last year after widespread grassroots opposition, and committee members were right to reject this latest attempt to revive it through the amendment process.
“Americans should be free to advocate for justice, human rights, and government accountability without fear of investigation, fines, imprisonment, or other government punishment.”
Lawler’s amendment was substantially similar to the International Governmental Organizations Anti-Boycott Act (H.R. 867), which was pulled from House consideration in 2025 following significant bipartisan opposition from civil liberties advocates, constitutional scholars, faith organizations, grassroots activists, and members of Congress across the political spectrum.
CAIR will continue opposing any future efforts to revive the legislation through either stand-alone bills or amendments.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com