The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on every member of the U.S. House of Representatives to vote “NO” on H.R. 4795, the misleadingly titled “Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026,” which would threaten universities’ participation in federal student-aid programs if they engage in certain commercial boycotts of Israel.
The anti-free-speech bill is sponsored by Republican North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, co-sponsored by Democratic New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer, and scheduled for consideration on the House floor sometime today or later this week. In June, CAIR opposed a bill co-sponsored in part by Gottheimer that would expand federal anti-boycott restrictions to cover boycotts promoted or requested by international governmental organizations (IGOs), including entities such as the United Nations.
Under H.R. 4795, a college or university that refuses to do business or terminates business activity with Israel—or with an entity organized, licensed or regulated under Israeli law – for the purpose of limiting commercial relations and without what the bill considers a “valid business reason” could lose eligibility to participate in Title IV federal student-aid programs, including Pell Grants and federal student loans.
The bill would separately require institutions receiving or seeking certain international education and foreign-language funding to certify annually that they do not unreasonably obstruct students and faculty from participating in academic programs in Israel and that they offer Israeli academic participants the same terms provided to participants from other countries.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw said:
“H.R. 4795 is a blatant attempt to hold American students’ financial futures hostage in order to shield the Israeli government and entities operating under Israeli law from peaceful economic pressure.
“Students and faculty have the right to speak, organize and urge their institutions to align investment and purchasing decisions with their values. Congress should not threaten Pell Grants and student loans simply because lawmakers dislike the outcome of that advocacy.
“Boycott and divestment campaigns have long served as powerful, nonviolent tools for confronting injustice. This bill would single out one foreign country for exceptional protection, interfere with university autonomy and punish American students to advance the interests of the Israeli government.
“The American people deserve a Congress that puts their constitutional rights and interests first—not the political demands of a foreign government. Every member of the House should vote no on H.R. 4795.”
CAIR raised the following concerns about H.R. 4795:
- It holds student financial aid hostage to university commercial decisions. Threatening an institution’s access to federal student-aid programs would primarily harm students who rely on Pell Grants and federal loans to afford an education.
- It chills protected student and faculty advocacy. Although the bill targets institutional commercial conduct, its intended effect is to prevent universities from acting in response to peaceful boycott and divestment campaigns of Israel’s ongoing war crimes, acts of genocide, illegal land theft, and criminal occupation. The threat of losing federal funds would give administrators a powerful incentive to suppress such organizing before it succeeds.
- It interferes with university autonomy. The legislation would use federal financial leverage to dictate universities’ investment, purchasing and academic decisions on a single foreign-policy issue.
- It singles out Israel for special protection. Congress should not use American education funding to insulate a foreign government – or entities organized under its laws – from peaceful economic pressure and institutional accountability.
- It creates a dangerous precedent for politically motivated funding conditions. If Congress can threaten student aid because lawmakers oppose a university’s position on Israel, a future Congress could use the same tactic against institutions that support any other politically disfavored cause.
Again, CAIR is calling on all members of the House of Representatives to reject H.R. 4795 and urged Americans to contact their representatives and demand a NO vote.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]