Americans Criticize Senate Passing of Law Combating BDS as a Threat to Freedom of Expression

USCPR Policy Director Josh Ruebner is quoted by the Palestinian News and Info Agency in their coverage of the recent passage of S.1, a Senate bill that aims to curtail the First Amendment right to boycott in a move to target Palestinian rights advocates.

Today’s overwhelming vote by the Republican-controlled Senate to trample on the First Amendment by passing a bill that encourages states to punish people who boycott for Palestinian freedom, justice, and equality, is a travesty. Hopefully, this bill will die in the Democratic-controlled House. Not only does the base of the Democratic Party support the constitutional right to boycott, but according to opinion polls, a majority of Democrats support sanctioning Israel to end its colonization of Palestinian land. A vote in the House to punish people for boycotting for Palestinian rights would be deeply problematic to the base of the Democratic Party.