[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 188 (Thursday, November 29, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7233]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE ISRAEL ANTI-BOYCOTT ACT

  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, today I wish to add myself as a cosponsor 
of S. 720, the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, and urge my colleagues to 
support this important legislation in its modified form. I have long 
and staunchly opposed the BDS movement and associated efforts to 
unfairly isolate Israel in international forums. This legislation will 
prevent international entities from imposing their will on U.S. 
businesses with regards to their decisions, consistent with U.S. law, 
to conduct commerce with our close ally Israel and its citizens.
  After carefully examining the proposed changes to the legislation, I 
support the amended version of this bill put forward by my colleagues, 
Senator Cardin and Senator Portman. This revised version of the 
legislation makes meaningful revisions to the original language to 
clarify and improve First Amendment protections. Initial concerns that 
this bill unintentionally infringed on individuals' First Amendment 
rights have now been addressed by these changes, agreed upon earlier 
this year, and I feel confident that these modifications safeguard 
Americans' constitutional right to free speech.

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