Igo Anti-Boycott Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Manning for her leadership on this and so many important issues for our country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in passing the IGO Anti-Boycott Act. I am particularly honored to have helped introduce this bipartisan legislation with my very good friend and fellow Problem Solvers Caucus member Mike Lawler from New York. I am grateful for his leadership as well and the words he has just spoken.

On October 7, the world watched Hamas terrorists invade Israel and brutally kidnap, torture, rape, burn alive, and murder innocent babies, children, women, men, and the elderly, including dozens of Americans. Americans remain hostage to this day.

This unprovoked war has underscored why I will always stand with Israel and support our key democratic ally's right to defend herself from those who seek her destruction.

This bipartisan legislation is a key step to counter anti-Israel bias and anti-Semitic BDS movements strung along by enemies of our Nation. As my colleagues have said, the BDS movement is anti-Semitic. We must move quickly to stop international governmental organizations from unfairly and unjustly alienating Israel. It is unacceptable.

Speaking, as my colleague did, about the United Nations and UNRWA, in particular, and what has come out even in the last days about UNRWA-- which is, again, part of the United Nations playing host to a Hamas data center--we know that a significant number of Hamas fighters are employees at UNWRA. I just want people to understand that funding from the United States of America should not be supporting any terrorist fighters like those in Hamas. It is totally unacceptable, and that is not where dollars from the United States should be going.

Right now, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric has spread across the country and the world. According to the ADL, between October 7 and January 7, there were more than 1,300 instances of anti-Semitic acts and expressions of support for terrorism against the State of Israel.

Today, we have a chance to stand up for our ally, Israel, and to stand up against anti-Semitism and all of the disinformation which continues to spread around the world on sources like TikTok.

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Mr. GOTTHEIMER. We know that on TikTok, which is supported by the Chinese Government, the CCP is continuing to spread disinformation. Disinformation is also coming out from many of these organizations. We must stand up against it.

This legislation does nothing to violate the First Amendment. In fact, the importance of being able to stand strong with the First Amendment is what allows legislation like this to make it to the floor in Congress. Leadership from Mr. Lawler and others and the excellent work here of Ms. Manning is the kind of leadership that is critical.

So, Madam Speaker, I, once again, urge my colleagues to vote for and help pass the Anti-Boycott Act. We must stand strong up against Hamas.

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