This past Wednesday, Congressman from both sides of the aisle introduced new legislation to fight the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement against Israel. Sponsored by Mark Kirk (R-IL) and co-sponsored by Joe Manchin (D-WV) in the Senate, and sponsored by Bob Dold (R-IL) and co-sponsored by Juan Vargas (D-CA) in the House– the Combating BDS Act of 2016 (S. 2531/H.R. 4514) “would authorize state and local governments to divest from companies engaged in BDS activities targeting Israel.” “The Combating BDS Act of 2016 uses the power of the purse to fight back against anti-Semitism throughout the world,” Senator Kirk said. “This bipartisan bill would authorize state and local governments in the United States to follow Illinois’s lead and divest from companies engaged in boycotts and other forms of economic warfare against Israel. With this bill, Congress underscores the critical role that state and local governments and their communities have to play in the ongoing struggle against anti-Semitism worldwide.” “The BDS movement serves as a means to delegitimize Israel’s existence and inflame tensions in communities and on college campuses across the country,” Representative Dold said. “This important legislation empowers community leaders and individuals who seek to counter the hateful targeting of Israel, while sending an unquestionable message about our steadfast opposition to BDS and strong support for those who stand up for Israel.” “I’m proud to support Rep. Dold’s effort to combat the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) movement that targets Israel,” said Rep. Vargas. “BDS efforts depict Israel in a negative light causing a loss of economic opportunities and penalizing commercial relations.”