House Passes Bill Blocking College Funding for Israel Boycotts

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday, September 3, 2026, that would block federal funding for colleges and universities engaging in commercial boycotts of Israel. The bill, titled the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, passed by a vote of 237 to 169, largely along party lines but with a significant bipartisan split. The measure amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, requiring institutions that receive federal student aid to certify annually that they do not participate in such boycotts. Schools failing to provide this certification would become ineligible for Title IV federal student aid, which includes Pell Grants and federal student loans, as well as Title VI international study grants. The bill also mandates that institutions certify that students are not unreasonably obstructed from participating in academic programs in Israel. The vote saw 203 Republicans and 33 Democrats join one independent representative in supporting the bill. Conversely, 167 Democrats voted against it, alongside two Republicans, Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio.