As universities face growing pressure from students and faculty to cut ties with Israel over its war in Gaza, a pair of heavily AIPAC-funded members of Congress have introduced legislation that would punish universities for responding to those demands. On Tuesday, Reps. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) introduced the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2025, a bill that would cut off federal funds to any college that boycotts Israel or imposes limits on academic cooperation with Israeli institutions.
The bill would require colleges to annually certify that they will not engage in a “nonexpressive commercial boycott” of Israel or companies and other entities licensed by Israel. Any university that refuses to do business with Israeli entities, other than for a “valid business reason,” would be made ineligible for Title IV financial aid programs, including Pell Grants and student loans. Undergraduate students received $16,360 in financial aid on average in the 2023-2024 school year, according to College Board. The bill also targets schools that restrict student or faculty participation in academic programs in Israel, threatening to cut them off from international studies funding under Title VI.
