Combating_BDS_Act
Combating BDS Act
Proposed federal US bill, designed to combat boycotts against Israel
The Combating BDS Act (S. 1) is an anti-BDS bill passed by the Senate in the 116th United States Congress intended to counter the BDS movement's call for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.
The bill was introduced in January 2019 on the first day of the 116th session of Congress in a package of four bills related to the Middle East. Three of the other bills were uncontroversial.[2] Marco Rubio (R-Florida) was the primary sponsor of the bill and the co-sponsors were James Risch (R-Idaho), Cory Gardner, (R-Colorado), and Mitch McConnell, (R-Kentucky).
A week after the package was introduced in the Senate, it was blocked by Democrats from moving forward.[2] On February 5, 2020, it was passed in the Senate with the vote 77 to 23, with 22 Democrats and Rand Paul voting nay.[2]