Jewish Groups Laud Congress for Including Anti-BDS Measure in Trade Bill
Several Jewish groups heaped praise on the U.S. Congress for including a measure in the Trade Bill that discourages actions by potential U.S. trading partners such as the European Union that prejudice or discourage trade between the U.S. and Israel.
The amendment mentions specifically “politically motivated actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and to seek the elimination of politically motivated nontariff barriers on Israeli goods, services, or other commerce imposed on the State of Israel.” It also seeks “the elimination of state-sponsored unsanctioned foreign boycotts against Israel or compliance with the Arab League Boycott of Israel by prospective trading partners.”
The pro-Israel American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) “commends Congress for including an amendment opposing anti-Israel trade and commercial practices in the “Fast Track” Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill. With the Senate vote to approve TPA today, Congress has completed a major step to defend Israel from pernicious economic efforts by foreign governments to unfairly target our democratic ally, and to protect American businesses operating in Israel,” the organization said in a news release.
“Utilizing well-established congressional tools, the provision directs that one of the principal American objectives in upcoming trade negotiations will be to discourage trading partners from taking actions that would limit U.S.-Israel commerce. It also urges the U.S. Trade Representative to seek the elimination of politically-motivated economic attacks on Israel by America’s free trade partners,” AIPAC notes.
AIPAC praised in particular Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Rob Portman (R-OH) and Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Juan Vargas (D-CA) who initiated the amendment.
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http://jpupdates.com/2015/06/24/jewish-groups-laud-congress-for-including-anti-bds-measure-in-trade-bill/
