H.R. 4795
Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026
Sponsor: Virginia Foxx
1 cosponsor
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026
This bill prohibits institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs from engaging in boycotts against Israel. Specifically, IHEs may not engage in a commercial action intended to limit commercial relations with Israel, or with an entity licensed by, regulated by, or organized under the laws of Israel, that is not based on a valid business reason.
Further, IHEs receiving, or applying to receive, Title VI funds (federal funding for foreign language and international education programs) must annually certify that (1) students and faculty are allowed to participate in academic programs located in Israel in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions as programs in other foreign countries, and (2) students and faculty at postsecondary institutions located in Israel may participate in such IHE’s academic programs in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions as students and faculty from other foreign countries.
Text of the bill
Where this section came from
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Jul 29, 2025 · Introduced in House Referred to House Committee on Education and Workforce, Jul 29
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Aug 27, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on Education and Workforce, Jun 25 Reported by House Committee on Education and Workforce, Aug 27 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
Section 487
(a)
Ineligibility. Part B
of
title I of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1011
1094(a))
et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
[Inserted into the law:
124.
(30)
Ineligibility of institutions participating in certain nonexpressive commercial boycotts.
(
a
A
)
In
The
general. Not later than July 31 of each year, an
institution
of higher education that participates in any program under title IV shall certify to the Secretary that the institution
will not engage in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of a major strategic partner of the United States
for the period beginning on the date of such certification and ending on July 31 of the following year
. (
b
B
)
Public
For
availability
purposes
of
list; notification. Not later than 7 business days after July 31 of each year, the Secretary shall— (1) identify and make publicly available on a website of the Department a list of all institutions of higher education described in subsection (a) that did not submit a certification under such subsection for such year; and (2) notify each institution of higher education identified pursuant to paragraph (1) of such identification and inclusion on such list. (c) Definitions. In
this
section
paragraph
: (
1
i
)
Major strategic partner.
The term major strategic partner
means,
with respect to the United States
means
— (
A
I
) a country described in section 4 of Public Law 113–296; or (
B
II
) an entity licensed or regulated by, or organized under the laws of, such a country. (
2
ii
)
Nonexpressive commercial boycott of a major strategic partner.
The term nonexpressive commercial boycott of a major strategic partner— (
A
I
) means a commercial action (including engaging in refusals to deal and terminating business activities) that— (
i
aa
) is intended to limit commercial relations with a major strategic partner; and (
ii
bb
) is not based on a valid business reason; and (
B
II
) does not include actions described in regulations issued to provide for the exceptions described in section 1773(a)(2) of the Anti-Boycott Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4842(a)(2)).
]
(b) Program participation agreement. Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
[Inserted into the law:
(30) The institution will comply with the requirements of section 124.
]
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A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.
Section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(30)
(A) The institution will not engage in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of a major strategic partner of the United States.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph:
(i) The term major strategic partner means, with respect to the United States—
(I) a country described in section 4 of Public Law 113–296; or
(II) an entity licensed or regulated by, or organized under the laws of, such a country.
(ii) The term nonexpressive commercial boycott of a major strategic partner—
(I) means a commercial action (including engaging in refusals to deal and terminating business activities) that—
(aa) is intended to limit commercial relations with a major strategic partner; and
(bb) is not based on a valid business reason; and
(II) does not include actions described in regulations issued to provide for the exceptions described in section 1773(a)(2) of the Anti-Boycott Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4842(a)(2)).