{"format":1,"id":"119-hr-4795","congress":119,"number":"H.R. 4795","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution that participates in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of Israel from being eligible for certain funds under that Act, to require an institution that participates in certain programs under that Act to certify that students are not unreasonably obstructed from participating in academic programs in Israel, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution that participates in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of Israel from being eligible for certain funds under that Act, to require an institution that participates in certain programs under that Act to certify that students are not unreasonably obstructed from participating in academic programs in Israel, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026"},{"type":"Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text","title":"To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution that participates in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of Israel from being eligible for certain funds under that Act, to require an institution that participates in certain programs under that Act to certify that students are not unreasonably obstructed from participating in academic programs in Israel, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2025"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2025-07-29","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2026-09-03","vote":{"id":"119-2026-h295","question":"On Passage","title":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act","result":"Passed","yea":237,"nay":169,"present":0,"not_voting":27,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2026/roll295.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"pending","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"not_yet","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.","date":"2026-09-14"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2026-08-27","stage":"Reported to House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026"},{"k":"p","t":"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."},{"k":"p","t":"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."}],"words":160},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to add a condition on institutions in federal student aid programs concerning commercial boycotts of a major strategic partner of the United States, and to add an annual Title VI certification on academic program participation.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H960F4766FF29411083A945CF9D0C9FD6"},{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H90C3A4E51EA0408CBC25E66179FAEA02"}]},"core_areas":["Institutional conditions for participating in Higher Education Act student aid programs","Nonexpressive commercial boycotts of a major strategic partner of the United States","Annual Title VI certification on academic program participation"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Adds to section 487(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 a requirement that an institution will not engage in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of a major strategic partner of the United States, as the bill defines that term.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H960F4766FF29411083A945CF9D0C9FD6"}},{"text":"Defines a nonexpressive commercial boycott as a commercial action, including refusals to deal and terminating business activities, that is intended to limit commercial relations with a major strategic partner and is not based on a valid business reason.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H960F4766FF29411083A945CF9D0C9FD6"}},{"text":"Requires an institution participating or applying to participate in any Title VI program to submit a certification to the Secretary by July 31 of each calendar year beginning on or after the date of enactment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H90C3A4E51EA0408CBC25E66179FAEA02"}},{"text":"Makes an institution that does not submit the certification by July 31 ineligible for any Title VI funds in the first fiscal year beginning after that date, including funds from grants awarded in earlier fiscal years.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H90C3A4E51EA0408CBC25E66179FAEA02"}},{"text":"Requires the certification to state that the institution will let its students and faculty take part in academic programs in a major strategic partner, and let students and faculty of postsecondary institutions there take part in its programs, on the same terms as for other foreign countries.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H90C3A4E51EA0408CBC25E66179FAEA02"}},{"text":"States the sense of Congress that limits on cooperative efforts between institutions of higher education and a major strategic partner do not serve the security, stability, and economic vitality of the United States.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H90C3A4E51EA0408CBC25E66179FAEA02"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"narrow_beneficiary","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H960F4766FF29411083A945CF9D0C9FD6"},"heading":"Ineligibility of institutions of higher education participating in certain nonexpressive commercial boycotts","effect":"Adds a condition to institutions' program participation agreements barring a nonexpressive commercial boycott of a 'major strategic partner,' defined as a country described in section 4 of Public Law 113–296 or an entity tied to that country.","amount":null,"quote":"a country described in section 4 of Public Law 113–296"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh#H90C3A4E51EA0408CBC25E66179FAEA02"},"heading":"Eligibility for title VI funds","effect":"Requires each institution in Title VI programs to certify each year by July 31 that it will permit students and faculty to take part in academic programs with a 'major strategic partner' on the same terms as other foreign countries, or lose Title VI funds.","amount":null,"quote":"a major strategic partner (as defined in section 487(a)(30)) of the United States"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2026-09-03","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-12","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4795/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-hr-4795.png","v":"a94905972529","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 4795, 119th Congress: Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026. House: 237 Yea, 169 Nay. Senate: not yet considered. Outcome: Passed House, 3 Sep 2026."}}