This week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced the “Ending Subsidies for Pro-Terrorist Activities on Campus Act.”
Rubio’s office offered the reasons for the proposal.
“Since the October 7, 2023 massacre by Hamas, Jewish students across the country have faced vandalism, arson, and other forms of harassment. Taxpayer-funded colleges have allowed staff and students who back the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) Hamas to engage in pro-terrorism harassment,” Rubio’s office insisted. “ Taxpayer dollars shouldn’t fund nor facilitate pro-terrorist activities, and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) should take action in preventing harassment by terrorism supporters.”
Rubio’s office noted the bill will “ensure federal dollars are not being used to support pro-terrorist activities on college campuses and require that IHEs have policies to address them.”
The senator weighed in on why he introduced the proposal.
“The last thing that students should be worried about is a threat to their safety. Shamefully, some students and faculty members are supporting an organization that has pledged to commit violence until Israel no longer exists. Our tax dollars should not be funding antisemitic, pro-terrorist activities on college campuses. It is absolutely ridiculous that the government is subsidizing this,” said Rubio.
The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. So far, there are no Senate co-sponsors and no companion bill over in the U.S. House.