After a series of debates on U.S. trade policy, this bill became the final vehicle for renewing the president’s authority to ‘fast-track’ approval of trade agreements in Congress. Following procedural machinations and some negotiations, the House approved a major part of the original version of this measure on 6/12 (*H.R. 1314 of 3/4/15), including the anti-BDS provision that originated in the U.S.-Israel Trade Enhancement Act of 2015 (S. 619 of 3/2/15). That part, Title 1, was then amended as a substitute onto this previously passed bill on 6/18/15. The House then approved the new bill on 6/18, and the Senate agreed to it on 6/24.
The day after Pres. Obama signed this bill into law, the State Dept. released a statement clarifying that although the administration opposed BDS efforts targeting Israel, it did not oppose such efforts regarding ‘Israeli-controlled territories’ (i.e., West Bank settlements). The anti-BDS provision marked a historic departure from long-established U.S. policy on Israeli settlements and the oPt. See the Updates in JPS 44 (4) and 45 (1) for more.
5 cosponsors (3R, 2D).
Last major action: 6/29/15 became public law (6/24/15 Senate agreed to House amendments by yea/nay vote, 60–38; 6/18/15 House agreed to amendment by yea/nay vote, 218–208; 6/4/15 passed in Senate by unanimous consent; 5/12/15 passed in House by yea/nay vote, 407–5).