WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Jim Risch and several of their Senate colleagues to introduce the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act to restrict funding from the United States to the United Nations (UN) and other organizations that would otherwise offer status, rights, or any privileges to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Current U.S. law prohibits U.S. funding to organizations, such as the UN, which give the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates the existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the PLO any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.

Cosponsors in the Senate include John Barrasso, Marsha Blackburn, Katie Britt, Tom Cotton, John Cornyn, Mike Crapo, Ted Cruz, Joni Ernst, Deb Fischer, Lindsey Graham, Bill Hagerty, Mike Lee, James Lankford, Dave McCormick, Pete Ricketts, Tim Scott, and Thom Tillis.

Cosponsors in the House of Representatives include Congressmen Jim Baird, Mike Lawler, Michael McCaul, Barry Moore, María Elvira Salazar, Marlin Stutzman, Claudia Tenney, Randy Weber, and Rudy Yakym.

Senator Rick Scott said, “The United Nations and other international organizations have gladly accepted U.S. tax dollars while coddling adversarial regimes and recognizing terrorist organizations that attack our allies and promote antisemitic rhetoric against them. The U.S. must make clear that we stand with Israel every step of the way and that American taxpayer funds cannot, in any way, assist or support terrorist groups or affiliates that spread evil around the world. America will always stand against the dangerous spread of antisemitism on the world stage, and the NOPE Act sends a clear message that we will not legitimize or support any entity that seeks to undermine Israel’s right to exist or promotes violence against it.”

Senator Jim Risch said, “Once created to be a bastion of peace and security in the world, the United Nations is now a seat of antisemitism and in desperate need of reform. Israel is one of America’s greatest allies and we cannot tolerate or fund any anti-Israel bias or favoritism for the Palestinian Liberation Organization at the UN. These bills will ensure that America has Israel’s back when it matters most.”

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