HI Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
The legislation was introduced last month by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and although the text doesn't specifically mention Israel or Palestine at all, Omar has made it clear that it was developed in response to the recent proliferation bills that target the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (also known as BDS). "We are introducing a resolution ... to really speak about the American values that support and believe in our ability to exercise our first amendment rights in regard to boycotting," she said shortly before the bill's introduction, "And it is an opportunity for us to explain why it is we support a nonviolent movement, which is the BDS movement."
Comment: Gabbard, who sincerely seems to be seeking peace for people everywhere, is in the unfortunate position of having to thread the Jewish Lobby needle in her quest for the Democratic nomination. Sizeable chunks of her base are on both sides of the question. To her credit, she has so far not bent the knee and addressed AIPAC, as is customary for those seeking the presidency. Whether this refusal to come down emphatically on one side or the other will hurt her in the long run remains to be seen.