September 9, 2026
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging a formal review of the United Kingdom’s announced trade restrictions targeting Israel and related efforts by other Western countries under Section 999 of the Internal Revenue Code. The letter follows the United Kingdom’s announcement that it would ban imports of goods produced in Israeli-controlled areas of Judea and Samaria and sanction companies involved in expanding housing and communities in the region. According to the announcement cited in the letter, France and Canada would join the effort, while Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Portugal, and Sweden pledged support for the ban. These actions build on similar measures in Spain, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway that Congresswoman Tenney has previously raised with the Treasury Department. The letter warns that these policies align with the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, promote economic discrimination against Israel, and create legal uncertainty for American companies operating abroad.
“Foreign governments seeking to economically isolate Israel must understand that their actions carry consequences,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “The United Kingdom’s announced restrictions and the growing support for similar measures advance the BDS movement’s discriminatory campaign against one of America’s closest allies. American businesses should not be caught between foreign boycott policies and their obligations under U.S. law. I am urging Secretary Bessent to promptly review these measures and add countries to Treasury’s international boycott list if they meet the statutory criteria. We must stand firmly with Israel and enforce our laws designed to combat this discrimination.”
Section 999 requires the Treasury Department to publish a list of countries that require or may require participation in, or cooperation with, an unsanctioned international boycott. The letter calls for an expedited review of whether these policies meet the criteria for inclusion and urges Treasury to act without delay if they do, ensuring American businesses understand their reporting obligations and potential legal exposure.
See the letter below:
Secretary of the Treasury
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20220
Dear Secretary Bessent,
I write to express my grave concerns regarding the recent decision by a new group of Western countries,
led by the United Kingdom, to boycott Israel and to urge the Department to examine the implications of
the proposal under U.S. law.
As I have previously written to you, Section 999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 – commonly
referred to as the Ribicoff Amendment – reflects the United States’ bipartisan commitment to opposing
foreign boycotts against friendly nations, particularly those aimed at Israel.
Under this law, the Treasury Department is required to maintain a list of countries that condition
commercial participation on compliance with an unsanctioned international boycott. Inclusion on this
list imposes specific tax reporting requirements and potential penalties for U.S. individuals and
businesses engaged in certain activities in those countries.
Yesterday, the United Kingdom announced it would ban the importation of goods made in Israeli controlled
areas of Judea and Samaria, and sanction companies involved in expanding housing and
growing communities in the region. United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that the
UK would not be acting alone, claiming that France and Canada would join this effort. Additionally,
Secretary Miliband announced that Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Portugal, and Sweden have pledged to
provide support for the ban.
This measure builds on other similar recent measures in Spain, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and
Norway that I have raised with you with great concern. All of these efforts are part of a broader effort
aligned with the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to
economically isolate Israel. Such policies not only promote economic discrimination, but also create
legal uncertainty for U.S. companies operating in these countries.
I urge you to examine expeditiously whether these growing policies by European countries require or
may require participation in or encouragement of an international boycott within the meaning of Section
999(a)(3). If the criteria are met, then these countries should be added to the boycott list without delay to
ensure that U.S. companies are informed of their reporting obligations and protected from unintended
legal exposure.
The United States must send a clear signal that efforts to economically isolate Israel will carry
consequences, and that U.S. law designed to combat such discrimination will be enforced.
I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Claudia Tenney
Member of Congress
CC. The Honorable Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State
CC. The Honorable Sir Christian Turney KCMG, British Ambassador to the United States
CC. The Honorable Laurent Bili, French Ambassador to the United States
CC. The Honorable Mark D. Wiseman, Canadian Ambassador to the United States
CC. The Honorable Jesper
