<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>I feel personally insulted by this. Even if we concede that they've made up their minds to be cowards, as usual, they could at least have the decency to include the phrase "First Amendment" somewhere in their letter, to acknowledge that somewhere there is a group of people who have a problem with this. </div><div><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="m_170051441579846009m_2158864974106797237gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Senator Tammy Duckworth</strong> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:correspondence@duckworth.senate.gov" target="_blank">correspondence@duckworth.senate.gov</a>></span><br>Date: Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 3:30 PM<br>Subject: Responding to your message<br>To: <<a href="mailto:naiman@justforeignpolicy.org" target="_blank">naiman@justforeignpolicy.org</a>><br></div><br><br><div><div style="text-align:center"><table style="width:785px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="width:788px;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle"><div style="text-align:center"><table width="785" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align:center"><table width="750" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="0" border="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td style="width:516px;height:159px" align="left">
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</p><div style="text-align:left"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman';color:#000000">Dear Neighbor,<br>
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<p style="text-align:justify">Thank you for contacting me to share your views on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. I appreciate you taking the time to make me aware of your concerns on this important matter.
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<p style="text-align:justify">As you know, the BDS movement is a global campaign designed to exert pressure on Israel’s economy. As your Senator, I am committed to advancing policies that promote a safe and secure Middle East and defend the sovereignty of America’s ally, Israel. Our Nation should remain committed to helping the Israeli and Palestinian people negotiate a permanent two-state solution to end decades of conflict. Ultimately, the Israeli and Palestinian people share a responsibility to achieve peace, and the region needs a strong and secure Israel to live peacefully alongside a free and independent Palestine.
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<p style="text-align:justify">Various proposals have been introduced this Congress addressing the BDS movement. The Combating BDS Act of 2017 was introduced by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida on January 17, 2017. This bill would strengthen protections for State and local governments who choose not to invest in, or do business with, companies and organizations that participate in BDS actions. The Israel Anti-Boycott Act was introduced by Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland on March 23, 2017 and would prohibit boycotts imposed by international governmental organizations against Israel. While I am not currently a sponsor of either of these bills, I remain firmly opposed to the BDS movement and believe that we must remain staunch supporters of Israel. Rest assured, I will keep your thoughts in mind if these bills come to the Senate floor for a vote.
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<p style="text-align:justify">Thank you again for contacting me on this important issue. If you would like more information on my work in the Senate, please visit my website at <a href="http://www.duckworth.senate.gov" target="_blank">www.duckworth.senate.gov</a>. You can access my voting record and see what I am doing to address today’s most important issues. I hope that you will continue to share your views and opinions with me and let me know whenever I may be of assistance to you.
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<br></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Times"><span style="color:#000000">Sincerely,</span>
<br></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Times"><span style="font-family:Times"><a id="m_170051441579846009m_2158864974106797237m_8062964256016203126Signature" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&cid=SenDuckworth&crop=15882QQQ21997262QQQ7180609QQQ7883965&report_id=Signature&redirect=http%3a%2f%2fduckworth.senate.gov&redir_log=800154790113193" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/SenDuckworth/Duckworth.png"></a>
<br><span style="font-size:12pt">Tammy Duckworth<br></span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Times;color:#000000">United States Senator<br></span></span></div><div style="text-align:center"><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Times;color:#000000"></span></div><p style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Calibri"><em><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Calibri"><u></u><u></u></span></em>
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