Gillibrand once supported legislation that would criminalize 'boycotts' by individuals or groups seeking to express a disapproval of the actions taken by the government of Israel. Gillibrand's advocacy against protests and 'boycotts' included her co-sponsoring S.720, coined the "Israel Anti-Boycott Act." This legislation would have criminalized any political boycott intended to protest actions by the Israeli government, with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) denounced S.720, claiming its provisions seeking to "punish U.S. persons based solely on their expressed political beliefs" are "inconsistent" with First Amendment constitutional protections. In July 2017, Gillibrand stated that she no longer supported the bill in its then-current form, adding that she would advocate for changes to it. Gillibrand said that the bill did not "...have any relevance to individuals at all," and insisted she planned to "...urge them to rewrite it to make sure it says...'This is only applying to companies.'"