On a bipartisan basis, the House enacted the Antisemitism Awareness Act on Wednesday, May 1. The measure formalizes the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews,” according to the definition, which was accepted in 2016. Antisemitism may take the form of verbal or physical acts aimed toward Jewish or non-Jewish people, their property, Jewish community institutions, or places of worship.
Representatives Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., led the 62 cosponsors of the measure. “I have a strong belief in free speech, but I also think it is critical that all students feel safe and are not in danger of violence,” Gottheimer said. “And the issue I have encountered with a lot of these campuses lately is that students do not feel safe.”
Lawler told reporters, “It really is incumbent upon Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in American history, to act once it passes through the House.”
Unlike the House version, which was presented in October, the Senate version of the measure was recently introduced on April 16 and has 31 bipartisan co-sponsors. This implies that the bill could stagnate in the legislature.
Should the bill become law, the Department of Education would have to apply the IHRA definition in determining whether Title VI of the Civil Rights Act—which forbids discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal funding—has been violated.
There has been a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland, told Straight Arrow News that it is having an impact on neighborhood safety as well as that of students on campus. “It is imperative that we have a well-executed strategy,”
The intensity of the demonstrations at college campuses has only made lawmakers more determined. It seemed to reach a peak on Tuesday, April 30, when police detained around a hundred individuals who had occupied Hamilton Hall on the Columbia University campus.
Sen. John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, said, “It is evident that not enough action was ever taken that even allowed these things to reach to this point.” “Now that people are taking over the buildings and everything, you need to send in countless numbers of officers just to maintain order.” It is American values to protest. However, it is not the current situation on these campuses.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the oldest Jewish member of the House, deemed the Antisemitism Awareness Act to be erroneous.
During the legislation’s Rules Committee hearing, Nadler said, “By effectively codifying them into Title VI, this bill threatens to chill constitutionally protected speech.” “Merely critical remarks about Israel do not amount to illegal discrimination.”
Johnson also said that House committees would look into antisemitism on college campuses in addition to this measure. In the end, if members find Title VI breaches, they may attempt to sever financing.