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The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to pass the bipartisan Anti-Semitism Awareness Act. The vote came amid growing concerns about anti-Semitism against Israel, which is at war with Hamas, and pro-Palestinian protests erupting on college campuses across the country.
Supporters of the bill say it will help combat anti-Semitism on college campuses, but opponents say it goes too far and could chill free speech. ing.
The bill would require the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws.
Critics of the bill say the definition is too broad and could lead to censorship issues.
The House vote was 320-91, with 70 Democrats and 21 Republicans voting against the bill. Republican opposition came primarily from the right wing of the conference. The bill must next be considered in the Senate.
“It is important that we crack down on anti-Semitic hate in our country,” New York Republican Mike Lawler, who introduced the bill, said in a statement.
“We are grateful for the bipartisan support for the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act and the support from a wide range of Jewish organizations who are standing up and supporting this bill and saying enough is enough,” he said.
In the House, Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Max Miller (R-Ohio) and Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) are also leading the effort.
The American Civil Liberties Union called on lawmakers to oppose the bill.
“Federal law already prohibits anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment by federally funded organizations. Therefore, HR 6090 is not necessary to protect against anti-Semitic discrimination,” the ACLU wrote in a letter to representatives. Rather, it is likely to chill student free speech on college campuses by falsely equating criticism of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism.
“While we fully support efforts to combat discrimination and harassment through Title VI complaints and investigations, the IHRA definition and the “We strongly oppose the use of definitions of discrimination that could potentially lead to discrimination,” the letter reads. .
“There is no excuse for bigotry, intimidation, and violence directed at anyone, anywhere, and it is imperative that we confront the scourge of anti-Semitism,” Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-New York, said during a floor debate on the bill Wednesday. And Congress can help.” But this law is not the answer. ”
“Speech criticizing Israel alone does not amount to illegal discrimination,” the lawmaker said. “This bill is too broad.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson has increasingly focused the spotlight on campus protests. Last week, the Louisiana Republican visited Columbia University, met with Jewish students, held a press conference and called for the president’s resignation.
On Tuesday, as House Republicans vowed to increase oversight of college campuses by expanding their oversight efforts across multiple committees, Johnson spoke at a press conference on “a House-wide effort to crack down on anti-Semitism on college campuses.” announced.
Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx (North Carolina), chair of the House Education Committee, announced that she has notified numerous universities to appear before the committee.
“Actions have consequences. As one of those results, I am calling on Yale, UCLA, and the University of Michigan to appear before the Education and Labor Committee on May 23rd for a public hearing regarding their response to recent misconduct. “I have issued a notice to appear in court,” she said.
The Speaker’s Office said in a news release that the House will consider federal funding for universities, international student visa programs and tax incentives for universities.
Johnson has focused on the issue as he faces threats to his leadership from a minority of hardline conservatives and has sought to rally House Republicans to his support.
On Wednesday, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she would seek a vote next week on removing Johnson from office. Democrats are expected to vote to reject the motion, effectively ensuring that Mr Johnson remains in his leadership post. But the move will nonetheless increase pressure on the Speaker and spark a showdown on the House floor.
Some Democratic lawmakers are calling on university officials to break up the camp at Columbia, while others visited the campus last week to speak with student activists. The situation on the ground has changed since this week, when protesters moved to occupy one of the campus buildings.
While campus protests are currently the focus of attention, former President Donald Trump, who is currently fighting to regain office, has also faced criticism for comments related to Jewish Americans. .
In March, President Trump said in an interview that Jews who vote for Democrats hate “their religion” and hate “everything about Israel,” saying that Jewish Americans have a dual attitude toward the United States and Israel. played on the anti-Semitic trope of having allegiance to
In 2022, President Trump invites white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and rapper Kanye West to his Mar-a-Lago mansion, raising concerns about anti-Semitism as he embarks on another White House campaign. expressed a willingness to interact with people who widely promote their views.
And during his term in office, white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and other right-wing groups held a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, with some who gathered chanting, “Jews will not replace us.” At the time, Trump claimed there were “very fine people” on both sides. A look at the demo.
It remains difficult to concisely grasp the nuances and history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially amidst the growing confusion among groups with deep-rooted and entrenched views on the issue.
Students at the university’s camps across the United States come from a variety of backgrounds, including Palestinian, Arab, Jewish, and Muslim, as well as students from other religious and ethnic backgrounds. They have different political and social views.
Many are motivated by reports and videos of the ongoing humanitarian crisis coming out of Gaza. Many of these students see the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza as a continuation of more than 70 years of oppression of Palestinian rights and land. And culture. Protesters say they want their schools to speak out against what they believe is genocide in Gaza.
As anti-Semitism has soared to record levels since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, many Jews have turned to Israel as a haven for the long-oppressed Jewish minority. As such, I feel that we need more support than ever before. Even if they oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies or the state’s actions in Gaza, many Jews harbor anti-Israel, anti-Zionist sentiments, and They believe that even peaceful protests against Israel are themselves anti-Semitic. . Others support the Israeli government’s efforts to crush Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
CAIR reports record incidents of Islamophobia on campus, and the Anti-Defamation League records historic numbers of incidents of violence and intimidation against Jewish students. Some Jewish students said they were threatened by demonstrators and encountered anti-Semitic remarks at some rallies. The White House and several governors expressed support for Jewish students and called on protesters and universities to exercise restraint.
This article and heading have been updated with additional developments.
CNN David Goldman, Ramishah Maruf and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
