A leading Jewish Congressman–one of only a few Democrats who has shown support for Israel since October 7–told a group of Jewish students that Senator Chuck Schumer has assured him that the Senate will vote on the Antisemitism Awareness Act.
The legislation would make it easier for colleges and other educational institutions to crack down on antisemitism and Jew-hate. The announcement is somewhat surprising, because Schumer has expressed reluctance over the bill in the past.
According to reporter Jacob Kornbluh, Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey said at a roundtable discussion at Columbia University and Barnard College that Schumer, the Jewish Senate Majority Leader who made incendiary anti-Israel comments earlier this year, has “assured” him that he plans to bring the bill to the Senate floor for a vote “before the end of the year.”
The legislation, co-sponsored by Gottheimer and introduced by Republican Congressman Mike Lawler of Rockland and Westchester, who is an extremely close friend of the Jewish community, requires the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating discrimination.
The group defines antisemitism as a “certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.” The group adds that “rhetorical and physical manifestations” of antisemitism include such things as calling for the killing or harming of Jews or holding Jews collectively responsible for actions taken by Israel.
“In every generation, the Jewish people have been scapegoated, harassed, evicted from their homeland and murdered,” Lawler said in a floor speech before the House vote.
“The Jewish people need our support now,” he said. “They need action now.”
The bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act passed the House in May by an overwhelming majority of 320-91. Twenty-one Republicans and 70 Democrats voted against it. Some top Democrats — including Democrat Congressman Jerry Nadler, the dean of the Congressional Jewish Caucus — objected to the bill.
Schumer has been “reluctant” to bring it to a floor vote, reportedly due to fears that it would “divide” his caucus.
As reported by VINnews