Condemning the Support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Other Terrorist Organizations At Institutions of Higher Education, Which May Lead to the Creation of A Hostile Environment for Jewish Students, Faculty, and Staff
Floor Speech
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Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 798) condemning the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 798
Whereas both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognized by the United States Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack to deliberately target Israeli civilians, including the killing and abduction of men, women, children, and the elderly;
Whereas Hamas' stated goal is the entire destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of its Jewish citizens;
Whereas a disturbing number of student organizations at institutions of higher education placed blame solely upon the State of Israel for the attack and expressed support for the terrorist actions of Hamas through the glorification of violence and the usage of antisemitic rhetoric;
Whereas on October 9, 2023, the national leadership of Students for Justice in Palestine declared a ``day of resistance'' calling on student chapters across the United States to demonstrate by ``not just slogans and rallies, but armed confrontation with oppressors'' and following this announcement many chapters issued pro-Hamas statements;
Whereas on October 10, 2023, a Stanford University lecturer targeted Jewish students during a class on colonialism, justifying the actions of Hamas terrorists by calling them ``freedom fighters'' and asking Jewish students to identify themselves and stand in the corner to illustrate what ``Jews were doing to Palestinians'';
Whereas on October 15, 2023, in a complete disregard for humanity, a Cornell University professor grabbed the microphone at a campus rally and pronounced that, ``Hamas has challenged the monopoly of violence'' and ``it was exhilarating. It was energizing. . .I was exhilarated,'' in reference to Hamas' terror attack on Israel;
Whereas on October 22, 2023, the Brandeis University student government voted down a simple resolution condemning Hamas and calling on the immediate release of all hostages back to their families unharmed;
Whereas on October 24, 2023, George Washington University students at a vigil to support Hamas' surprise attack prominently projected signs on the walls of the university's library including, ``Glory to our Martyrs'';
Whereas many administrations of institutions of higher education do not follow the practice of institutional neutrality and frequently speak out on public issues, but have failed to speak out clearly after the October 7 attack by Hamas, and have exposed their lack of regard for their Jewish and pro-Israel students; and
Whereas the glorification of violence and usage of antisemitic rhetoric creates a hostile learning and working environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff;
(2) calls on campus administrators--
(A) to condemn all forms of antisemitism on college campuses; and
(B) to ensure Jewish faculty, students, and guests can exercise the same Free Speech rights as are guaranteed to all other faculty, students, and guests without intimidation; and
(3) urges enforcement of Federal civil rights laws to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.
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Mr. OWENS. Res. 798, as amended, the resolution now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 798, condemning the hateful acts of anti-Semitism spreading like wildfire across American college campuses.
Last year, I made my first trip with a few of my colleagues to Israel, where we were welcomed by Jewish citizens of all backgrounds-- Black, European, Russian, Arabian, and Palestinian.
During a visit to a Jewish family's home near the Gaza border, I held a bomb fragment that had landed in their front yard. I saw a lifestyle where the norm was always being on edge. There were bomb shelters built on both ends of elementary soccer fields and at every bus stop.
One of my colleagues asked our guests: You live so close to people who literally hate you simply because of your religion and culture. Why do you stay?
The answer stuck with me: Because I love my country, and this is our home.
None of us could have imagined, a little over a year later, the pure evil that would visit that home. They never knew how vulnerable they were to satanic barbarism. Those who would film, call home, and bolster the torture and death they rained down on innocent, defenseless men, women, and children.
What does evil look like? The German Nazis attempted to hide their acts, but these nazis have posted their acts on social media for the world to see and remember: a pregnant mother shot in the face, her baby cut from her womb and then beheaded; a female raped with such evil voracity that her pelvis was broken, and she was then murdered; grandmothers, children, and babies huddled together and then burned alive; a young 20-year-old woman who was shown half-naked and unconscious as she was paraded through the streets of Gaza, tortured and desecrated by these cowardly devils. She was later found beheaded.
Within hours, 1,400 innocent, defenseless men and women, children in their bedrooms, and teenagers celebrating peace at a music festival were murdered without mercy.
What was the response on American campuses?
At Cornell University, a professor called the Hamas attacks exhilarating and energizing.
At George Washington University, less than 4 miles from where I stand, students projected the phrases ``from the river to the sea,'' and ``glory to our martyrs'' on the side of Gelman Library, a building named after a Jewish alumni. These phrases are an explicit anti-Semitic call for the violent eradication of Jews in the State of Israel.
At Cooper Union, Jewish students were forced to lock themselves in the library to avoid a rabid mob chanting: ``Murder to the Jews.'' These hate-filled college students have no shame and no fear. Imagine the accountability they would face if they were chanting: ``Murder to the Blacks,'' or ``Murder to the trans.'' As this mob pounded on the front door of the building, the Jewish students were quietly ushered out the back door.
This is America 2023, not 1960. No students, regardless of race, creed, color, or religion, should ever have to use the back door of a campus library out of fear for their safety--not now, not ever in the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I stand today to strongly condemn the pure evil of Hamas, affirm Israel as our greatest ally in the Middle East, and proclaim our unwavering support as they assert their right to self- defense.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 798, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bean).
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, in concluding this discussion, I have five words for American colleges: You reap what you sow.
After failing miserably to condemn student support for terrorism on your campuses, Jewish students are now living in fear. The violent anti-Semitic protests of students educated on your campuses have brought to light what for decades has thrived in the dark.
Many American universities are fundamentally adrift. Instead of an environment of enlightenment and one that unites diverse ideas, they have become incubators of hate. They call for inclusion yet exclude the Jewish people. They call for neutrality yet stoke the flames of culture wars that have brought us here.
Deep in the humanities department, seas of bigotry have taken root. The poison fruits of a sanction ideology are now ripe for all to see. In the Committee on Education and the Workforce, we will call out rotten ideologies when we find them.
At this moment, though, we must offer in the clearest terms the condemnation of Hamas brutality and violence. Now is the time for Congress to shine as an example of moral clarity both at home and abroad.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 798, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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