Strongly Condemning and Denouncing the Drastic Rise of Antisemitism in the United States and Around the World
Floor Speech
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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I will vote Present on H. Res. 894, a resolution that aims to condemn antisemitism throughout the world. Several of my Jewish colleagues voted Present as well.
I strongly agree that Congress must condemn all forms of antisemitism. The House of Representatives has voted in favor of several resolutions condemning antisemitism since Hamas's horrific October 7th attacks on Israel, multiple of which I've supported and cosponsored. However, this latest resolution, H. Res. 894, contains overly broad language that weaponizes the real scourge of antisemitism and uses Jewish people as pawns to play partisan political games. For this reason, I could not support the resolution.
For example, H. Res. 894 suggests that ``anti-Zionism is antisemitism.'' While some forms of anti-Zionism are antisemitic, there are many members of the Jewish community that identify as anti-Zionist. Lumping together factions of the Jewish community as ``antisemitic'' is clearly problematic.
Some language in H. Res. 894 also appears to be a veiled attempt to police the free speech of Americans who have demonstrated in favor of human rights for Palestinians. Again, while some demonstrators have disturbingly engaged in antisemitic actions that should rightfully be condemned, H. Res. 894 is too broad.
H. Res. 894 also fails to condemn antisemitic acts from those on the far right, including white nationalists who have increasingly promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories and have threatened the lives and livelihoods of Jewish Americans.
Let me be clear: I unequivocally condemn all forms of antisemitism, and I am appalled by the significant rise in antisemitism we've seen in recent years and especially after Hamas's October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel. If the House Republican majority were serious about tackling antisemitism, they would support President Biden's National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, would quit trying to defund the Office of Civil Rights for Title VI enforcement which protects Jewish students and would increase funding for the High-Risk Nonprofit Grant Program to secure Jewish institutions as a start.
That's why I've cosponsored H. Res. 907, introduced by Representatives Nadler, Raskin, and Goldman. H. Res. 907 thoughtfully and powerfully condemns the rise of antisemitism in the United States-- including on college campuses--and calls on Congress to support the above substantive actions to tackle antisemitism, which congressional Republicans have so far refused to do. Had H. Res. 894 been written as carefully as H. Res. 907, I would vote in support.
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