Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7764, as amended. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin, my friend, the chairman of the Committee on House Administration, Mr. Steil, for his great work and the work of the staff.

This bipartisan bill will establish a commission to study the potential transfer of Philadelphia's Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution.

Since 1654, when Jews first sought refuge from persecution in the New World, Jewish Americans have contributed to our Nation in countless ways.

They have served at the highest levels of government, won Nobel Prizes, created enduring works of art and literature, and stood at the forefront of nearly every struggle for civil rights and equality in this country.

That legacy extends to my own district in Rochester, New York, where Jewish Americans have been a vital part of our community since before the Civil War.

In the mid-19th century, they built our first synagogue. When the financial crisis of 1857 threatened to devastate Rochester's economy, the Jewish-American garment industry employed scores of residents and helped keep our city afloat.

Today, from the towns of Brighton and Pittsford to Irondequoit and the city of Rochester, Jewish Americans remain an irreplaceable part of our daily lives.

It pains me to see that anti-Semitism in the United States has surged to what the FBI Director has described as ``historic levels.''

This hatred has been fueled by the villainization of Jewish Americans after the October 7 terrorist attacks, as well as the alarming growth of racism, extremism, and white supremacy across the Nation.

One of the most troubling aspects of this trend is the rise of anti- Semitism among younger generations. For the first time since the Anti- Defamation League began its comprehensive study on anti-Semitism in 1964, these attitudes are now more prevalent among younger people than among older generations.

The ADL also found that 73 percent of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed anti-Semitism since the beginning of the 2023- 2024 school year and that the number of students who feel comfortable with others knowing that they are Jewish has nearly been cut in half since the October 7 attack.

We must do more to show the invaluable role Jewish Americans have played in our national story and to inoculate people, some of whom are probably well-intentioned, against anti-Semitic stereotypes and online conspiracy theories.

For these reasons and more, now is the time for the Smithsonian to explore adding an American Jewish history museum to its roster.

As the Nation's preeminent institution dedicated to American Jewish history, the Weitzman National Museum should be seriously considered as a turnkey, cost-effective option.

An exhibit at the Weitzman National Museum showcases a 1790 letter from President George Washington to a Rhode Island synagogue in which he became the first leader of a modern nation to recognize Jews as full citizens.

We still have work to do to fully honor the spirit of President Washington's words.

I can think of few better ways to make progress than by bringing the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History under the Smithsonian umbrella.

This bill is an important first step, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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Mr. MORELLE. Wasserman Schultz), the author of this bill.

Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding and for his strong support of this legislation and his poignant and important words. I thank him for taking the time to go into some detail about the experience of his own Jewish community in his Congressional District.

I rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, H.R. 7764, to establish a commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution.

I also thank Representatives Turner, Boyle, and Max Miller for joining me in leading this bill, and of course, I thank Chairman Steil and the ranking member for prioritizing it and getting it through unanimously in the Committee on House Administration.

Last year, ADL tracked a 140-percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents from the previous year resulting in a record high since ADL began tracking these instances of hate almost 50 years ago.

According to the American Jewish Committee, nearly two-thirds of American Jews feel less secure in the U.S. than they did a year ago.

To combat the rising hate, President Biden and Vice President Harris developed our country's first ever National Strategy to Counter Anti- Semitism. The strategy notes that we cannot address the root causes of anti-Semitism without awareness and education.

With anti-Semitism skyrocketing, acknowledging the past and acting to build a better tomorrow is more critical than ever.

It will take a whole-of-society effort to do this, and folding the Weitzman National Museum of Jewish History into the Smithsonian is one step toward that goal.

We must uplift Jewish stories and raise awareness of the contributions of Jewish Americans throughout our Nation's history, which the Weitzman does every day.

Taking this critical step to welcome the Weitzman Museum into the larger Smithsonian family would help us share those achievements with the American people from all over the country as its mission is to educate visitors and online audiences about who Jews are and how they contributed to our country.

The museum develops critical in-person and online educational programming, provides professional development for educators, and produces award-winning special and traveling exhibits.

However, its ability to reach a national audience is limited, which is why the best way to amplify its resources is to incorporate it into the Smithsonian Institution.

This powerful institutional integration signals a strong commitment to address the dramatic rise in anti-Semitism. It does that by helping amplify the myriad ways Jewish Americans enrich our Nation.

We need all Americans alike to learn about all the remarkable Jews who served in our government and the military or who won Nobel Prizes, led universities, and made lifesaving medical discoveries our Nation counts on.

The Jewish community's commitment to tikkun olam, a commitment to repair the world, is clear across so many generations of Americans.

Bringing the Weitzman Museum of American Jewish History into the Smithsonian alongside the African American, Native American, and other pending cultural museums is fitting and essential.

We must shine a light on it to support Jewish Americans and respond to skyrocketing hate.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, again, for their support, and I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

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Mr. MORELLE. Manning).

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Mr. MORELLE. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for all the eloquent comments made by all the Members who spoke on the bill. This is vitally important, and I think it bears repeating that having opportunities for people to understand, to learn about the past, and to give us greater understanding is going to lead us to a better country and a better world.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful, again, to the chair of the committee and the sponsors for their work, I look forward to not only supporting the bill but urging my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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