Rep. Kathy Manning Named Lead Democrat on U.S. House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism

Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC) replaced Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL) as the lead Democrat on the U.S. House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism on Thursday, in a move announced as Deutch retired from Congress to become the new CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

Other Task Force co-chairs include its lead Republican, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), as well as Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).

“The rise in antisemitism is a grave threat to Jewish communities worldwide and to the wellbeing of our society. I am proud to join my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, in working together to confront this threat and stop the spread of this dangerous hate in every way,” Rep. Manning stated. “I am also deeply grateful to Congressman Ted Deutch for his incredible leadership in the fight against antisemitism as founding co-chair of this critical bipartisan Task Force.”

Rep. Deutch commented, “At a time when our nation and our world is seeing a troubling rise in antisemitic violence, rhetoric, and threats, we need trusted advocates in Congress leading the charge to combat this scourge. Congresswoman Kathy Manning’s years of leadership in the Jewish community and strong voice since arriving in Congress will be an invaluable asset to the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. I am proud to leave the Task Force in her capable hands. I look forward to seeing the progress made under her leadership in the years to come and being an ally in those efforts in my new role.”

Rep. Manning’s career before she was elected to Congress in 2020 included a stint from 2009 to 2012 as the first female board chair of the Jewish Federations of North America (JNFA).

In a Jewish Insider interview, Manning — who represents North Carolina’s 6th district, including the cities of Greensboro and Winston-Salem — called rising antisemitism in the U.S. “a real threat to our democracy,” and highlighted the urgency of confronting Jew-hatred on college campuses, saying, “We need to educate students, and we frankly need to educate members of Congress, about what these issues are, and what a terrible impact they have on our students.”

The self-stated mission of the Task Force is to “ensure that Congress plays a vital role in combating antisemitism worldwide,” serving as “a forum to educate Members on this distinct form of discrimination, engage with the Administration, foreign leaders, and civil society organizations to confront antisemitism, promote Holocaust remembrance, and work towards innovative approaches to control intolerance.”

The Task Force works closely with its counterpart on the other side of the U.S. Capitol, the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, which is co-chaired by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).