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As pro-Hamas campus protests escalate and Jewish students’ safety is further put at risk, the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) applauds the efforts of Speaker Mike Johnson, Chairman Jim Jordan, Rep. Mike Lawler, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, among many others, in securing overwhelming bipartisan passage of H.R. 6090, the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA), today, by a 320-91 margin.
This crucial legislation, which codifies the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism and its 11 accompanying examples, provides essential framework for identifying and deciding potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act are motivated by antisemitism, could not have passed without the hard work of CAM and the entire Jewish community.
Earlier this week, protesters at Columbia University broke into a building and Jewish students were blocked from entering classes, showing that this legislation is now more important than ever to provide the Department of Education with the tools necessary to clearly identify, address, and, more importantly, prevent antisemitic incidents from happening, creating a safer and more welcoming environment for every student to learn.
CAM has worked closely with these key congressional officials and committees and has tirelessly pushed for the passage of the AAA. CAM also mobilized its member contacts to send more than 20,000 communications to their local congressional representatives to urge the passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act.
“We thank Speaker Johnson, Chairman Jordan, and bill authors Reps. Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer for their efforts to prioritize this historic bill and ensure the inclusion of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism and illustrative examples,” said Arie Lipnick, member of the CAM Board of Governors. “With more than three-fourths support of the House, this bill now goes to the Senate with bipartisan momentum.”
While the Antisemitism Awareness Act’s passage in the House is a significant victory in the fight against antisemitism, CAM calls on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to follow the example set by his House colleagues and prioritize the bill’s passage in the Senate.
“We urge Senator Schumer and his colleagues in the Senate to take swift action and pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act,” said Lipnick. “The House Republicans have shown tremendous leadership in this fight, and now it is time for the Senate to do the same.”
About the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM):
CAM is a global coalition engaging more than 850 partner organizations and five million people from a diverse array of religious, political, and cultural backgrounds in the common mission of fighting the world’s oldest hatred. CscheuAM acts collaboratively to build a better future, free of bigotry, for Jews and all humanity.
