House passes bipartisan resolution decrying Jew-hatred by wide margin

(JNS) A bipartisan resolution condemning recent violent attacks against Jewish Americans and calling on U.S. officials and others to speak out against antisemitism passed the House overwhelmingly on Monday.

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who specifically cited the attack against pro-Israel marchers in Boulder, Colo., earlier this month; the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members on the streets of Washington, D.C. and the fire set at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home in Harrisburg, Pa.

All three suspects allegedly cited support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel.

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“After the Holocaust, the words collectively promised ‘never again,’ but ‘never again’ is happening right now,” Van Drew said on the House floor. “If Jewish Americans can’t walk freely in Boulder, or work safely in D.C. or celebrate Passover in their own homes without fear, then we indeed have failed as a nation.”

The vote on H.Res. 481 was 400-0, with two members voting present — Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).

The Anti-Defamation League recorded a record number of antisemitic incidents last year, many of them a response to the Israel-Hamas war. Van Drew said that 68% of religious hate crimes are directed against Jewish Americans, who comprise just 2.4% of the U.S. population.

“This resolution says what must be said: These are acts of terror, pure and simple, that this hate must be condemned regardless of how many times it takes,” Van Drew said. “Over and over again, it must be condemned.”

Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) praised Van Drew as he supported the resolution.

“The rise in antisemitism since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas has been jarring, unsettling and incredibly scary for the Jewish community,” Goldman said. He singled out the Colorado, D.C. and Pennsylvania attacks as “three incidents of outright violence.”

The resolution also called on federal, state and local law enforcement “to ensure thorough investigation and prosecution” of all antisemitic attacks.

The overwhelming bipartisan support for Van Drew’s resolution contrasted with the large number of House Democrats who voted against a Republican-only resolution, which condemned the Boulder attack and expressed “gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland.”

H.Res. 485 mentions local law enforcement but does not thank police or FBI agents, who responded to the attack. It passed 280-113, with all of the nays coming from Democrats. Greene joined five Democrats in voting present.

Republican leaders brought up the partisan measure, rather than a bipartisan resolution sponsored by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.). Three of the other five Colorado representatives, including two Republicans, co-sponsored Neguse’s resolution.

Neguse said that the majority party broke with tradition by not allowing him, as the lawmaker who represents the district in which the incident occurred, to offer a resolution, and the measure considered had factual errors and ignored the victims.

“I’ve seen a lot of partisan debate unfold on this floor, but I think it’s disgraceful to not give my community an opportunity to see our resolution considered on this floor,” he said.

Republicans focused on the fact that the suspect in the Boulder attack had overstayed his visa, although he applied for asylum, and went after Democrats for not being tough on illegal immigrants.

“This is why sanctuary policies are dangerous,” said Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), the bill’s sponsor.

Goldman accused House Republicans of trying to use antisemitism as a cudgel to beat Democrats over immigration, an issue that polls show favor the GOP.

“This resolution uses antisemitism, uses Jews, for a political objective,” Goldman said. “There’s no question that the motivation was antisemitism. It has nothing to do with how he got into this country.” PJC