Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, the events unfolding at our country's colleges and universities are devastating. For years, we have taught Americans and committed ourselves to ``never again.'' Yet, we are watching the rot of anti-Semitism stain our American colleges and universities. We must reject the spoil of anti-Semitism and adopt a clear definition of what anti-Semitism is to better position college administrators and officials to respond to the terror these so-called protesters are bringing to Jewish students.

Many of these are not pro-Palestinian protests. They are ill-informed mobs who believe that Hamas, a terrorist organization, is somehow good for the people of Gaza. That couldn't be further from the truth. Hamas continues to use innocent lives as human shields and intentionally positions civilians in the middle of combat zones while using their tunnels to protect their own military leaders and fighters.

Is this what our Nation's students want to support?

To my colleagues across the aisle who have chosen to praise these anti-Semitism protests, is that what you stand for?

School administrators cannot straddle both sides of the fence here. We would not tolerate this sort of behavior toward any other group of students, and we must not start when the target is again on America's Jewish students.

All students deserve a safe learning environment, and by adopting this definition of anti-Semitism, our college campuses are more empowered to uphold and protect safe environments for Jewish students.

Congress must be clear. America stands with Israel, and we stand with Jewish students across every college campus in America.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to stand with Jewish students and vote in favor of this legislation.

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