Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of, the bipartisan Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act, H.R. 221. I thank Representative Chris Smith for introducing this bill and Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their leadership in bringing it to the floor today.
I am sad to say that we live in a time when anti-Semitism is again on the rise across our globe. Last fall, the entire world was shocked by the shooting in Pittsburgh of 11 Jews at prayer in the Tree of Life synagogue, the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in our country's history.
Here in the United States, according to the Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic incidents increased 57 percent in the U.S. alone in 2017 compared to the previous year.
In the European Union, a survey found that European Jewish communities fear attacks and rated anti-Semitism on the Internet and social media as the biggest social and political problem. A Kantor study on contemporary Jewry recently stated that Europe's largest Jewish communities are experiencing normalization and mainstreaming of anti-Semitism not seen since the Second World War.
The United States has an important leadership role to play in tamping out hate both here and around the world. That is why I am concerned that the State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti- Semitism remains unfilled, as it has since the start of the Trump administration. Our bill would elevate this role to a position of proper importance at the ambassadorial rank and sets requirements to ensure the role is filled within 90 days.
We need to do all we can to support our allies and combat anti- Semitism wherever and whenever it manifests itself. Hate is truly a cancer that eats away at our foundations. What may first begin as words can fester and manifest into discrimination, violence, or worse.
I am proud this House passed our bill overwhelmingly in the last Congress but disappointed that the Senate did not take action. I am pleased that this is a priority at the start of this new Congress, and I hope the Senate will follow our lead and take up this important legislation. I hope the President will take note and pass this legislation and fill this long-overdue vacancy.
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