The House passed a bill on Wednesday that will expand the definition of antisemitism used when applying the Civil Rights Act to universities despite Democratic pushback as pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstrations are spreading across college campuses.
House members voted 320-91 to require the Education Department to codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Though a majority of Republicans voted for the bill, 21 Republicans joined 70 Democrats in opposing the measure.
The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), is the latest step being taken by House Republicans to combat antisemitism on campuses after protests sprouted up at colleges like Columbia University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Wisconsin, Madison, and George Washington University, among others. Some of the demonstrations have turned violent, with both Democrats and Republicans condemning the behavior as going beyond the boundaries of protected free speech.
Despite having 13 Democratic co-sponsors, several House Democrats, including Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-NY), opposed the bill because it ignored several other definitions of antisemitism. He added that even the chief author of the IHRA definition, Kenneth Stern, has said it should not be codified into law.
Nadler adamantly opposed Lawler’s words during floor debate earlier on Wednesday, saying that any suggestion that Democratic opposition to the bill means supporting antisemitism is “slanderous” and a “disgrace.”
Others said they were worried it would restrict free speech or inflame tensions that derive from the war between Israel and Hamas since Oct. 7 of last year.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) earlier this week to bring the Bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act from Rep. Cathy Manning (D-NC) to the House floor for a vote instead. Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) had argued the proposal would be Democrats’ “chosen vehicle” to crack down on antisemitism.
Lawler said he would support Manning’s bill coming to the floor, but the objective right now is to “clearly define” antisemitism.
While not altering the definition of antisemitism, Manning’s bill would establish a national coordinator within the White House to oversee a new task force focused on combating domestic antisemitism, as well as designate a senior Education Department official to advise on responses to antisemitism on campuses.
Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT), who is Jewish, said on Tuesday that she was “very concerned” that codifying the IHRA definition will limit the ability of people to have “constructive and legitimate criticism of Israel.”
“I also think it is, yet again, more performative action by a party that has been clearly not champions against antisemitism, so I have a very difficult time taking it seriously,” Balint said.
“I feel like it is more of this, like, seizing on the moment to enflame war,” she added. “And what I’m trying to do is bring the temperature down so we can talk about it. And I don’t have a lot of patience for people that are continuing to inflame.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
During floor debate, Lawler blasted his colleagues, who were against the bill over reservations that it would impact free speech rights, for catering to “politics.”
“Calling for death to Jews is not protected speech. … And the fact that we have some of the highest-ranking officials in America refusing to defend the Jewish community because of politics is a disgrace,” Lawler said.
