Legislation to Address Antisemitism on College Campuses Reintroduced in Congress
Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined Senators Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) in reintroducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would direct the U.S. Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating antisemitic acts on campus.
“College campuses across the country have provided fertile ground for antisemitic violence and harassment following increased student demonstrations and statements supporting Hamas’ October 7 attacks,” said Crapo. “Jewish students should feel safe and protected from harassment on college campuses, and much-needed clarity for universities will ensure antisemitic behavior is not tolerated at any level of America’s education system.”
The Antisemitism Awareness Act would further ensure the U.S. Department of Education has a clear definition of antisemitism when determining whether an antisemitic incident on campus crosses the line from free speech into harassing, unlawful or discriminatory conduct.
Crapo, a member of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, co-sponsored the bill in the 118th Congress.
Additional co-sponsors in the Senate include Senators James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Charles Schumer (D-New York), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Adam Schiff (D-California), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Mark Warner (D-Virginia), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Gary Peters (D-Michigan), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) and Steve Daines (R-Montana).
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