FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 5, 2023
CONTACT: Matt Jansen (Nadler) 202-494-1278
“Today’s Resolution, authored by Representatives Kustoff and Miller and backed by Republican leadership, is just the latest unserious attempt by Republicans to weaponize Jewish pain and the serious problem of antisemitism to score cheap political points. Last week, the Congress recognized that denying the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state— the core definition of Zionism — constitutes antisemitism. This new resolution is therefore redundant of ones we have all supported and is instead intended to waste important floor time to use the rise of antisemitism as a political wedge issue.
“In order to stop the Majority from playing these political games, we will vote Present, and we urge our colleagues — regardless of their substantive views of the resolution — to do the same.
“Among other problems with this resolution, H. Res. 894 does not account for the complexity of Judaism itself and ignores nuanced examples such as the Satmar sect, a Hasidic Jewish movement, which remains staunchly anti-Zionist and quite obviously is not antisemitic.
“By contrast, our resolution condemning antisemitism and calling for implementation of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, introduced yesterday by Representatives Nadler, Goldman, and Raskin, calls for a bipartisan approach that will meaningfully and substantively address the problem of antisemitism, including tangible solutions such as funding for enforcement of Title VI to address antisemitism on college campuses and increasing funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
“The threat of antisemitism and the safety of Jewish lives is not a game. It is beneath the dignity of Congress and it is an affront to Jews everywhere to treat rising antisemitism as an opportunity to create partisan division with conceptual confusion, and we encourage all members of good conscience to vote Present on H.Res. 894 and urge Speaker Johnson to immediately bring the resolution authored by Nadler, Goldman, and Raskin to the floor for a vote so that the Congress can meaningfully address the problems rather than use feckless messaging bills for political gain.”
###
