WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, February 5, 2025, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) helped reintroduce the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act alongside Representatives Mike Lawler (NY-17), Max Miller (OH-7), and Jared Moskowitz (FL-23) to require the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws.

The IHRA definition underscores that antisemitism includes denying Jewish self-determination to their ancestral homeland of Israel, holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel, and applying double standards to Israel. The IHRA definition is the most widely recognized definition of antisemitism in the world, having been adopted by more than 40 countries and 35 states across the United States. The bipartisan legislation also provides clear protections for the First Amendment.

Last Congress, the Antisemitism Awareness Act overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 320-91. The Senate did not consider the legislation.

“Since the heinous October 7 attacks on Israel, we have seen an explosion of antisemitic violence and intimidation on college campuses and in communities across New Jersey and the nation. Far too many in our community no longer feel safe in their own homes or classrooms,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “That’s why I’m reintroducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which will give state officials and law enforcement a clear framework for identifying and addressing antisemitism to hold harassers accountable. Our bipartisan bill adopts the most widely recognized definition of antisemitism in the world, already used by more than 40 countries and 35 states. Hate and discrimination have no place in New Jersey or the country, and we must act now to protect our Jewish students and families from threats, intimidation, and violence.”

“The House overwhelmingly passed my bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act last session, and today I am proud to reintroduce this critical legislation in the new Congress. Since the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas on October 7th, 83% of college students said they witnessed or experienced antisemitism on campus,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17). “This is unacceptable. No person should feel unsafe, targeted, or ostracized because of their faith – and the Antisemitism Awareness Act will stop it from happening.”

“Antisemitism has spread like wildfire on college campuses, especially in the wake of Hamas’s ruthless attack on Israel. College students celebrate terrorists who brutally murder innocent civilians as ‘martyrs’ and faculty members call Hamas’s assault ‘exhilarating.’ This abhorrent behavior underscores the clear need for federal policy to protect Jewish students on these unfriendly campuses. College campuses should be safe havens for learning, not nests of hatred,” said Congressman Max Miller (OH-7). 

“Last year, we saw horrific images across our nation’s college campuses — places like Columbia University, where I visited on Passover with my colleagues to stand with Jewish students who were being harassed,” said Congressman Jared Moskowitz (FL-23). “Our message was clear then and now: never should it be acceptable for students to feel unsafe walking to their classes simply because they’re Jewish, and it is imperative that we continue to fight antisemitism in every way, shape, and form, on both sides of the aisle. The working definition of antisemitism provided by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is not at all controversial. It’s past time that the Department of Education adopt this definition through our bipartisan bill to protect Jewish students.”

The legislation is co-sponsored by Reps. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Jeff Van Drew (NJ-2), Nick LaLota (NY-1), David Kustoff (TN-8), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Don Bacon (NE-2), Virginia Foxx (NC-5), Laura Gillen (NY-4), Burgess Owen (UT-4), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Donald Davis (NC-1), David Valadao (CA-22), Kevin Kiley (CA-3), Patrick Ryan (NY-18), Thomas Kean (NJ-7), Chuck Edwards (NC-11), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Derek Schmidt (KS-2), Stephanie Bice (OK-5), John Moolenaar (MI-2), Charles Fleischmann (TN-3), Young Kim (CA-40), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Mark Alford (MO-4), Tim Moore (NC-14), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Brad Sherman (CA-32), James Baird (IN-4), Randy Weber (TX-14), Dusty Johnson (SD-At Large), John Rutherford (FL-5), Pete Stauber (MN-8), Mike Carey (OH-15), Tracey Mann (KA-1), Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Vern Buchanan (FL-13), Mark Messmer (ID-8), Juan Ciscomani (AZ-6), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Craig Goldman (TX-12), Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Ashley Hinson (IA-02), John James (MI-10), Greg Landsman (OH-01), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Joe Wilson (SC-02), Jeff Crank (CO-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Ron Estes (KS-04), Nick Langworthy (NY-23), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Celeste Maloy (UT-02), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), and Rob Wittman (VA-01), and Haley Stevens (MI-11).

The legislation is endorsed by: ADL (Anti-Defamation League), American Jewish Committee (AJC), Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations (COP), Christians United for Israel (CUFI), Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), National Jewish Advocacy Center, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Hadassah, The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET), Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU), The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.

“The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations thanks Reps. Lawler, Gottheimer, Miller and Moskowitz and Sens. Scott and Rosen for re-introducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA). Since Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel, there has been a dramatic increase of antisemitism on college campuses. Hundreds of Jewish college students have filed complaints of antisemitic harassment with the Department of Education as university administrators show they have little understanding of how to identify antisemitism. To address the problem of antisemitism, there must be clarity about what constitutes antisemitism. The AAA will adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism into U.S. law, enabling university leaders to support Jewish students and accurately determine—and discipline those who engage in—antisemitic discrimination on college campuses.  The Conference of Presidents urges swift passage of AAA,” said Stephanie Hausner, COO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

“With Jewish college students still facing unprecedented levels of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and violence, the need for the Antisemitism Awareness Act remains as urgent as when it was first introduced. CAM has proudly supported the bill from the start, and we commend Representative Lawler for his dogged commitment to seeing the legislative process to the finish and Speaker Johnson for his strong leadership in the fight against rising antisemitism. We urge the new Congress to prioritize rapid passage of the act, and look forward to seeing its positive impact on campuses across the United States,” said the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).

“As ADL data shows, antisemitism is at crisis levels in the United States, creating the urgent need for decisive action,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL. “The Antisemitism Awareness Act makes clear that antisemitism, including anti-Zionist harassment, has no place in our schools or society and, importantly, reinforces the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism as a critical tool for the U.S. Department of Education. We urge Congress to act swiftly and send a powerful message that combating antisemitism remains a national priority and deeply appreciate the efforts by Reps. Mike Lawler, Josh Gottheimer, Max Miller, and Jared Moskowitz and Sens. Tim Scott and Jacky Rosen to quickly reintroduce this bipartisan bill.”

“Hadassah is proud to support the Antisemitism Awareness Act and believes that the Department of Education should leverage the widely used and respected International Holocaust Remembrance Association definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination laws. Antisemitism has reached alarming heights and is impacting the lives of Jews young and old. In Hadassah’s recent report, From Fear to Resilience: Women Facing Antisemitism, Jewish women shared stories of how antisemitism is making them feel unsafe and prompting them to drop out of school. We applaud Representatives Lawler, Gottheimer, Miller and Moskowitz for their bipartisan leadership in fighting hatred. We urge Congress to pass this critical legislation,” said Carol Ann Schwartz, National President of Hadassah.

‘We commend Congressman Gottheimer for introducing the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which will help states like New Jersey align with more than 35 other states in adopting a clear, uniform definition of antisemitism. Without this standard, institutions and individuals can evade accountability for fostering hostile environments that target Jews based on their beliefs, values, practices, or heritage. This legislation is a crucial step in ensuring a consistent and effective approach to identifying, addressing, and preventing antisemitism,” said Jason M. Shames, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.