The Republican led House of Represenatives passed a major college antisemitism bill on Wednesday, which is designed to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses amid protests nationwide, Just the News reported. The bill comes amid over 2000 arrests on college campuses since April 18th, CNN reported.
The legislation would make the Department of Education adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism when enforcing the 1964 Civil Rights Act on college campuses, which defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.” The definition also includes “rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”
Examples of antisemitism include calling for the harm of Jewish people in the name of a radical or extremist view of religion, and accusing Jewish people of inventing and/or exaggerating the Holocaust, Just the News reported.
The bill overwhelmingly passed the House 320-91, with 21 Republicans and 70 Democrats voting no.
One of the biggest oppositions of the bill is from Rep. Matt Gaetz who said that the bill does not honor the Constitution nor the Bible.
This evening, I will vote AGAINST the ridiculous hate speech bill called the “Antisemitism Awareness Act”, Gaetz posted on X. “Antisemitism is wrong, but this legislation is written without regard for the Constitution, common sense, or even the common understanding of the meaning of words. The Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of this bill! The bill says the definition of antisemitism includes “contemporary examples of antisemitism” identified by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). One of those examples includes: “…claims of Jews killing Jesus…”
“The Bible is clear,” Gaetz continued. “There is no myth or controversy on this. Therefore, I will not support this bill.”
Gaetz clarified that his vote was a matter of the Constitution and that the bill would violate the First amendment.
“To be clear – I take no view on who killed Jesus in how I voted on this measure,” Gaetz posted on X. “It was a matter of the Constitution. The Bible is clear in that its words plainly, textually, would violate this law. That is nuts – and in deep conflict with the First Amendment.”
Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene also slammed the bill, claiming on X that the bill could be used to “convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews”.
Greene said that “Antisemitism is wrong” but that she will vote against the bill.
The bill now heads to the Senate.