[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2292 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2292

     To require a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 7, 2004

 Mr. Voinovich introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To require a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 
2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Acts of anti-Semitism in countries throughout the 
        world, including some of the world's strongest democracies, 
        have increased significantly in frequency and scope over the 
        last several years.
            (2) During the first 3 months of 2004, there were numerous 
        instances of anti-Semitic violence around the world, including 
        the following incidents:
                    (A) In Australia on January 5, 2004, poison was 
                used to ignite, and burn anti-Semitic slogans into, the 
                lawns of the Parliament House in the state of Tasmania.
                    (B) In St. Petersburg, Russia, on February 15, 
                2004, vandals desecrated approximately 50 gravestones 
                in a Jewish cemetery, painting the stones with 
                swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti.
                    (C) In Toronto, Canada, over the weekend of March 
                19 through March 21, 2004, vandals attacked a Jewish 
                school, a Jewish cemetery, and area synagogues, 
                painting swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans on the 
                walls of a synagogue and on residential property in a 
                nearby, predominantly Jewish, neighborhood.
                    (D) In Toulon, France, on March 23, 2004, a Jewish 
                synagogue and community center were set on fire.
            (3) Anti-Semitism in old and new forms is also increasingly 
        emanating from the Arab and Muslim world on a sustained basis, 
        including through books published by government-owned 
        publishing houses in Egypt and other Arab countries.
            (4) In November 2002, state-run television in Egypt 
        broadcast the anti-Semitic series entitled ``Horseman Without a 
        Horse,'' which is based upon the fictitious conspiracy theory 
        know as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The Protocols have 
        been used throughout the last century by despots such as Adolf 
        Hitler to justify violence against Jews.
            (5) In November 2003, Arab television featured an anti-
        Semitic series, entitled ``Ash-Shatat'' (or ``The Diaspora''), 
        which depicts Jewish people hatching a plot for Jewish control 
        of the world.
            (6) The sharp rise in anti-Semitic violence has caused 
        international organizations such as the Organization for 
        Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to elevate, and bring 
        renewed focus to, the issue, including the convening by the 
        OSCE in June 2003 of a conference in Vienna dedicated solely to 
        the issue of anti-Semitism.
            (7) The OSCE will again convene a conference dedicated to 
        addressing the problem of anti-Semitism on April 28-29, 2004, 
        in Berlin, with the United States delegation to be led by 
        former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch.
            (8) The United States Government has strongly supported 
        efforts to address anti-Semitism through bilateral 
        relationships and interaction with international organizations 
        such as the OSCE, the European Union, and the United Nations.
            (9) Congress has consistently supported efforts to address 
        the rise in anti-Semitic violence. During the 107th Congress, 
        both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed 
        resolutions expressing strong concern with the sharp escalation 
        of anti-Semitic violence in Europe and calling on the 
        Department of State to thoroughly document the phenomenon.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

     It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States Government should continue to 
        strongly support efforts to combat anti-Semitism worldwide 
        through bilateral relationships and interaction with 
        international organizations such as the OSCE; and
            (2) the Department of State should thoroughly document acts 
        of anti-Semitism that occur around the world.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on 
International Relations of the House of Representatives a report on 
acts of anti-Semitism around the world, including a description of--
            (1) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, 
        Jewish people, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, 
        Jewish community institutions, such as schools, synagogues, or 
        cemeteries, that occurred in each country;
            (2) the responses of the governments of those countries to 
        such actions;
            (3) the actions taken by such governments to enact and 
        enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to 
        religious freedom of Jewish people; and
            (4) the efforts by such governments to promote anti-bias 
        and tolerance education.
                                 <all>