[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6578 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6578

To establish the Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 4, 2023

Mrs. Miller-Meeks (for herself, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Salazar, Mr. 
Gottheimer, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Mr. Moskowitz, Mr. Gooden of Texas, Mr. 
D'Esposito, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr. Balderson, Mr. Wilson 
 of South Carolina, Mr. Feenstra, Mr. Amodei, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Mann, 
Mr. Schneider, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Rose, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Kean of New 
 Jersey, Mr. Guest, Mr. Yakym, Mr. Valadao, and Mr. Lawler) introduced 
    the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United 
                                States.

    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 ``Commission to Study Acts of 
Antisemitism in the United States Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Since Hamas deadly invasion of the nation of Israel on 
        October 7, 2023, there has been a disturbing rise of 
        antisemitism in the United States.
            (2) On October 31, 2023, a student at Cornell University 
        was arrested and charged for threatening to kill and injure 
        members of the Jewish community.
            (3) In October 2023, Federal Bureau of Investigation 
        Director Christopher Wray stated that antisemitism in the 
        United States had reached ``historic levels''.
            (4) The Anti-Defamation League reported a nearly 300 
        percent spike in antisemitic activity in the United States 
        since Hamas attack on Israel.
            (5) In November 2023, a 69-year-old Jewish man was killed 
        in Los Angeles after being struck in the head by a protester at 
        an anti-Israel protest.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be 
known as the ``Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United 
States'' (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    Without making any predetermined or political findings, the 
Commission shall--
            (1) investigate the facts, different sources, and 
        manifestations of antisemitism in the present day;
            (2) examine and evaluate evidence developed by relevant 
        Federal, State, and local governments, as well as leading non-
        governmental organizations with significant experience 
        gathering data and trends on antisemitic incidents in the 
        United States, regarding the facts and circumstances of 
        antisemitic attacks within the United States, except that such 
        examination and evaluation shall not interfere with ongoing law 
        enforcement activities and investigations;
            (3) evaluate the different types of actions taken by 
        Federal, State, and local governments and governmental agencies 
        in recent years to combat antisemitism; and
            (4) report to the President and Congress regarding its 
        findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislation or 
        administrative actions as the Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Members.--
            (1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be 
        composed of 9 members appointed as follows:
                    (A) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House 
                of Representatives.
                    (B) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of 
                the House of Representatives.
                    (C) 2 members appointed by the majority leader of 
                the Senate.
                    (D) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of 
                the Senate.
                    (E) 1 member appointed by the President of the 
                United States.
            (2) Chairperson; vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and 
        Vice Chairperson of the Commission shall be designated jointly 
        by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority 
        leader of the House of Representatives at the time of the 
        appointment.
            (3) Political affiliation.--Not more than 4 members 
        appointed under paragraph (1) may be of the same political 
        party.
            (4) Timing for appointment.--All members of the Commission 
        shall be appointed not later than 10 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act.
            (5) Qualifications.--Members of the Commission shall have 
        demonstrated expertise and experience cataloguing, addressing, 
        and combating antisemitism.
    (b) Terms.--
            (1) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
        life of the Commission.
            (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (c) Basic Pay.--
            (1) Compensation.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        members shall each be paid at a rate not to exceed the daily 
        equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level III of the 
        Executive Schedule for each day (including travel time) during 
        which they are engaged in the actual performance of duties 
        vested in the Commission.
            (2) Prohibition of compensation of federal employees.--
        Members of the Commission who are full-time officers or 
        employees of the United States or Members of Congress may not 
        receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of 
        their service on the Commission.
            (3) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
        accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
        chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (d) Quorum.--6 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum 
but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (e) Meetings.--As soon as practicable after all members are 
appointed, but not earlier than 15 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Commission shall meet and begin the initial operation of 
the Commission. The Commission shall meet monthly thereafter.

SEC. 6. EXPERTS; STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Experts.--The Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at 
rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual 
rate of basic pay for GS-15 of the General Schedule. The services of an 
expert or consultant may be procured without compensation if the expert 
or consultant agrees to such an arrangement, in writing, in advance.
    (b) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 
witnesses appearing before it.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon joint request of the 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that 
department or agency shall furnish that information to the Commission.
    (d) Subpoena Power.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission may issue subpoenas 
        requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
        production of any evidence relating to any matter which the 
        Commission is empowered to investigate under this Act. Such 
        subpoenas shall be issued by agreement between the Chairperson 
        and Vice Chairperson of the Commission, or by the vote of a 
        majority of the members of the Commission. The attendance of 
        witnesses and the production of evidence may be required from 
        any place within the United States at any designated place of 
        hearing within the United States.
            (2) Failure to obey a subpoena.--If a person refuses to 
        obey a subpoena issued under paragraph (1), the Commission may 
        apply to a United States district court for an order requiring 
        that person to appear before the Commission to give testimony, 
        produce evidence, or both, relating to the matter under 
        investigation. The application may be made within the judicial 
        district where the hearing is conducted or where that person is 
        found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure to obey the 
        order of the court may be punished by the court as civil 
        contempt.
            (3) Service of subpoenas.--The subpoenas of the Commission 
        shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by 
        a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil 
        Procedure for the United States district courts.
            (4) Service of process.--All process of any court to which 
        application is made under paragraph (2) may be served in the 
        judicial district in which the person required to be served 
        resides or may be found.
    (e) Immunity.--Except as provided in this subsection, a person may 
not be excused from testifying or from producing evidence pursuant to a 
subpoena on the ground that the testimony or evidence required by the 
subpoena may tend to incriminate or subject that person to criminal 
prosecution. A person, after having claimed the privilege against self-
incrimination, may not be criminally prosecuted by reason of any 
transaction, matter, or thing which that person is compelled to testify 
about or produce evidence relating to, except that the person may be 
prosecuted for perjury committed during the testimony or made in the 
evidence.
    (f) Contract Authority.--To the extent or in the amounts provided 
in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may enter into 
contracts to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under this 
Act.

SEC. 8. REPORT; TERMINATION.

    (a) Report.--The Commission shall transmit a report to the 
President and Congress not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act. The report shall contain a detailed statement of 
the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together with its 
recommendations for legislation or administrative actions as the 
Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Termination.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall terminate upon the 
        expiration of the 120-day period which begins on the date on 
        which the Commission submits the report under subsection (a).
            (2) Administrative activities before termination.--The 
        Commission may use the 120-day period referred to in paragraph 
        (1) for the purpose of concluding the activities of the 
        Commission, including disseminating the report submitted under 
        subsection (a) and providing testimony to committees of 
        Congress concerning such report.

SEC. 9. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``antisemitism'' is a certain perception of 
Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and 
physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or 
non-Jewish individuals and their property, toward Jewish community 
institutions and religious facilities:
            (1) Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or 
        harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an 
        extremist view of religion.
            (2) Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or 
        stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of 
        Jews as collective, such as, especially but not exclusively, 
        the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling 
        the media, economy, and government or other societal 
        institutions.
            (3) Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real 
        or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or 
        group, or even for acts committed by non-Jews.
            (4) Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) 
        or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the 
        hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and 
        accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).
            (5) Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of 
        inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
            (6) Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, 
        or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the 
        interests of their own nations.
            (7) Denying the Jewish people their right to self-
        determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State 
        of Israel is a racist endeavor.
            (8) Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior 
        not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.
            (9) Using the symbols and images associated with classic 
        antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood 
        libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.
            (10) Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to 
        that of the Nazis.
            (11) Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of 
        the state of Israel.
                                 <all>