[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7921 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7921

  To strengthen Federal efforts to counter antisemitism in the United 
                                States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2024

Ms. Manning (for herself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. 
  Weber of Texas, Ms. Meng, Mr. Lieu, and Mr. Veasey) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
   and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, 
Homeland Security, Oversight and Accountability, and Transportation and 
   Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To strengthen Federal efforts to counter 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 ``Countering Antisemitism Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Antisemitism, which is often called ``the oldest 
        hatred'', is a serious and growing danger for Jews in the 
        United States and around the world.
            (2) In 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found that 
        anti-Jewish hate crime incidents increased by more than 37 
        percent from 2021 to 2022.
            (3) In 2022, the Anti-Defamation League reported nearly 
        3,700 antisemitic incidents in the United States, including 
        assault, vandalism, and harassment, which is a 36 percent 
        increase from 2021 and represents the highest number on record 
        of antisemitic incidents reported by the Anti-Defamation 
        League, and the American Jewish Committee reported that 25 
        percent of Jewish Americans were personally targeted by 
        antisemitism in 2023.
            (4) Jewish Americans are facing an unprecedented rise in 
        antisemitic incidents following the October 7, 2023 Hamas 
        terrorist attacks on Israel.
            (5) Rising antisemitism is in part being driven by the 
        spread and amplification of antisemitic comments, tropes, and 
        conspiracies on social media platforms, which can lead to 
        physical acts of harassment, assault, and vandalism.
            (6) Holocaust denial and distortion, including intentional 
        efforts to excuse or minimize the impact of the Holocaust, 
        dishonor Holocaust victims and survivors, and reinforce the 
        need for advancing accurate and comprehensive Holocaust 
        education globally.
            (7) Protecting the history of the Holocaust and recognizing 
        and confronting Holocaust denial and distortion are critical to 
        preventing antisemitism.
            (8) Jewish houses of worship are increasingly the targets 
        of violent attacks in the United States, as evidenced by the 
        deadly assaults on synagogues in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 
        2018 and Poway, California, in 2019.
            (9) Antisemitic incidents have increased dramatically in 
        many educational settings over the past several years, with 
        many Jewish students facing discrimination or a hostile 
        environment at schools, yet these incidents remain 
        underreported.
            (10) The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights 
        is tasked with ensuring that all students are protected on 
        campus, yet there is a backlog of discrimination complaints 
        that remain pending before the Office for Civil Rights.
            (11) On May 25, 2023, the Biden Administration issued the 
        U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which outlines 
        the Administration's whole-of-society approach to tackle 
        antisemitism and includes actions for Federal agencies to take 
        and calls to action for Congress.
            (12) Antisemitism can have unique characteristics, 
        including the evolving use of conspiracy theories that blame 
        the various ills of society on Jews or attribute to individual 
        Jews a variety of evil and harmful characteristics, and 
        including the portrayal of Jews as too powerful or controlling 
        and deserving of hatred and mistrust. Antisemitism can also 
        exist when individual Jews are held responsible for the 
        policies of the Israeli government, or attacked, disparaged, or 
        demonized based on their real or perceived connection to, 
        affiliation with, or support for, the state of Israel as a 
        Jewish state. Antisemitism can manifest distinctively and 
        require a tailored response.
            (13) While antisemitism most directly and intensely 
        threatens Jewish Americans, it also undermines democracy and 
        threatens the safety and rights of all Americans.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
to--
            (1) raise awareness and educate the United States public 
        about the history of Jewish Americans and antisemitism in all 
        of its forms and various manifestations;
            (2) use all available authorities to oppose antisemitism; 
        and
            (3) ensure that the implementation of Federal Government 
        strategies to counter antisemitism are ongoing and multi-year 
        whole-of-government and whole-of-society efforts, including 
        through close and consistent collaboration between the Federal 
        Government, the private sector, civil society, faith leaders, 
        and community leaders.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the non-
legally binding working definition of antisemitism adopted in 2016 by 
the 31 member states of the International Holocaust Remembrance 
Alliance, a definition which the United States has embraced--
            (1) is a valuable tool to raise awareness and increase 
        understanding of antisemitism; and
            (2) should be utilized by Federal, State, and local 
        agencies.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this section
            (1) Antisemitism.--The term ``antisemitism'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 3 of the Never Again 
        Education Act (36 U.S.C. 2301 note).
            (2) Relevant agency.--The term ``relevant agency'' means--
                    (A) the Domestic Policy Council;
                    (B) the Department of State;
                    (C) the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and 
                Combat Antisemitism of the Department of State;
                    (D) the Department of Homeland Security;
                    (E) the Department of Justice;
                    (F) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
                    (G) the Department of Education;
                    (H) the National Counterterrorism Center;
                    (I) the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum;
                    (J) the Department of Health and Human Services;
                    (K) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission;
                    (L) the Small Business Administration;
                    (M) the Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development;
                    (N) the Department of Transportation;
                    (O) the Department of Agriculture;
                    (P) the Corporation for National and Community 
                Service;
                    (Q) the National Endowment for the Arts;
                    (R) the National Endowment for the Humanities;
                    (S) the Department of the Interior;
                    (T) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
                    (U) the Department of Defense;
                    (V) the Department of the Treasury;
                    (W) the Office of the Director of National 
                Intelligence;
                    (X) the Institute of Museum and Library Services;
                    (Y) the Office of Personnel Management;
                    (Z) the United States Mission to the United 
                Nations;
                    (AA) the General Services Administration;
                    (BB) the Department of Commerce;
                    (CC) the Department of Labor;
                    (DD) the National Science Foundation;
                    (EE) the Smithsonian Institution; and
                    (FF) the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood 
                Partnerships of the White House.
            (3) U.S. national strategy to counter antisemitism.--The 
        term ``U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism'' means 
        the document entitled ``U.S. National Strategy to Counter 
        Antisemitism'' issued by the White House on May 25, 2023.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL COORDINATOR TO COUNTER ANTISEMITISM.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Executive 
Office of the President the position of National Coordinator to Counter 
Antisemitism (in this section referred to as the ``National 
Coordinator''). The individual serving in the position of National 
Coordinator shall not have, or be assigned, duties in addition to the 
duties of the position of National Coordinator.
    (b) Duties of the National Coordinator.--Subject to the authority, 
direction, and control of the President, the National Coordinator 
shall--
            (1) serve as the principal advisor to the President on 
        countering domestic antisemitism;
            (2) coordinate Federal efforts to counter antisemitism, 
        including ongoing and multi-year implementation of Federal 
        Government strategies to counter antisemitism, across the 
        relevant agencies;
            (3) conduct a biennial review of the implementation of 
        Federal Government strategies to counter antisemitism for a 
        period of 10 years, including--
                    (A) an evaluation of all actions that have been 
                implemented; and
                    (B) recommendations for any updates to those 
                actions, as necessary; and
            (4) review the internal and external antisemitism training 
        and resource programs of the relevant agencies and ensure that 
        such programs include training and resources to assist relevant 
        agencies in understanding, deterring, and educating people 
        about antisemitism.

SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE TO COUNTER ANTISEMITISM.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish an Interagency 
Task Force to Counter Antisemitism.
    (b) Appointment.--The President shall appoint the members of the 
Task Force, which shall include representatives from the relevant 
agencies.
    (c) Chair.--The National Coordinator established in section 5(a) 
shall be the Chair of the Task Force.
    (d) Activities of the Task Force.--The Task Force shall carry out 
each of the following activities:
            (1) Coordinate implementation of Federal Government 
        strategies to counter antisemitism.
            (2) Measure and evaluate the progress of the United States 
        in the areas of--
                    (A) providing education about antisemitism;
                    (B) countering antisemitism; and
                    (C) providing support, protection, and assistance 
                to individuals and communities targeted by 
                antisemitism.
            (3) Create and implement interagency procedures for 
        collecting and organizing data, including research results and 
        resource information from relevant agencies and researchers, on 
        domestic antisemitism, while--
                    (A) respecting the confidentiality of individuals 
                targeted by antisemitism; and
                    (B) complying with any Federal, State, or local 
                laws affecting confidentiality, such as laws applying 
                to court cases involving juveniles.
            (4) Measure and evaluate the use of the Nonprofit Security 
        Grant Program of the Department of Homeland Security 
        established under section 2009 of the Homeland Security Act of 
        2002 (6 U.S.C. 609a) to secure Jewish nonprofit organizations 
        that are at high risk of terrorist attack.
            (5) Engage in consultation with Congress, nonprofit 
        organizations, and Jewish community advocacy organizations, 
        among other entities, to advance the purposes of this Act.
    (e) Activities of the Chair.--Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter until the 
date that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Chair of the Task Force shall provide a briefing on the activities of 
the Task Force to--
            (1) the majority leader and minority leader of the Senate; 
        and
            (2) the Speaker and minority leader of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 7. REPORTS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF U.S. NATIONAL STRATEGY TO COUNTER 
              ANTISEMITISM.

    (a) Reports From Relevant Agencies.--Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each relevant agency, in 
coordination with the National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism, 
shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report detailing 
how the relevant agency is implementing the U.S. National Strategy to 
Counter Antisemitism, which report shall include each of the following:
            (1) Detailed descriptions of any programs, activities, or 
        policies established to carry out the strategy.
            (2) Identification of the obstacles to implementation.
            (3) Opportunities for improved coordination, during the 
        implementation, with other relevant agencies, State and local 
        authorities, civil society, community and faith leaders, the 
        private sector, and individual citizens, as relevant.
    (b) Annual Threat Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the date 
        that is 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secretary 
        of Homeland Security, and the Director of the National 
        Counterterrorism Center, in coordination with the National 
        Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism, shall jointly produce an 
        annual threat assessment of antisemitic violent extremism.
            (2) Contents.--Each threat assessment required under 
        paragraph (1) shall include, for the period covered by the 
        report--
                    (A) an overview of transnational violent extremist 
                ideologies that include antisemitic components, 
                including international and domestic extremism;
                    (B) a review of the violence committed on behalf of 
                the ideologies described in subparagraph (A), 
                including--
                            (i) violent acts committed with explicit 
                        antisemitic sentiment;
                            (ii) an overview of propaganda facilitating 
                        the spread of those ideologies, including an 
                        in-depth assessment of the antisemitic 
                        components of the propaganda; and
                            (iii) the commonalities of the threat 
                        across several different violent extremist 
                        ideologies;
                    (C) an assessment of the threat that antisemitic 
                violence described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) poses 
                to the United States homeland, United States citizens 
                abroad, and United States military personnel; and
                    (D) an overview of how antisemitic violent threats 
                impact the interests and the global standing of the 
                United States.
            (3) Dissemination.--
                    (A) In general.--The Director of the Federal Bureau 
                of Investigation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
                and the Director of the National Counterterrorism 
                Center, in coordination with the National Coordinator 
                to Counter Antisemitism, shall submit each threat 
                assessment required under paragraph (1), including any 
                classified annexes, to--
                            (i) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
                        Senate;
                            (ii) the Select Committee on Intelligence 
                        of the Senate;
                            (iii) the Committee on the Judiciary of the 
                        Senate;
                            (iv) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                        Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
                            (v) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                        Senate;
                            (vi) the Committee on Armed Services of the 
                        House of Representatives;
                            (vii) the Permanent Select Committee on 
                        Intelligence of the House of Representatives;
                            (viii) the Committee on the Judiciary of 
                        the House of Representatives;
                            (ix) the Committee on Homeland Security of 
                        the House of Representatives; and
                            (x) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                        House of Representatives.
                    (B) Declassified version.--The Director of the 
                Federal Bureau of Investigation shall make publicly 
                available a declassified version of each threat 
                assessment required under paragraph (1) on the public 
                website of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
                concurrently with the version submitted under 
                subparagraph (A).
            (4) Limitation.--No version of the threat assessment 
        required under paragraph (1) shall include personally 
        identifiable information.

SEC. 8. ONLINE ANTISEMITISM, HOLOCAUST DENIAL, AND DISTORTION.

    (a) Study.--In order to assess steps to counter the spread of 
antisemitism online, not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter for a period of 10 
years, the National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism, in conjunction 
with the Interagency Task Force to Counter Antisemitism, shall conduct 
a study and prepare a report that shall include each of the following:
            (1) An analysis of the prevalence of online antisemitic 
        content, including Holocaust denial and Holocaust distortion 
        content.
            (2) Recommendations to Congress to counter the spread of 
        antisemitism online, including options for greater transparency 
        requirements relating to algorithmic systems, content 
        moderation, enforcement of community standards, accountability 
        for individuals, and accountability for online platforms.
    (b) Report.--The National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism shall 
make the report available to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 9. COUNTERING ANTISEMITIC DISCRIMINATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered institution.--The term ``covered institution'' 
        means a college, university, or other postsecondary 
        institution, or a public system of higher education that 
        receives Federal funds.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Department of Education should expeditiously issue a proposed rule 
pursuant to Executive Order 13899 (84 Fed. Reg. 68779; relating to 
Combating Anti-Semitism).
    (c) OCR Designee.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall designate a senior officer 
or senior employee of the Office for Civil Rights (in this section 
referred to as the ``Designee''). The Designee shall--
            (1) serve as the Secretary's primary advisor on the 
        Department of Education's efforts to counter antisemitic 
        discrimination at covered institutions;
            (2) oversee the Department of Education's efforts to 
        increase awareness of antisemitic discrimination at covered 
        institutions, including by proactively providing information to 
        students at covered institutions about how to file complaints 
        of discrimination with the Department of Education;
            (3) remind covered institutions of their legal 
        responsibility under title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 
        (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) to provide all students, including 
        those who are or are perceived to be Jewish or Israeli, a 
        school environment free from discrimination based on race, 
        color, or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic 
        characteristics;
            (4) ensure that students at covered institutions who have 
        experienced discrimination based on national origin (including 
        shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics) and desire to file a 
        complaint of discrimination with the Department of Education 
        have the information and resources to do so; and
            (5) make recommendations to the Secretary on the Department 
        of Education's efforts to counter antisemitic discrimination in 
        higher education.
    (d) Reporting.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act and every year thereafter for 
        a period of 10 years, the Designee shall submit a report to 
        Congress containing information about each complaint received 
        by the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education 
        that--
                    (A) concerns discrimination under title VI of the 
                Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) on 
                the basis of national origin (including shared ancestry 
                or ethnic characteristics) at a covered institution; 
                and
                    (B) is outstanding as of the date of completion of 
                the report and was received 6 months before such date 
                or earlier.
            (2) Contents.--Each report described in paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) with respect to each complaint, the status of 
                the complaint, including--
                            (i) the reasons the complaint has not been 
                        resolved; and
                            (ii) an estimated timeframe for the 
                        resolution of the complaint; and
                    (B) the Designee's activities to--
                            (i) increase awareness of antisemitic 
                        discrimination at covered institutions; and
                            (ii) provide information to students at 
                        covered institutions on how to file complaints 
                        of discrimination with the Department of 
                        Education.
            (3) Availability.--Each report described in paragraph (1) 
        shall be made available to the National Coordinator to Counter 
        Antisemitism and the Interagency Task Force to Counter 
        Antisemitism.

SEC. 10. HOLOCAUST EDUCATION AND ANTISEMITISM LESSONS.

    (a) Study.--Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Director of the United States Holocaust 
Memorial Museum (referred to in this Act as the ``USHMM Director'') 
shall conduct a study on Holocaust education efforts in States, local 
educational agencies, and public elementary schools and secondary 
schools. Such study shall include an examination of--
            (1) all States;
            (2) a nationally representative sample of local educational 
        agencies; and
            (3) a representative sample of public elementary schools 
        and secondary schools served by the local educational agencies 
        being studied.
    (b) Elements.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the 
USHMM Director shall--
            (1) determine whether States and local educational agencies 
        being studied require Holocaust education as part of the 
        curriculum taught in public elementary schools and secondary 
        schools;
            (2) identify States and local educational agencies being 
        studied that have optional Holocaust education as part of the 
        curriculum taught in public elementary schools and secondary 
        schools;
            (3) identify each State's standards and the requirements of 
        the local educational agencies being studied relating to 
        Holocaust education and summarize the status of the 
        implementation of such standards and requirements, including--
                    (A) any centralized apparatus at the State or local 
                level that collects and disseminates Holocaust 
                education curricula and materials;
                    (B) any Holocaust education professional 
                development opportunities for pre-service and in-
                service educators;
                    (C) the involvement of informal educational 
                organizations in implementing Holocaust education, 
                including museums and cultural centers;
                    (D) an assessment of the challenges or gaps that 
                may prevent educators from fulfilling Holocaust 
                education requirements;
                    (E) the identification of training and resources 
                needed to support educators teaching about the 
                Holocaust; and
                    (F) the adoption of United States Holocaust 
                Memorial Museum resources by--
                            (i) entities at the State or local level 
                        that disseminate Holocaust education curricula; 
                        or
                            (ii) local Holocaust museums and centers;
            (4) determine--
                    (A) the range of intended outcomes from a Holocaust 
                education unit at the State and local educational 
                agency level; and
                    (B) the methods educators are using that result in 
                successfully achieving intended learning outcomes, 
                which may include--
                            (i) in-class discussion;
                            (ii) educational activities conducted 
                        outside the classroom, including homework 
                        assignments and experiential learning involving 
                        State and local organizations, such as museums 
                        and cultural centers;
                            (iii) project-based learning;
                            (iv) educational materials and activities 
                        that are developmentally appropriate and taught 
                        through a trauma-informed lens; and
                            (v) integration of lessons from the 
                        Holocaust across the curriculum and throughout 
                        the school year;
            (5) identify the types of instructional materials used to 
        teach students about the Holocaust, including the use of 
        primary source material;
            (6) identify--
                    (A) in what disciplines the Holocaust is being 
                taught;
                    (B) the amount of time allotted in the required 
                curriculum to teach about the Holocaust; and
                    (C) the comprehensiveness of the Holocaust 
                education curriculum taught in public elementary 
                schools and secondary schools, as indicated by the 
                extent to which the curriculum addresses all elements 
                and aspects of the Holocaust and is based on reliable 
                educational resources, such as resources provided by 
                the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; and
            (7) identify the approaches used by public elementary 
        schools and secondary schools to assess outcomes using 
        traditional and nontraditional assessments, including 
        assessments of--
                    (A) students' knowledge of the Holocaust; and
                    (B) students' ability to identify and analyze 
                antisemitism, bigotry, hate, and genocide in historical 
                and contemporary contexts.
    (c) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Following the completion of the study 
        under subsection (a), the USHMM Director shall prepare and 
        submit to Congress a report on the results of the study.
            (2) Deadline for submittal.--The report under paragraph (1) 
        shall be submitted not later than the earlier of--
                    (A) 180 days after the completion of the study 
                under subsection (a); or
                    (B) 3 years after the date of enactment of this 
                Act.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``local 
        educational agency'', ``secondary school'', and ``State'' have 
        the meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (2) Holocaust.--The term ``Holocaust'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 3 of the Never Again Education Act 
        (Public Law 116-141; 36 U.S.C. 2301 note).
            (3) Holocaust education.--The term ``Holocaust education'' 
        means educational activities that are specifically intended--
                    (A) to improve students' awareness and 
                understanding of the Holocaust;
                    (B) to educate students on the lessons of the 
                Holocaust as a means to raise awareness about the 
                importance of preventing genocide, hate, and bigotry 
                against any group of people; and
                    (C) to study the history of antisemitism, its deep 
                historical roots, the use of conspiracy theories and 
                propaganda that target the Jewish people, and the 
                shapeshifting nature of antisemitism over time.
            (4) Project-based learning.--The term ``project-based 
        learning'' means a teaching method through which students learn 
        by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful 
        projects.

SEC. 11. NONPROFIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 2009 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609a) 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (k); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (h) the following:
    ``(i) Sufficient Personnel and Resources.--The Administrator shall 
ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has sufficient 
personnel and resources to carry out this section.
    ``(j) Publicly Available Information.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall make publicly available information relating to, 
with respect to the previous fiscal year--
            ``(1) the number of applications received for a grant under 
        this section;
            ``(2) the number of grants awarded under this section; and
            ``(3) the number of qualified entities that applied for a 
        grant under this section and did not receive the grant.''.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZING THE DESIGNATION OF JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 149. Jewish American Heritage Month
    ``(a) Designation.--There shall be designated a `Jewish American 
Heritage Month'.
    ``(b) Federal Proclamation.--The President is authorized and 
requested to issue annually a proclamation calling on the people of the 
United States to observe the month designated in subsection (a) with 
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
    ``(c) State Proclamations.--The chief executive officer of each 
State is requested to issue annually a proclamation calling on the 
people of the State to observe the month designated in subsection (a) 
with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
    ``(d) Definition.--For purposes of subsection (c), the term `State' 
means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin 
Islands of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, 
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the 
Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, 
and Palau.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
chapter 1 of title 36, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:

``149. Jewish American Heritage Month.''.
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