[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 63 (Friday, May 7, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5049-S5050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM REVIEW ACT OF 2004

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 493, S. 2292.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the bill by title.
  The assistant journal clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2292) to require a report on acts of anti-
     Semitism around the world.

  There being no objection the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with 
amendments, as follows:
  [Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the parts shown 
in italic.]

                                S. 2292

       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] 
     ``Protocols of the Learned 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] REPORTS.

       [Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, and annually thereafter] (a) One-Time Report.--Not 
     later than November 15, 2004, 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.
       (b) Information Required in Annual Department of State 
     Reports.--The Secretary of State shall include the 
     information required under subsection (a) in the annual 
     reports of the Department of State known as the Annual Report 
     on International Religious Freedom and the Annual Human 
     Rights Report.

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee 
amendments be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time 
and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, 
and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2292), as amended, was read the third time and passed, 
as follows:

                                S. 2292

       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

[[Page S5050]]

     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 ``Protocols of 
     the Learned 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. REPORTS.

       (a) One-Time Report.--Not later than November 15, 2004, 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.
       (b) Information Required in Annual Department of State 
     Reports.--The Secretary of State shall include the 
     information required under subsection (a) in the annual 
     reports of the Department of State known as the Annual Report 
     on International Religious Freedom and the Annual Human 
     Rights Report.

                          ____________________