[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1577-E1578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING SAFETY AND SECURITY OF 
                      EUROPEAN JEWISH COMMUNITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2015

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of H. Res. 254, 
regarding the safety and security of Jewish communities across Europe.
  I continue to support the safety of Israeli people across the globe.
  Indeed, last week, I signed on to the Royce-Engel letter to President 
Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority to express my deep 
concern over the recent wave of violence in Israel and the West Bank.

[[Page E1578]]

  It is imperative that political leaders across the globe help to set 
the tone for peace by advocating non-violence.
  Numerous attacks on so many innocent lives in Europe alone is so much 
cause for alarm: Anti-Semitic rhetoric and acts, according to FBI 
reports involved 870 incidents in 2012 with anti-Jewish bias 
motivation, including 13 violent incidents, and 625 incidents in 2013 
attributed to anti-Jewish bias; an increase in violent attacks on 
people and places of worship; and an escalation of frequency, variety 
and severity of the various attacks.
  Anti-Semitic attacks are threats to the fundamental rights we hold so 
dear in our nation.
  Security and diversity of all citizens, societies and countries are 
sacrosanct in our nation.
  This is why the United States joined forces with France and the 
United Kingdom in recognition of the importance of partnership, 
training and information sharing between government entities and the 
Jewish community security groups with the eye towards the safety and 
security of Jewish communities.
  As a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, 
information sharing initiatives such as our national ``If You See 
Something, Say Something'' campaign implemented by our nation's 
Department of Homeland Security is a critical initiative that will 
enable prevention of anti-Semitic violent attacks on individuals and 
communities.
  This bill is also critical because it urges the United States 
Government, the Secretary of State, Secretary of Homeland Security, the 
Attorney General, Director of the FBI to engage their European 
counterparts to partner in the protection of the Jewish community in 
Europe.
  This Bill reaffirms the very important U.S. support for the United 
States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism with the eye 
towards fostering and facilitating international religious freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 354 because it supports an end 
to the dramatic increase of the number of violent anti-Semitic attacks 
in some European countries.
  These attacks, increasingly targeting places of ordinary daily life 
like market places and places of worship must stop.
  Thus, I support and urge enhanced partnerships between governments 
and Jewish community groups-which are critical to helping keep Jewish 
communities secure.

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