[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 5, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E464-E465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SPECIAL ENVOY TO COMBAT AND MONITOR ANTI-SEMITISM ACT OF 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2017

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce that I 
have introduced the bipartisan Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat 
Anti-Semitism Act of 2017 (H.R. 1911), along with my colleagues and 
lead

[[Page E465]]

original cosponsors, Brad Schneider, Peter Roskam, Eliot Engel, Randy 
Weber, Nita Lowey, Ted Deutch, Gus Bilirakis, and Marc Veasey are also 
original cosponsors.
  I wrote the provisions of the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 
to create in the State Department the Office to Monitor and Combat 
Anti-Semitism and the Special Envoy to lead it. President Bush signed 
the bill into law and since then the Special Envoy and Office have been 
crucial tools in our global fight against Anti-Semitism.
  However, as witnesses testified at a recent hearing I chaired on 
``Anti-Semitism across Borders,'' the ninth hearing I have chaired on 
Anti-Semitism, Anti-Semitic hatred has metastasized across the 
ideological spectrum. Secularists, Islamists, extremists on the right, 
and extremists on the left, propagate Anti-Semitism. Violent Anti-
Semitic attacks have become more frequent and perpetrators are learning 
from and sometimes even cooperating with each other across national 
boundaries.
  It's urgent that we enhance the position of Special Envoy to match 
the threats to Jewish communities and make sure our response is strong 
and focused. This legislation:
  Elevates the position of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-
Semitism to the rank of Ambassador;
  Directs the Special Envoy to report directly to the Secretary of 
State;
  Prohibits the Special Envoy from being double-hatted with another 
portfolio of issues;
  Emphasizes that the Special Envoy should be a person of recognized 
distinction in the field of combating Anti-Semitism or religious 
freedom; and
  Clarifies that Special Envoy shall be the primary advisor and 
coordinator for U.S. government efforts to monitor and combat Anti-
Semitism and Anti-Semitic incitement in foreign countries.
  Mr. Speaker, many leading groups support this bill, including Agudath 
Israel of America, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, 
B'nai B'rith International, The Conference of Presidents of Major 
American Jewish Organizations, The Jewish Federations of North America, 
National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry, Orthodox Union, Secure 
Community Network, Simon Wiesenthal Center, and the World Jewish 
Congress of North America.
  I call on my colleagues to cosponsor this bill so that it moves 
through the Congress and gets to the President as soon as possible. 
With these enhancements, and full staffing, the Special Envoy can help 
ensure that America continues to lead the world toward defeating the 
ancient, unique evil of Anti-Semitism and keeping Jewish communities 
throughout the world safe and secure.

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