[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4275-H4278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COMBATING EUROPEAN ANTI-SEMITISM ACT OF 2017

  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 672) to require continued and enhanced annual 
reporting to Congress in the Annual Report on International Religious 
Freedom on anti-Semitic incidents in Europe, the safety and security of 
European Jewish communities, and the efforts of the United States to 
partner with European governments, the European Union, and civil 
society groups, to combat anti-Semitism, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 672

       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 ``Combating European Anti-
     Semitism Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) During the past decade, there has been a steady 
     increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Europe, resulting in 
     European Jews being the targets of physical and verbal 
     harassment and even lethal terrorist attacks, all of which 
     has eroded personal and communal security and the quality of 
     daily Jewish life.
       (2) According to reporting by the European Union Agency for 
     Fundamental Rights (FRA), between 2005 and 2014, anti-Semitic 
     incidents increased in France from 508 to 851; in Germany 
     from 60 to 173; in Belgium from 58 to 130; in Italy from 49 
     to 86; and in the United Kingdom from 459 to 1,168.
       (3) Anti-Zionism has at times devolved into anti-Semitic 
     attacks, prompting condemnation from many European leaders, 
     including French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, British Prime 
     Minister David Cameron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
       (4) Since 2010, the Department of State has adhered to the 
     working definition of Anti-Semitism by the European 
     Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). Some 
     contemporary examples of anti-Semitism include the following:
       (A) Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or 
     harming of Jews (often in the name of a radical ideology or 
     an extremist view of religion).
       (B) Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or 
     stereotypical allegations about Jews as such, or the power of 
     Jews as a collective, especially, but not exclusively, the 
     myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling 
     the media, economy, government, or other societal 
     institutions.
       (C) Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real 
     or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or 
     group, the State of Israel, or even for acts committed by 
     non-Jews.
       (D) Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of 
     inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.
       (E) Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, 
     or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the 
     interest of their own countries.
       (5) On October 16, 2004, the President signed into law the 
     Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004. This law provides 
     the legal foundation for a reporting requirement provided by 
     the Department of State annually on anti-Semitism around the 
     world.
       (6) In November 2015, the House of Representatives passed 
     H. Res. 354 by a vote of 418-0, urging the Secretary of State 
     to continue robust United States reporting on anti-Semitism 
     by the Department of State and the Special Envoy to Combat 
     and Monitor Anti-Semitism.
       (7) In 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance 
     Alliance (IHRA), comprised of 31 member countries, adopted a 
     working definition of anti-Semitism which stated: ``Anti-
     Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be 
     expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical 
     manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or 
     non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish 
     community institutions and religious facilities.''.
       (8) The IHRA further clarified that manifestations of anti-
     Semitism might also target the State of Israel, conceived of 
     as a Jewish collectivity. Anti-Semitism frequently charges 
     Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used 
     to blame Jews for ``why things go wrong''. It is expressed in 
     speech, writing, visual forms, and action, and employs 
     sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--

[[Page H4276]]

       (1) it is in the national interest of the United States to 
     combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad;
       (2) anti-Semitism is a challenge to the basic principles of 
     tolerance, pluralism, and democracy, and the shared values 
     that bind Americans and Europeans together;
       (3) there is an urgent need to ensure the safety and 
     security of European Jewish communities, including 
     synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and other institutions;
       (4) the United States should continue to emphasize the 
     importance of combating anti-Semitism in multilateral bodies, 
     including the United Nations, European Union institutions, 
     and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe;
       (5) the Department of State should continue to thoroughly 
     document acts of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement 
     that occur around the world, and should continue to encourage 
     other countries to do the same, and share their findings; and
       (6) the Department of State should continue to work to 
     encourage adoption by national government institutions and 
     multilateral institutions of a working definition of anti-
     Semitism similar to the one adopted in the International 
     Holocaust Remembrance Alliance context.

     SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORTING ON THE STATE OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN 
                   EUROPE.

       Paragraph (1) of section 102(b) of the International 
     Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6412) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(G) Anti-semitism in europe.--In addition to the 
     information required under clause (vii) of subparagraph (A), 
     with respect to each European country in which verbal or 
     physical threats or attacks are particularly significant 
     against Jewish persons, places of worship, schools, 
     cemeteries, and other religious institutions, a description 
     of--
       ``(i) the security challenges and needs of European Jewish 
     communities and European law enforcement agencies in such 
     countries to better protect such communities;
       ``(ii) to the extent practicable, the efforts of the United 
     States Government over the reporting period to partner with 
     European law enforcement agencies and civil society groups 
     regarding the sharing of information and best practices to 
     combat anti-Semitic incidents in Europe;
       ``(iii) European educational programming and public 
     awareness initiatives that aim to collaborate on educational 
     curricula and campaigns that impart shared values of 
     pluralism and tolerance, and showcase the positive 
     contributions of Jews in culture, scholarship, science, and 
     art, with special attention to those segments of the 
     population that exhibit a high degree of anti-Semitic animus; 
     and
       ``(iv) efforts by European governments to adopt and apply a 
     working definition of anti-Semitism.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE of California. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include any extraneous material in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleagues Nita 
Lowey and Chairman Emeritus Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership on 
the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism and for their 
good work on this timely and important bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I will lay out this case, but it is one we are familiar 
with. Hostility towards the Jewish people in some European cities is 
very deep, making Jews in certain areas look over their shoulders, 
afraid to walk the streets at night. In recent years, this surge in 
anti-Semitism has led to an outbreak of violent attacks.
  Those violent attacks are targeting certain Jewish neighbors. They 
are targeting places of worship. I think back to 2015, the deadly 
attacks on the kosher supermarket in Paris and, later on, the synagogue 
in Copenhagen.
  European governments have since passed laws designed to better 
protect their Jewish citizens, designed to punish those who perpetrate 
anti-Semitic incidents, but much more work remains to be done because 
there needs to be a better coordination on these efforts between Jewish 
communities and law enforcement and more comprehensive reporting on the 
incidents to identify trends, to identify problematic regions.
  In addition, in order to consistently apply anti-Semitism laws 
throughout Europe, there needs to be a uniform legal understanding of 
what constitutes anti-Semitism.
  Let me explain. We must be clear on this. The fire bombing of 
synagogues is not a political protest. The defacing of cemeteries, the 
yelling slurs at rabbis, the threatening of Jewish school children, 
this is not political protest. This is anti-Semitism, and it must be 
stopped.
  Absent a clear-eyed definition of anti-Semitism, perpetrators of 
violent acts have, at times, been given a pass for their actions due to 
the flimsy defense of political protest.
  Adoption across Europe of a single definition of anti-Semitism would 
provide an important foundation for law enforcement officials, enabling 
them to better enforce laws and develop strategies for improved 
security for the Jewish community.
  This bill, H.R. 672, the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 
2017, calls for these fundamental improvements, and it reaffirms the 
U.S. commitment to combating anti-Semitism. It urges European nations 
to adopt a working definition of anti-Semitism. It calls for increased 
reporting on it.
  Anti-Semitic incidents in Europe have to be reported in a way in 
which people can be held accountable. Collaborative efforts between 
U.S. and European law enforcement and the efforts to improve security 
for Jewish communities is another important aspect of this legislation.
  Now is the time to act and pass this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. Let me start by 
thanking the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), my good friend and 
neighbor, the ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations.
  I also want to thank Chairman Royce for his steadfast support in 
bringing this bill to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, it is so shocking and so heartbreaking to me that, in 
the year 2017, we wake up day after day to read about anti-Semitic 
vandalism and violence, anti-Semitic slurs on Munich buses, Russian so-
called law makers pedaling anti-Semite conspiracy theories, horrific 
murders in a kosher market in Paris 2 years ago. Of course, Mr. 
Speaker, here in our own country, bomb threats to Jewish community 
centers, desecration of cemeteries. Actually, I can hardly believe it.
  We know this ancient hatred has never been extinguished. It has 
always found some dark corner in which to fester until some new group 
on the fringe tries to pull it back into the mainstream. I fear we are 
seeing that sort of resurgence right now.
  When we hear these toxic ideas emanating from major political parties 
and governing bodies in Europe, we know it is time for action. It needs 
to be stopped, and this bill will help.
  This legislation builds on the 1998 International Religious Freedom 
Act, which established annual reporting on religious freedom worldwide, 
as well as the 2004 Global Anti-Semitism Review Act, which required the 
State Department to report every year on anti-Semitism around the 
world.
  This measure calls for continued and enhanced reporting on anti-
Semitic incidents in Europe. We want to focus on what has been a hotbed 
of anti-Semitism in recent years so that no active anti-Semitic hatred 
goes unnoticed.
  This bill also expresses our view in Congress that it is in our 
country's interest to combat anti-Semitism here and abroad; that it is 
critical to ensure the safety of European Jewish communities; that 
multilateral organizations like the U.N. and OSCE have an important 
role to play in combating anti-Semitism; that we should continue to 
report anti-Semitic acts worldwide; and that our allies should follow 
our lead and document anti-Semitic acts when they take place so we can 
share our findings amongst ourselves.

  We also call on the State Department to adopt the working definition 
of anti-Semitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance 
Alliance, because words do matter when it comes to the way we talk 
about this challenge.
  It is absolutely amazing that 70-some-odd years after World War II 
ended--and that decade culminated in

[[Page H4277]]

the murder of 6 million Jews in Europe in the Holocaust, men, women, 
and children--it is absolutely unbelievable that 70 years later you 
would see anti-Semitism in the same places in Europe rear its ugly head 
by stupid people who don't know what they are saying or doing. It is 
just amazing. You think there would be some kind of sensitivity about 
the Holocaust and about all the innocent people who were murdered for 
just the one reason that they were Jewish, and yet you see no-nothings, 
as far as I am concerned, popping up again with their anti-Semitic 
hatred. It is bad wherever it goes, but it is especially repugnant to 
have it in Europe, the site of the murder of 6 million Jewish people.
  I am very grateful to Representative Lowey for her hard work on this 
bill. I am pleased to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe), chairman of the Foreign Affairs' 
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me 
time, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their 
comments on this legislation. The bill promotes religious freedom 
throughout the world.
  Mr. Speaker, as has been mentioned, it has been 60 to 70 years since 
the Jewish community in Europe was decimated by the Holocaust. Now, 
more than ever, the Jewish community is under assault yet again.
  In Europe, anti-Semitic individuals are back like never before. A 
study commissioned by the German parliament this year found that there 
were 644 anti-Semitic offenses in the country in 2016 alone.
  In countries like Holland, Jewish schools and synagogues need to be 
protected by special forces because of fear of attack on those schools.
  And, unfortunately, our country has not been immune. Jewish community 
centers across the country have been targets of bomb threats, even 
recently in Houston, Texas, my hometown, such bomb threats.
  This past Sunday, a historic synagogue in New York City was attacked 
and burned down by arsonists. That is why this bill, the Combating 
European Anti-Semitism Act, is so important. We must continue to 
partner with our European friends to ensure that we stamp out the 
cancer of anti-Semitism.
  As a representative of a country founded on religious freedom, we, as 
Members of Congress, must send a clear message to Jews and non-Jews, 
from Houston to Amsterdam, that we will not allow the horrors of the 
Holocaust to repeat themselves in this generation.
  Mr. Speaker, we must reiterate the commitment the free world made 
over 60 years ago: Never again. Never again.
  And that is just the way it is.

                              {time}  1630

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Lowey), my good friend, my fellow New Yorker, the author of 
this bill, and the ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friends, Chairman Ed Royce 
and Ranking Member Eliot Engel, and all those involved in advancing 
this important legislation.
  I rise in support of H.R. 672, the Combating European Anti-Semitism 
Act, which was introduced by the co-chairs of the Bipartisan Taskforce 
for Combating Anti-Semitism.
  With the rising threat of anti-Semitism in Europe, this bill would 
require enhanced reporting to Congress on anti-Semitic incidents in 
Europe, the safety and security of European Jewish communities, and the 
efforts of the United States to partner with European entities to 
combat anti-Semitism. This bill also urges the Department of State to 
continue encouraging European governments and multilateral institutions 
to adopt a clear and comprehensive working definition of anti-Semitism.
  I find it hard to believe that in the 21st century European Jews 
worry about whether or not there is a future for their communities in 
Europe. But with increased anti-Semitic sentiments throughout Europe 
and many Jews becoming the targets of verbal, physical, and even deadly 
terrorist attacks, the security and quality of life for European Jewish 
communities has deteriorated. This is simply unacceptable.
  Anti-Semitism is not simply a Jewish problem. Xenophobia and other 
forms of racism are never far behind when this pernicious threat rears 
its ugly head. The United States must remain a leader in the fight 
against anti-Semitism wherever it occurs to ensure that our commitment 
to ``never again'' remains a reality.
  Finally, I want to express my appreciation to my fellow co-chairs of 
the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, Representatives 
Smith, Engel, Granger, Deutch, Ros-Lehtinen, Veasey, and Roskam. The 
task force remains committed to working across regions, religions, and 
party lines to condemn all anti-Semitism and fight for the right of 
Jews to live freely without fear at home and abroad.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), who chairs the Foreign 
Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa and is our 
chairman emeritus.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman and the 
ranking member for working to help bring this important bill to the 
floor in a timely manner and, more importantly, for conducting the 
affairs of our full committee in an even-tempered, professional manner 
that is an example to the rest of the House. It is an honor to serve 
under their leadership.
  I also want to thank my good friend Nita Lowey because she is the 
author of this bill, but I want to thank her for her leadership in 
fighting anti-Semitism across the world. She has been at this fight for 
many a year. We have worked closely together on defeating this hatred, 
one of the world's oldest forms of discrimination. I am proud to be an 
original cosponsor of her bill, and I thank the gentlewoman from New 
York.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important initiative for our Bipartisan 
Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, a task force of which I am proud 
to be a cofounder and a co-chair along with Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Engel, of 
course Chris Smith, Ted Deutch, Kay Granger, Peter Roskam, Marc Veasey, 
so many good Members. But more than that, Mr. Speaker, it is an 
important initiative for the Jewish communities across Europe who have 
been facing a troubling increase in anti-Semitic incidents and attacks 
over the past years that have put their safety and their security at 
risk.
  Mr. Speaker, all across Europe, Jews have been targeted. Their places 
of worship have been targeted, their homes, targeted; their businesses, 
targeted. Why? Because of their faith.
  They have been the target of deadly attacks in European cities, 
democratic societies that we call allies: France, Belgium, Denmark, 
elsewhere--horrific. This is simply unconscionable, Mr. Speaker.
  There is no time to delay in taking action. We cannot allow for an 
atmosphere of intolerance and hatred to once again rear its ugly head 
in Europe. That is why this bill is an important first step.
  We have identified growing anti-Semitism as a problem before, but 
this bill will enhance reporting requirements so that we can more 
acutely identify the problems and, equally important, Mr. Speaker, we 
can identify the security challenges facing these Jewish communities. 
Then we can learn how to best tackle this, and we can learn how we can 
partner with our European allies and our friends and local law 
enforcement, along with civil society, to protect against anti-Semitic 
acts. We can get a better understanding of how our partners in Europe 
can better educate their children. We can get a handle on how to better 
promote awareness in their societies to the dangers of such blind 
hatred.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to say that the first step in 
fighting anti-Semitism is identifying the problem areas and then 
developing a plan to address it. This bill will help us identify the 
problem. It is an important first step in taking the necessary action 
to protect the Jewish communities of Europe. I urge my colleagues to 
support this important bill.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to 
close.

[[Page H4278]]

  Let me first say, I agree with all the eloquent statements made by my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle pertaining to this bill.
  I want to thank Mrs. Lowey, again, because it is a really important 
bill. It is really important that we don't sweep this under the rug. It 
is really important that we don't try to hide it or sugarcoat it. 
Whether it happens here, whether it happens in Europe, no matter where 
it happens, any form of anti-Semitism, any form of hatred of one group 
toward another needs to be roundly condemned and stopped. That is what 
we are trying to do here.
  It hasn't even been a century since we heard this canary in the coal 
mine: political parties scapegoating Jews; insidious campaigns that 
question the humanity of Jewish populations or their legitimacy as 
members of certain societies; governments, popularly elected 
governments, saying that it was okay to hate.
  We don't think it is okay to hate. That is why we are doing this. 
What we hear today is unnerving in light of that history.
  Mr. Speaker, we know what happened when too few good people stood up 
and spoke out. We cannot allow that history to repeat. We must do 
whatever it takes to ensure that it doesn't.
  This bill will help us address a part of this growing concern. It 
will shine a bright light on the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe. 
It is just a piece of the puzzle, but it is a good start.
  I am proud to stand with my colleagues today to support this measure. 
I urge all Members to do the same.
  I thank the others on this side of the aisle and the other side of 
the aisle who have spoken on this, especially Chairman Royce.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  First, let me say that the words just spoken by Ranking Member Eliot 
Engel are precisely the sentiment that I think we all wish to convey. 
We must do all we can to combat anti-Semitism in all of its insidious 
forms, and we do it because the consequences, the horrifying 
consequences of doing nothing in the face of such evil, are 
unconscionable. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past by 
remaining silent, as this same poison affects our communities today.
  Passage of this bill sends a clear signal that anti-Semitism has no 
place in free societies and urges our European partners to provide 
practical guidance that will empower law enforcement and better equip 
them to tackle this rising problem, and it sends the message that our 
own law enforcement is willing to work hand in hand with theirs in 
order to tackle this problem.
  I appreciate the work of Congresswoman Lowey and Congresswoman Ros-
Lehtinen and, of course, Mr. Engel, the ranking member. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in support of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
672, the Combating Anti-Semitism Act of 2017, sponsored by my friend 
Nita Lowey. I and all of our fellow Co-Chairs of the Bi-Partisan Task 
Force for Combating Anti-Semitism are original cosponsors.
  Among its provisions, the bill would require the State Department to 
include in existing annual reports information about the security 
challenges and needs of European Jewish communities and European law 
enforcement. This report would also document related U.S. government 
efforts to partner with European law enforcement agencies and civil 
society groups.
  H.R. 672 is important and timely. As witnesses testified at a hearing 
I chaired in March on ``Anti-Semitism Across Borders,'' physical 
attacks on European Jewish communities, and other forms of anti-Semitic 
hatred, remain rampant on the continent. Rabbi Andy Baker, Personal 
Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Anti-
Semitism and Director of International Jewish Affairs at the American 
Jewish Committee noted that even after the deadly anti-Semitic attacks 
in Paris, Brussels and Copenhagen, ``problems still remain. Governments 
have taken different approaches, and some only in stop-gap measures.'' 
Rabbi Baker also emphasized that ``We need to be clear-eyed in 
confronting and combating anti-Semitism, which manifests itself on both 
the right and the left.''
  At the same hearing, Paul Goldenberg, Director of the Security 
Community Network and Senior Advisor to the Rutgers University Faith-
Based Communities Security Program, warned that ``Ever-more connected, 
extremist groups in the United States are borrowing, adapting and 
enhancing the tactics and strategies adopted in Europe.'' This is an 
especially sobering warning, given the man recent anti-Semitic 
incidents here in the United States.
  Mark Weitzman, Director of Government Affairs for the Simon 
Wiesenthal Center, emphasized that ``Fighting antisemitism has always 
been a bipartisan commitment and in today's fractured political world 
it is more necessary than ever that the U.S. maintain its diplomatic 
and moral leadership in this issue. . . . we would strongly suggest 
that the position [of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-
Semitism] even be upgraded, to that of Ambassador, thus demonstrating 
the importance attached by our government to this issue.''
  H.R. 672 is an example of such bi-partisanship. It would ensure that 
the Special Envoy, other U.S. officials, the Congress, and civil 
society--especially European Jewish communities that their security 
groups--have key information to act fully and effectively. With the 
right information, and robust action, the United States can help ensure 
the safety and security of Jewish communities in Europe and elsewhere.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 672, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________