[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 196 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10163-H10165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Budd). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 3, 2017, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Al Green) for 30 minutes.
  Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the 
leadership on both sides of the aisle for according us this time. It is 
an honor to have the privilege of standing here in the House of 
Representatives to present a resolution tonight, and I am grateful that 
the time has been allowed.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored tonight to present this resolution, H. Res. 
1166, honoring and praising the American Jewish Committee, known as 
AJC, on the occasion of its 112th anniversary.
  I am honored to say that this resolution has other persons who are 
sponsors: Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Ms. Meng, Mr. 
Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Moore, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, and 
Mr. Rothfus. I am honored that

[[Page H10164]]

these Members have cosigned, if you will, in that they are cosponsors 
of this resolution.
  I am honored to say to you, Mr. Speaker, that this organization, the 
American Jewish Committee, has been around now for 112 years in the 
business of protecting Jews and other minorities from anti-Semitism, 
racism, bigotry, hatred, and human rights violations.
  When these things occur, you can count on the American Jewish 
Committee standing up, speaking out, and making their position known.
  The American Jewish Committee is currently fighting against the 
rising tide of hate and bigotry. And there is empirical, as well as 
anecdotal, evidence to support the fact that there is a rising tide.
  Per the FBI, there were 6,121 hate crimes in 2016; in 2017, 7,125 
hate crimes. A rising tide. Three of five hate crimes target ethnicity 
or race; one of five will target religion. Hate crimes in this country 
are being addressed by the American Jewish Committee. 2,013 hate crimes 
against African Americans in 2017, 938 hate crimes against Jewish 
Americans.
  The American Jewish Committee is confronting hate and making a 
difference in the lives of people.
  This organization was founded November 11, 1906, in New York City by 
a group of Jews who wanted to raise awareness about the persecution and 
targeting of Jews in Russia.
  I might also add that this was around the time that the NAACP was 
founded. It was founded just some years later in 1909. And a good many 
members of the founding persons associated with the NAACP were Jewish 
people.
  The NAACP and the AJC have had a partnership, a friendship, a 
relationship for many, many years in this battle against hate and 
bigotry.
  The AJC supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964, supported the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965, supported the historic decision in the Supreme 
Court case of Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka. And I would 
add, not only did the AJC support it by filing various briefs and doing 
research, but also with money. Members supported this lawsuit with 
money.
  Thurgood Marshall was the lead counsel for the NAACP in Brown v. 
Board of Education, but there were other persons who were not of 
African ancestry associated with this litigation who helped to fund it. 
It was a costly piece of litigation, and I am proud to say that AJC was 
supportive of the NAACP in Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka.
  The AJC has been at the forefront of strengthening ties between Jews 
and Latinos. The AJC concerns itself with the human rights and human 
dignity of all people regardless of ethnicity.
  The AJC's Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council is a group of some 50 
persons, Muslims and Jews, who have as their aim protecting and 
expanding the rights of religious minorities in the United States of 
America. Those who will divide us along religious lines are confronted 
by the AJC, the American Jewish Committee.

                              {time}  1730

  It has launched a global campaign encouraging people of conscience 
around the world to attend Jewish services, and especially this was 
made known after the attack at the Tree of Life congregation in 
Pittsburgh, where 11 worshippers were killed.
  I was fortunate enough to attend a Shabbat service in Houston, Texas, 
where our mayor, the Honorable Sylvester Turner, spoke and where we, 
persons of goodwill, had the opportunity to express our desire and our 
belief that we should combine our efforts to make sure that we 
developed a symbiotic relationship as we moved forward with this global 
campaign to encourage people of conscience to get to know persons of 
different religions so that we could have together what we could never 
accomplish apart.
  The AJC, in 2015, launched what is known as the Mayors United Against 
Anti-Semitism campaign to build a nationwide coalition of elected 
officials committed to fighting anti-Semitism, a nationwide coalition. 
I am proud to say that that continues to this day and that elected 
officials are responding to the clarion call to unite against bigotry, 
hatred, anti-Semitism, homophobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia, sexism, 
and nativism. The AJC is there to fight for the rights of people to 
live in dignity with peace and harmony.
  The AJC is international in scope. It has 11 international offices, 
22 in the United States, and 36 international Jewish community 
partnerships. In truth, it is international in scope. It is also an 
organization that has been there for the State of Israel.
  It is a steadfast supporter of Israel, becoming the first American 
Jewish organization to open an office in Israel, and an effective 
advocate for Israel's security. The AJC has been and continues to be a 
strong partner for the State of Israel.
  I am proud to tell you that I have a friend, who at one time was the 
head of AJC. At the time, I was the head of the NAACP. I share this 
brief vignette because I think it is important to explain how things 
can really work and how people can work together.
  My friend, David Mincberg, as I indicated, was the head of AJC, and I 
had the good fortune to be a leader of the NAACP in Houston, Texas. We 
had a city council person, whose name I need not mention, who made a 
racial slur, said a very ugly thing, and David and I had the 
opportunity to bring our organizations together.
  Upon doing so, we concluded that we should talk to other persons of 
goodwill in the city so as to build a coalition to confront the council 
person who made the racial slur. With a strong coalition, the NAACP and 
the AJC were able to call for the resignation of this council person.
  These two organizations, taking the lead, were able to do something 
that, in my opinion, could not have been done but for the unity 
exhibited, and the coalition that was constructed could not have done 
it, and that was to have this city council person leave city council.
  This is the kind of strength that the AJC brings to issues associated 
with hate and bigotry. The AJC does not tolerate hatred and bigotry. 
Much of what I express with reference to hatred and bigotry I acquired 
from associating with persons who are part of the AJC.
  I have understood, as a result of working with my friends at the AJC, 
that we can never, ever tolerate hatred and bigotry, regardless of 
where it comes from, regardless as to what the source is. We have got 
to be bold. We have to show courage. We have to stand up together 
against hatred and bigotry.
  These are some of the things that the AJC has exhibited over the 
years in my presence.
  And I said my friends at AJC. I call people friends who are persons 
that I do more than have dinner with, persons whom I do more than 
associate with, persons whom I have more than a relationship with. I 
call friends persons whom I can disagree with and still maintain a 
relationship with them.
  Over the years, these friends and I have stood together, and we 
continue to stand together.
  So, tonight, Mr. Speaker, I call to the attention of this august body 
H. Res. 1166, and I call to the attention of those who are within the 
sound of my voice, those who may be viewing at home, I call to their 
attention H. Res. 1166, a resolution that honors and praises the 
American Jewish Committee on the occasion of its 112th anniversary.
  I suggest that it be resolved by the House of Representatives that 
the House of Representatives, itself, recognize the 112th anniversary 
of the historic founding of the American Jewish Committee, and that the 
House of Representatives should honor and praise the American Jewish 
Committee on the occasion of this anniversary for its efforts regarding 
human rights worldwide, for its interfaith dialogue, and for the 
promotion of Israel's security and its place in the world.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to have presented this resolution, and I 
would have the world know, and all of my friends know, that I look 
forward to returning to Houston, Texas, and meeting with my friends who 
are associated with the AJC, the American Jewish Committee, as we 
continue our struggle to end hatred and bigotry--not to manage it, not 
to make it less tolerable, but to eliminate it in its entirety wherever 
it exists.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H10165]]

  

                          ____________________