[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 201 (Wednesday, December 6, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




STRONGLY CONDEMNING AND DENOUNCING THE DRASTIC RISE OF ANTISEMITISM IN 
                 THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 4, 2023

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share my deep concern with H. 
Res. 894 and the way it fails to address the rise in hate speech and 
threats occurring in our country and around the world. Over the last 
several weeks, the House has rightly made efforts to condemn 
antisemitism and show support for the Jewish people. However, this 
resolution does not seriously address the rise in antisemitism in any 
tangible way, and the actions of the Majority to treat this issue as an 
opportunity to confuse and sow division is redundant, devoid of 
meaning, and ultimately harmful to the cause of rebuking hate in all 
its forms.
  Congress must take meaningful steps to fight against antisemitism. We 
can do this by stepping away from political games and fully 
implementing the Biden Administration's National Antisemitism Strategy, 
a whole-of-government approach to fighting antisemitism in the United 
States.
  I also want to underscore the importance of prioritizing the safety 
of Jewish, Palestinian, and Muslim communities. The resolution before 
us today is silent on the concurrent rise of anti-Arab hate and 
Islamophobia happening in America, and by failing to include all 
instances of bigotry stemming from the conflict, we are missing an 
opportunity to condemn hate in all its forms.
  In Congress we must be open to discussing and disagreeing about 
challenging topics, including about Israel and Gaza. I remain committed 
to condemning hate speech and the violence it inspires and believe that 
any actions considered in the House must also do so. For these reasons, 
I must vote present on this resolution.

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