[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 94 (Monday, June 3, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3549-H3551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CALLING ON ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS TO JOIN IN 
   EFFORTS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE JEWISH 
                           AMERICAN COMMUNITY

  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1215) calling on elected officials and civil 
society leaders to join in efforts to educate the public on the 
contributions of the Jewish American community, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1215

       Whereas the United States is a melting pot of heritages and 
     cultures;
       Whereas Congress has honored this mosaic of people and 
     unique contributions to our communities through commemorative 
     months;
       Whereas, by honoring each other's cultures, we can educate 
     ourselves about the rich diversity that makes up the United 
     States;
       Whereas ``Jewish American Heritage Month'' has its origins 
     in 1980, when Congress enacted a Joint Resolution entitled 
     ``Joint Resolution to authorize and request the President to 
     issue a proclamation designating April 21 through April 28, 
     1980, as `Jewish Heritage Week' '', approved April 24, 1980 
     (Public Law 96-237; 94 Stat. 338);
       Whereas, on April 24, 1980, President Carter issued the 
     proclamation for ``Jewish Heritage Week'', and in that 
     proclamation, President Carter spoke about the bountiful 
     contributions made by the Jewish people to the culture and 
     history of the United States;
       Whereas Congress has played a central role in recognizing 
     ``Jewish American Heritage Month'' since the Senate and the 
     House of Representatives passed resolutions in 2006 and 2005, 
     respectively, urging the President to proclaim the national 
     observation of a month recognizing the Jewish-American 
     community;
       Whereas, since 2006, Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and 
     Biden have all issued proclamations for ``Jewish American 
     Heritage Month'', which celebrates Jewish Americans and 
     encourages all people of the United States to learn more 
     about Jewish heritage and the contributions of Jewish people 
     throughout the history of the United States;
       Whereas Hamas heinous attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, 
     resulted in the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust;
       Whereas Jewish Americans continue to face threats of 
     violence from those inspired by Hamas or motivated by 
     Israel's response to the Hamas October 7, 2023, attack on 
     Israel;
       Whereas, according to American Jewish Committee, almost 
     two-thirds of American Jews feel less secure in the United 
     States than they did a year ago;
       Whereas the American Jewish Committee has found that nearly 
     half of American Jews have altered their behavior due to 
     concerns about antisemitism;
       Whereas the American Jewish Committee has found that 74 
     percent of adults in the United States believe that 
     antisemitism is a problem in the United States today;
       Whereas Hillel International has reported 1,597 antisemitic 
     incidents on college campuses since October 7, 2023, a 700-
     percent increase over the same period in the prior year;
       Whereas the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism 
     states that ``increasing awareness and understanding of 
     antisemitism must be coupled with a commitment to broadening 
     appreciation of Jewish-American heritage. We must tell the 
     positive story of Jewish contributions to the United States 
     and the World'';
       Whereas Jewish Americans have made significant 
     contributions to the arts, entertainment, science and 
     technology, military, government, business, culinary 
     traditions, and other fields in the United States;
       Whereas several prominent Jewish Americans heroically 
     supported the American Revolution and Jewish community 
     leaders advocated for freedom of religion for all Americans 
     upon the founding of our Nation;
       Whereas Jewish Americans have contributed to the 
     advancement of science to save countless lives and transform 
     our understanding of the universe, including Vera Rubin, a 
     trailblazer in the field of astronomy whose work established 
     the existence of dark matter, Jonas Salk, a virologist who 
     developed a vaccine against polio, and Albert Einstein who 
     was named Time magazine's ``Person of the Century'' for his 
     contributions to the study of mathematics and physics;
       Whereas Jewish-American athletes excelled at sports while 
     staying true to their heritage such as Sandy Koufax, who was 
     the first major league pitcher to pitch 4 no-hitters and 
     chose not to pitch during a World Series game when it fell on 
     Yom Kippur, and Hank Greenberg, who was the first Jewish 
     inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954;
       Whereas Jewish-American women have made significant 
     contributions to American politics and activism, including 
     Ernestine Rose, a Jewish immigrant who raised her voice to 
     resist slavery and fight for women's suffrage and Florence 
     Prag Kahn, the first Jewish woman Member of Congress and 
     first woman to serve on the House Military Affairs Committee;
       Whereas Jewish Americans long advocated for the education 
     of all including Julius Rosenwald, who partnered with Booker 
     T. Washington to invest in the education of Black students 
     and built thousands of schools for Black students in 15 
     States in the South;
       Whereas the Jewish community has long been involved in the 
     civil rights movement;
       Whereas Henry Moskowitz joined with civil rights activists 
     such as Ida B. Wells to found the National Association for 
     the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909;
       Whereas Jack Greenberg argued against segregation in Brown 
     v. Board of Education as co-counsel to Thurgood Marshall and 
     succeeded Marshall as Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal 
     Defense Fund;
       Whereas, during the Freedom Summer of 1964, half of the 
     young people who went to Mississippi were Jewish, including 
     Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered along 
     with African-American activist James Chaney due to their 
     efforts to register Black voters;
       Whereas Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel served as a close ally 
     and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., marching with him 
     from Montgomery to Selma in 1964;
       Whereas, in 1964, 17 rabbis were arrested alongside Dr. 
     King in Florida after challenging racial segregation in 
     public accommodations; and
       Whereas to counter the rise of antisemitism, it is critical 
     to increase awareness of Jewish-American contributions, 
     dating back to the founding of the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil 
     society leaders to condemn and counter all acts of 
     antisemitism;
       (2) calls on the executive branch and State and local 
     leaders to educate the public on the contributions of the 
     Jewish-American community and uplift Jewish voices;
       (3) take all possible steps to ensure the safety and 
     security of Jewish-American communities; and
       (4) calls on educators and administrators to combat 
     antisemitism in academic settings.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 1215.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. JORDAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page H3550]]

  Jewish American Heritage Month, first proclaimed by President George 
W. Bush and each President since, recognizes the contributions of the 
Jewish community to our country.
  Recognizing this month is particularly important following the 
October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel and the flood of anti-
Semitism that we have seen in its aftermath.
  Weeks after the October 7 attacks, the Judiciary Committee held a 
hearing on the topic of anti-Semitism on college campuses. We examined 
the slow reaction to the sometimes violent pro-Hamas rallies and 
encampments at top institutions across our country.
  One witness, a student from Cornell, testified that she had to think 
twice about having an outward sign of her Jewish faith because she 
feared for her safety on campus. Unfortunately, schools continue to see 
anti-Semitic and anti-American encampments and protests lasting months.
  According to the American Jewish Committee, nearly half of American 
Jews have altered their behavior due to concerns about anti-Semitism. 
Almost two-thirds of American Jews feel less secure in the United 
States than they did a year ago.
  Hillel International has reported 1,597 anti-Semitic incidents on 
college campuses since October 7, which is a 700 percent increase over 
the same period last year.
  Last month, the Judiciary Committee held a second hearing about anti-
Semitism on college campuses with students and experts. One student 
testified that bigotry, violence, and harassment had become part of 
daily life as a Jewish student at Penn.
  Another testified that a university employee threatened him with a 
machete after the student denounced the defacing of campus posters that 
displayed the names and faces of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
  Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable and simply cannot continue.
  This House, elected officials at the State and local level, faith 
leaders, community leaders, and university administrators all have an 
obligation to confront this anti-Semitism.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I thank 
the ranking member of the committee for his work, and I thank the 
sponsor of the legislation, the gentlewoman from the great State of 
Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution recognizing Jewish 
American Heritage Month and the important contributions that Jewish 
Americans have made to our history, our society, and our culture.
  I thank Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz for introducing this 
resolution and for her passionate work to ensure that we in Congress 
and Americans around the country observe this annual celebration of the 
integral role Jewish Americans have played in shaping our Nation.
  Congress first marked Jewish American Heritage Month in 2005, but, of 
course, Jewish contributions to American society began centuries ago, 
even before the founding of the United States. In fact, the first group 
of Jews arrived in the United Colonies in 1654, when they fled the 
Portuguese Inquisition and found refuge in New Amsterdam, what we now 
call New York City, and they have flourished ever since. This small 
Jewish community of 23 people fleeing persecution has grown into more 
than 7 million people, and Jewish Americans have become part of the 
essential fabric of the United States.
  From the very founding of the country, Jews have been an integral 
part of the American story. Famously, in 1790, President George 
Washington wrote a letter to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode 
Island, in which he wrote: ``May the Children of the stock of Abraham, 
who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of 
the other inhabitants; while everyone shall sit in safety under his own 
vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.''
  Courageous Jews have also been key figures in American history. In 
1855, Rabbi David Einhorn became the first rabbi of Har Sinai 
Congregation in Baltimore, the oldest Reform American Jewish synagogue.
  Unpopular in Baltimore at the time, Rabbi Einhorn passionately and 
vehemently wrote and spoke against slavery, decrying it as a moral 
evil. In 1861, after delivering a sermon denouncing slavery, a pro-
slavery mob swelled and drove Rabbi Einhorn out of town.
  Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, whose relationship with Reverend Martin 
Luther King has become one of the most famous interfaith partnerships 
in America, also spoke out courageously for civil rights. A professor 
at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America located in the 
Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, Rabbi Heschel had a 
vital and lasting contribution to religious discourse on civil rights.
  On March 21, 1965, Rabbi Heschel marched arm in arm with Dr. King in 
Selma, Alabama, a pivotal moment in the history of this country. As 
Rabbi Heschel's daughter, Professor Susannah Heschel, wrote: ``The 
photograph of Abraham Joshua Heschel walking arm in arm with Martin 
Luther King, Jr., in the front row of marchers at Selma has become an 
icon of American Jewish life, and of Black-Jewish relations. Reprinted 
in Jewish textbooks, synagogue bulletins, and in studies of ecumenical 
relations, the picture has come to symbolize the great moment of 
symbiosis of the two communities, Black and Jewish. . . .''

  I am proud to represent a district of one of the largest Jewish 
communities in the United States. New York 12 is home to many historic 
Jewish institutions that represent the rich diversity of this 
community. This includes two historic synagogues in the Upper West Side 
of Manhattan: Congregation Shearith Israel, which was founded by those 
23 Jews in 1654, as well as the first Reconstructionist synagogue, the 
Society for the Advancement of Judaism, at which the first bat mitzvah 
in the United States took place.
  As the most senior Jewish member of Congress, I am also keenly aware 
that as we celebrate the history and the contributions of Jewish 
Americans this year, Jewish American Heritage Month came on the 
backdrop of increased anti-Semitism in this country.
  Anti-Semitism is not a new phenomenon and has plagued Jewish 
communities around the world for millennia. Yet, we have recently 
experienced a dramatic uptick in anti-Semitism. The Anti-Defamation 
League's 2023 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents found a 140 percent 
increase from the 2022 audit and the highest number on record since the 
Anti-Defamation League began tracking it in 1979.
  The ADL also recorded a 135 percent increase of anti-Semitic 
incidents at K-12 schools and a 321 percent increase on college and 
university campuses compared to the same time the previous year, with 
most occurring after October 7.
  This harrowing uptick in anti-Semitic attacks is devastating and 
urgent. It demonstrates a necessity for us to redouble our efforts to 
combat this horrific hatred.
  Last year, I warmly welcomed the first-ever national strategy to 
counter anti-Semitism, which was developed by the Biden administration.

                              {time}  1415

  This historic effort includes concrete steps that we can all take, 
including civil society, local government, Congress, and the executive 
branch to tangibly enact the priorities articulated in the strategy. 
This year, I believe we must all work to fully actualize and implement 
the national strategy, including passing the Countering Antisemitism 
Act championed by my friend Congresswoman Manning.
  Jewish American Heritage Month reminds us that as we continue to 
fight against anti-Semitism, we also celebrate the countless 
contributions made by Jewish Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I 
yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Wasserman Schultz), the chief sponsor of this resolution.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding and deeply appreciate the gentleman from New York's leadership 
as the senior Jewish Member of the entire House of Representatives and 
his decades of support and leadership on issues important to the Jewish 
American community.

[[Page H3551]]

  I also thank the gentleman from Ohio, the chairman of the Judiciary 
Committee, who I am glad to work with on this issue and for his 
assistance in bringing this important resolution to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my resolution, H. Res. 1215 
to recognize Jewish American Heritage Month and highlight the 
longstanding contributions of the Jewish-American community to our 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Troy Carter, Miller-Meeks, and 
Fitzpatrick for joining me to co-lead this resolution, as well.
  JAHM is an annual May celebration, a time to come together and 
celebrate generations of Jewish Americans who have been an integral 
part of the rich mosaic of people and heritages that make up the United 
States.
  While JAHM is a joyful month, we celebrated it this year under the 
shadow of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, the deadliest day for Jews 
since the Holocaust.
  Since then, the United States has witnessed a historic rise in anti-
Semitism.
  In 2023, the ADL tracked 8,873 anti-Semitic incidents across America, 
a 140 percent increase from the previous year and the highest number on 
record since it began tracking these instances of hate since 1979.
  According to the American Jewish Committee, nearly two-thirds of 
American Jews, as the chairman mentioned, feel less secure in the U.S. 
than they did a year ago. Make no mistake, anti-Semitism is a canary in 
the coal mine.
  According to ADL's report on Anti-Semitism and Support For Political 
Violence, highly anti-Semitic Americans are twice as likely to support 
dangerous antidemocratic conspiracies such as the great replacement 
theory. This was on clear display as white supremacists marched through 
Charlottesville chanting ``Jews will not replace us.''
  Such hate must be answered. We must do more to show our support and 
uplift the Jewish American community. In President Biden's national 
strategy to counter anti-Semitism, the U.S.'s first-ever blueprint, 
calls on all aspects of society to commemorate JAHM and use it as a 
tool to fight hate.
  We need Jews and non-Jews alike to learn about all of the remarkable 
Jewish Americans who served in government, the military, or who won 
Nobel Prizes, led universities, and made lifesaving medical discoveries 
that we all count on today.
  The fact that so many significant contributions to America's success 
were led by Jewish Americans is not widely known.
  Today's resolution highlights just a fraction of the Jewish Americans 
who made our Nation and the world better. Jonas Salk was a virologist 
who developed the polio vaccine. Florence Prag Kahn, a Republican, was 
the first Jewish woman Member of Congress and first woman to serve on 
the House Military Affairs Committee.
  I ask my colleagues to just walk down the stairs and you will see her 
portrait hanging on the way down the steps to commemorate the 
significance of her service.
  Jack Greenberg argued against segregation in Brown v. Board of 
Education as co-counsel to Thurgood Marshall and succeeded Marshall as 
director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
  The Jewish community's commitment to tikkun olam, a commitment to 
repair the world, is clear across so many generations of Americans.
  As we celebrated the end of the 19th year of Jewish American Heritage 
Month just a few days ago, it is clear that each year JAHM becomes 
bigger and better than the year before, and the need to make sure that 
we can shine a spotlight on the contributions that American Jews have 
made to the success of America is even more critical given the 
precipitous rise in anti-Semitism.

  This annual blaze of education and understanding will surely eclipse 
enmity and intolerance.
  Madam Speaker, I thank all for helping me shine that light, and I 
urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this resolution. I look forward 
to continuing to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month for many 
years to come.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, during Jewish American Heritage Month, we celebrated 
the rich history and many contributions of Jewish Americans. We also 
recognize that anti-Semitism continues to be a scourge in our society 
that we must continue to combat in all its forms.
  I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) for 
bringing forward this important resolution.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, the Jewish American people have done so 
much for our culture and our country as have the Jewish people all over 
our planet.
  I will also say that the Jewish nation has just done amazing things 
and they are our dearest and closest friend, the Jewish State of 
Israel.
  My wife and I have had the opportunity to travel there five times, 
and we have enjoyed every single visit. It is just a fascinating, 
amazing place, amazing country, with amazing people.
  We, as Americans, should do everything we can to help Israel win, as 
well as celebrate all the amazing contributions. We want to make sure 
they win this battle against a terrorist organization, not put limits 
on them, not tell them what they can and can't do, but help them win.
  I think this resolution is in support of that overall effort, and we 
strongly support it.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Lesko). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan) that the House suspend 
the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1215, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________