A bipartisan group of American lawmakers introduced legislation yesterday (Wednesday) to combat rising antisemitism in the US, reported by Israel National News

The Countering Antisemitism Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK), along with Representatives Kathy Manning (D-NC-6), Chris Smith (R-NJ-4), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), and Randy Weber (R-TX-14).

The bill would require the President to appoint a federal coordinator to oversee efforts to combat domestic antisemitism and create an interagency task force to ensure cooperation between government agencies on the issue.

It would also formally designate May as American Jewish Heritage Month.

Senator Rosen stated, “Antisemitism has been dramatically rising in the United States in the last several years and skyrocketed in the months since the horrific October 7 terror attack on Israel. There have been countless disturbing stories of Jewish families accosted and assaulted on streets, Jewish businesses and places of worship vandalized and desecrated, and Jewish students threatened at colleges and universities. My bipartisan legislation would establish a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism for the first time ever, and take other much-needed steps across the federal government to fight anti-Jewish hatred, bigotry, and violence in the United States.”

Senator Lankford added, “In America, we have the right to have a faith and to live that faith. No American should live in fear that they will be attacked simply because of their religious views,. As the number of acts of antisemitism continues to rise, Jewish communities across the US deserve action to protect this basic freedom. This bill will work to combat antisemitism by establishing roles to provide transparent oversight, address Holocaust denials and distortions, counter discrimination on college campuses, and designate May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Our Jewish friends and neighbors should not live in fear because of their faith and heritage and this bill affirms the right to live their faith freely.”

The Anti-Defamation League praised the legislation, calling it "historic."

“The U.S. Jewish community is facing the worst crisis of antisemitism that we have seen in a generation. The Countering Antisemitism Act offers a smart, innovative whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to combating this hatred and protecting Jews around the country,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “This historic bill is the most far-reaching antisemitism initiative ever to be introduced in Congress. We applaud the Countering Antisemitism Act and its efforts to implement the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and make it permanent.”

“The U.S. government must pursue policies and create the necessary infrastructure to fight antisemitism today and well into the future, and these efforts must endure beyond any single administration or 12-month timeline,” said Greenblatt. “Thank you, Sens. Jacky Rosen and James Lankford and Reps. Kathy Manning and Chris Smith, Co-Chairs of the House and Senate Bipartisan Task Forces for Combating Antisemitism, for leading this critical, timely bipartisan initiative.”

According to the ADL, antisemitic incidents in the US rose 337% in the months following the Hamas massacre of October 7.

Source: INN