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The House voted on Wednesday to pass the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, a vote that comes amid heightened concerns over antisemitism with Israel at war with Hamas and as pro-Palestinian protests have sprung up on college campuses across the country.
Supporters of the legislation say it will help combat antisemitism on college campuses, but opponents say it overreaches and threatens to chill free speech.
The bill would mandate that when the Department of Education enforces federal anti-discrimination laws it uses a definition of antisemitism put forward by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
Critics of the bill argue that definition is overly expansive and could lead to censorship issues.
The House vote was 320 to 91 with 70 Democrats and 21 Republicans voting against the bill. The GOP opposition largely came from the right flank of the conference. The bill would next need to be taken up by the Senate.
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, who introduced the legislation, said in a statement, “it’s critical that we crack down on antisemitic hate within our own country.”
“I’m thankful for the bipartisan support of the Antisemitism Awareness Act and for the support from a wide range of Jewish organizations that are standing up, endorsing this legislation, and saying enough is enough,” he said.
This bill passed the House and is going to the Senate were it will hopefully die for being unconstitutional.
There is no definition of antisemitism so that means anything can be labeled antisemitism which goes against freedom of speech.
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