The bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act (S. 4091/H.R. 7921) aims to strengthen federal efforts to counter antisemitism in the United States, including by establishing the position of a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism to chair an interagency task force.

Tell your representatives to stand up for Jewish Americans by passing the Countering Antisemitism Act!

Background

In May 2023, the White House released the first-ever National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which outlines a whole-of-government approach to tackling antisemitism. The comprehensive strategy provides a clear and effective blueprint for the federal government and partners to raise awareness and understanding of both antisemitism and Jewish American heritage, improve safety and security for Jewish communities, delegitimize the normalization of antisemitism, address antisemitic discrimination, and build broad based coalitions across all communities to fight hate. The Reform Jewish Movement commended this strong and innovative approach in the battle against rising hate in America.

Introduced by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK) and Representatives Kathy Manning (D-NC-6), Christopher Smith (R-NJ-4), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Grace Meng (D-NY-6), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), and Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), the bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act aims to implement and strengthen these Federal efforts by:

• Establishing a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism within the White House to
  • Serve as the President’s principal advisor on countering domestic antisemitism.
  • Coordinate Federal efforts to counter antisemitism, including reviewing agencies’ implementation of U.S. government strategies to counter antisemitism.
• Establishing an Interagency Task Force to coordinate the implementation of U.S. government strategies to counter antisemitism.
• Directing agencies to submit a report to Congress detailing their implementation of the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.
• Requiring an Annual Threat Assessment of antisemitic violent extremism from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and National Counterterrorism Center.
• Targeting online antisemitism by requiring the National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism to conduct an annual analysis of the spread of antisemitism online and provide recommendations to Congress on how to counter it.
• Addressing antisemitic discrimination in higher education by requiring the Department of Education to designate a senior official to advise the Department’s efforts.
• Evaluating Holocaust education in schools by requiring the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to conduct a study on Holocaust education efforts across public K-12 schools.
• Strengthening the Nonprofit Security Grant Program by requiring the FEMA Administrator to ensure the agency has sufficient resources and personnel needed to effectively carry out the program.
• Designating May as “Jewish American Heritage Month” in federal law.

For more information

For more information on this issue, contact Eisendrath Legislative Assistant Mason Purdy at mpurdy@rac.org.

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