‘Necessary' or 'misguided'? 6 reactions to House antisemitism bill

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Monday, May 06, 2024

Mike Lawler

New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler introduced the Antisemitism Awareness Act, citing the wave of anti-Israel protests on college campuses throughout the country as the reason why the legislation is necessary.

The Republican lawmaker stated that using IHRA's definition of antisemitism is a “key step in calling out antisemitism” and ensuring perpetrators of “hate crimes” on college campuses are held accountable.

"What is happening at Columbia, at Yale, at UCLA, and so many other schools is reprehensible and alarming," Lawler said in a statement last Wednesday. "When people engage in harassment or bullying of Jewish individuals where they justify the killing of Jews or use blood libel or hold Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government — that is antisemitic. It's unfortunate that needs to be clarified, but that's why this bill is necessary."

Lawler also denied claims that the bill bans the Bible or cracks down on free speech, an accusation made by critics such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. During an appearance on "The Lead with Jake Tapper" alongside Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., one of the legislation’s co-sponsors, Lawler called Greene representative's remarks an "absurdity.”

In a Friday post on X, Lawler responded to Greene's claim that the “speech killing bill” was one of his “major failures.” Lawler implied that Greene had “gone off the deep end” and defamed her as “Moscow Marjorie,” and alluded to the congresswoman’s space laser controversy.

“And yet in both instances, more than two-thirds of Congress voted with me,” Lawler wrote in response to Greene. “The bill simply codifies President Trump’s executive order into law — it does not ban the Bible or limit free speech.”

In December 2019, then-President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13899 on Combating AntiSemitism. The Executive Order required federal agencies to consider the working definition of antisemitism the IHRA adopted in 2016 when enforcing Title VI.