FMEP Legislative Round-Up April 18, 2025

Resource

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

New:

NOTE: Congress is on Spring Break this week (and next).

1. Bills & Resolutions

(TARGETING UNRWA) S. XXXX (bill text): On 4/14/25, Sen. Crux (R-TX) issued a press release touting the introduction of the “Limiting Immunity for Assisting Backers of Lethal Extremism Act” aka, the “LIABLE Act.” Cotton explains in the press release that the bill “removes immunity from, and allows suits against, international organizations that provide material support to designated terror groups which commit terrorism against Americans.” The rest of the press release makes clear that the purpose of the bill is to enable Americans to sue UNRWA.

(FEDERAL ANTI-BOYCOTT-OF-ISRAEL-OR-SETTLEMENTS LAW) HR XXXX [bill text]:On 4/16/25, Tenney (R-NY) issued a press release touting the re-introduction by – along with her lead cosponsor Moskowitz (R-NY), of the “Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors Act,” which aims “to ban the federal government from entering into contracts with entities that support the radical, anti-Semitic BDS movement targeting Israel.” This same bill was introduced in the last Congress, by Tenney, as HR 4564 and garnered 23 cosponsors (including a grand total of 3 Democrats), The press release notes that cosponsors this time around (so far) include: Lawler (R-NY), Cline (R-VA), Steube (R-FL), and Stefanik (R-NY). Also see: Tenney, Moskowitz reintroduce federal anti-BDS legislation (Jewish Insider 4/15/25); Bipartisan group reintroduces House legislation countering boycotts of Israel (Jewish News Syndicate 4/16/25)

2. Letters

3. Hearings

May 7, 2025: The House Un-American Activities Committee — sorry, the House Education and Workforce Committee — will hold yet another kangaroo-court-style show trial  in which it will summon another group of unlucky university presidents (who based on past experience may not be long for their jobs following the event) for what–based on the experience in this committee in the last Congress–will be the modern day equivalent of putting them in stocks and gathering Committee members to publicly pillory them. All this, ostensibly in the name of combating antisemitism in higher education [for folks who want to get a sense of what these hearing are actually about, definitely take a look at some of the previous hearings in the vein from last session]. The event is entitled, “Beyond the Ivy League: Stopping the Spread of Antisemitism on American Campuses,” and the victims this time around are the presidents of California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo), Haverford College, and DePaul University. Also see:

  • Hearing announcement, including: “’For the past few years, our Committee has played a critical role in both uncovering the rampant antisemitism on college campuses and holding administrators accountable,’ said Chairman Walberg. ‘This hearing is a continuation of this work so that we can ensure Jewish students across the nation don’t face threats or harassment in violation of Title VI. Numerous legislative options are under consideration to make certain that schools across the country are ensuring a safe learning environment for all students in compliance with federal law.’”
  • House Education Committee to hold another antisemitism hearing with college presidents (Jewish Insider 4/10/25)
  • NEW:  Anti-Defamation League praises hearing: “Thank you, @EdWorkforceCmte, for holding a hearing to address the campus antisemitism crisis. We’re pleased to see the focus is on schools that ADL’s Antisemitism Campus Report Card shows need improvement. This is a key step toward accountability & change.“

[POSTPONED – NO NEW DATE YET] April 9, 2025: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee was scheduled to hold an “Executive Session” to consider (and for sure pass) three bills, including S. 558, Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025, and S. 163, Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025.  The hearing was postponed with no reasons given and no new date announced as of this writing.

 

4. Selected Members on the Record

Re: The Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, Deliberate Famine, Israeli land grab, Etc Going on Now in Gaza

  • Torres (D-NY) 4/17/25: X-post – “The so-called Gaza Health Ministry—an arm of Hamas—has as much credibility as the health ministries of Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan: none whatsoever. The unquestioning acceptance of Hamas propaganda—as though it were the unquestionable truth—is journalistic malpractice.” Posted with a screen shot of the headline from an article published by Tablet more than a year ago, entitled “How the Gaza Ministry of Health Fakes Casualty Numbers.” Note: (1) that article was widely debunked – e.g.: The Science Is Clear. Over 30,000 People Have Died in Gaza (Time Magazine 3/15/24); X-thread systematically debunking it; comprehensive report by Airwars 7/24/24. (2) Now, more than a year after that debunked report in Tablet, it is widely accepted that Israel has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza — see: 50,000 Palestinians Have Been Killed in Gaza. This Is How It Happened, Day by Day. (Haaretz); (3) Israel is closing in on the final stage of totally annihilating and erasing Palestinian Gaza — and is literally telling the world this and advertising its intention to kill or compel to “voluntarily leave” every Palestinian man, woman, and child that remains there today — a taking point that is really popular in Israel but doesn’t play so well in the US. So yeah, makes total sense that Torres would decide that now is the time to resurrect and double down on the “LIARS!” “HAMAS” talking points.
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 4/16/25: X-post – “Cancel Culture, courtesy of the IDF” accompanied by Israeli hasbara pic of alleged terrorists killed it has killed in Gaza
  • Pocan (D-WI) 4/16/25: X-post – “Are you serious? Israel broke the original deal. Now they are bombing Gaza again. And taking land. Criminal. Netanyahu needs to follow the ICC court order and be tried for his crimes. No misdirection, @AIPAC. Disgusting what’s going on. Even you should care.” In response to AIPAC post – “It’s been two days since Hamas rejected the latest ceasefire proposal. Total silence from the ‘Ceasefire Now’ squad. Where’d you go, @AOC @IlhanMN @BernieSanders @MarkPocan  @RashidaTlaib @SummerForPA @AyannaPressley? Why don’t they condemn Hamas?“
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 4/15/25: X-post – “For more than 550 days, Tenafly, NJ native Edan Alexander has been suffering at the hands of Hamas, a terrorist organization that shamelessly uses innocent people as human shields. We will not rest until Hamas is crushed and all of the hostages, including the five Americans, are safely reunited with their loved ones.”
  • Golden (D-ME) 4/15/25: X-post – “It was overwhelming to hear the stories of families who’ve had loved ones held hostage by Hamas for the last year and a half. They’ve endured the unbearable. It’s long past time for ALL the hostages to return home.”
  • Hudson (R-NC) 4/14/25: X-post – “Last week, I met with U.S. and Israeli hostages released by Hamas terrorists, along with family members of hostages still held captive.   Together with President Trump, we will not rest until all those held hostage by Hamas are released and reunited with their families.”
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 4/14/25: X-post – “The only place anyone should stand on TERRORISTS like Hamas is on THEIR THROATS.” [in response to video of Palestine rights activists challenging Rep. Mast, R-FL over the situation in Gaza)
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/13/25: X-post – “These are chilling words from the UN Secretary General. A ceasefire agreement must be reached so immense humanitarian suffering can end and Israeli hostages can be released.” [Responding to UNSGY’s statement: “More than an entire month has passed without a drop of aid into Gaza. No food. No fuel. No medicine. No commercial supplies. As aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have re-opened. Gaza is a killing field – and civilians are in an endless death loop.“]
  • Fetterman (D-PA) 4/13/25: X-post – “I recently visited this site. Concertgoers killed, raped, tortured and abducted. Nova was an immersive and profound testament of Hamas’ barbarism. Imagine if the scope of that savagery occurred at Coachella.“

Re: Killing of an American Citizen by the IDF in the West Bank

  • Tran (D-CA) 4/11/25: X-post – “I urge the Trump Administration to immediately open an investigation into the killing of Amer Rabee, a U.S. citizen killed in the West Bank. This senseless bloodshed does nothing to bring about a peaceful future where both Palestinians and Israelis can live with dignity. I will be monitoring this situation closely and demand that the administration swiftly seeks answers.”
  • Takano (D-CA) 4/11/25: X-post – “14 years old. That’s how old Amir Rabee, an American citizen, was when he was killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank. The Trump administration must press the Israeli government for a full investigation. Nothing less than the truth will suffice.“

Re: Court Ruling Supporting Trump Effort to Deport Green Card-holder for Supporting Palestinian Lives/Rights

  • Mace (R-SC) 4/13/25: X-post – “One way ticket to whatever God-forsaken home he hails from. Out.” [NOTE: Mahmoud Khalil is a Palestinian refugee, so where he “hails from” is land that is now called Israel, where he is forbidden to go…]
  • Merkley (D-OR) 4/12/25: X-post – “This is SO WRONG. No one should be deported ever for voicing their opinion.   This is what authoritarian states do, not freedom loving republics.   I’ll fight for freedom. I’ll fight for Mahmoud Khalil’s release.“
  • Velazquez (D-NY) 4/11/25: X-post – “The Trump admin hasn’t accused Mahmoud Khalil of committing a crime. But they’ve labeled his speech a threat and targeted him for deportation. This is a clear 1st Amendment violation. I stand with Mahmoud, and anyone who cares about our constitutional rights should too.”
  • Casar (D-TX) 4/11/25: X-post – “Incarcerating and deporting someone based entirely on their political views is a major attack on the free speech rights of all Americans. All lawmakers should denounce this immediately. Right wing officials refusing to speak up shows how little they actually care about the Constitution.”
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/11/25: X-post – “I applaud the @WhiteHouse for their strong commitment to combatting antisemitism on college campuses! Thanks to President @realDonaldTrump’s leadership, it couldn’t be clearer: Violence and discrimination against Jewish students have no place in America.”
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/11/25: X-post – “Promises Made, Promises Kept!“
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/11/25: X-post – “The Trump Administration is setting a terrifying precedent. Someone could be in the U.S. legally, go to a peaceful protest Trump doesn’t like, and be deported for it. It goes against the very foundation of our freedom of speech.“
  • Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) 4/11/25: X-post – “Mahmoud’s case is a litmus test for the right to free speech in our country. This ruling jeopardizes dissent. Attacks on the First Amendment will not stop with student activists advocating for Palestinian rights.”
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 4/11/25: X-post – “Shalom Mahmoud!”

Re: ICE Detaining Another Palestinian Green Card Holder student (as he was going in for an interview to become a US citizen), & News that State Dept Cleared Another Detained Student of Charges of Antisemitism/Support for Terror BEFORE She Was Detained

  • Tlaib (D-MN) 4/18/25: X-post – “A year ago, hundreds of brave students established an encampment on Columbia University’s campus to demand their school divest from Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Instead of doing what’s right, our country’s institutions chose brutal repression, leading to today’s ICE detentions.”
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/16/25: X-post – “Mohsen Mahdawi hasn’t been charged with a crime. He’s a legal resident and has been waiting years to become a citizen. He’s spoken out against antisemitism. And yet the Trump Administration arrested him for his beliefs. It’s a horrifying attack on the First Amendment.“
  • Balint (D-VT) 4/15/25: X-post – “Vermont is enraged that the Trump administration is sending masked men to snatch up legal residents to essentially disappear them with no evidence. Good people across this country are standing up and resisting. I don’t recognize America at this point. Release Mohsen Mahdawi NOW.”
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 4/14/25: X-post – “DHS has kidnapped another Palestinian legal permanent resident, solely for his noble activism against the genocide. They targeted him at his appointment to finally become a US citizen. This cruelty must end. Free Mohsen now!“
  • Markey (D-MA) 4/14/25: X-post – “Today alone: We confirmed ICE arrested Rumeysa Ozturk without any evidence. Trump committed to deporting American citizens to El Salvador. They refused to return a wrongly deported man. And another student was arrested by ICE at his own citizenship appointment. Shameful.“
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 4/14/25: X-post – “Secretary Rubio isn’t doing a lot of foreign policy these days, but what he IS doing is disappearing people for voicing their First Amendment rights. @SecRubio, why don’t you stop lying & picking on college students and come testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?“
  • Sanders (I-VT), Welch (D-VT) & Balint (D-VT) 4/14/25: Sanders, Welch, Balint Statement on Trump Detaining Mohsen Mahdawi [“Earlier today, Mohsen Mahdawi of White River Junction, Vermont, walked into an immigration office for what was supposed to be the final step in his citizenship process. Instead, he was arrested and removed in handcuffs by plainclothes, armed, individuals with their faces covered. These individuals refused to provide any information as to where he was being taken or what would happen to him. This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention.”] Also see Sanders X-p0st.
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 4/14/25: X-post – “DHS has kidnapped another Palestinian legal permanent resident, solely for his noble activism against the genocide. They targeted him at his appointment to finally become a US citizen. This cruelty must end. Free Mohsen now!”
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/14/25: X-post – “Earlier today, Mohsen Mahdawi of White River Junction, Vermont, walked into an immigration office for what was supposed to be the final step in his citizenship process. Instead, he was arrested and removed in handcuffs by plainclothes, armed, individuals with their faces covered. These individuals refused to provide any information as to where he was being taken or what would happen to him. This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi, a legal resident of the United States, must be afforded due process under the law and immediately released from detention.“
  • Balint (D-VT) 4/14/5: X-post – “Earlier today, Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal resident of Vermont, walked into an immigration office to complete a final step toward citizenship. Instead, he was handcuffed and arrested by plain-clothed, armed, individuals with their faces covered. This is immoral, inhumane, and illegal. Mr. Mahdawi must receive due process and be immediately released.”
  • Jayapal (D-WA) 4/14/25: X-post – “To arrest someone under the guise of a citizenship interview that they have waited 10 years for is beyond cruel. This is a further attack on free speech — and it won’t stop on our college campuses.“
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 4/11/25: X-post – “We cannot allow the Trump Administration to end our constitutional rights. The right to free speech obviously includes the right to protest the Israeli government’s genocide of Palestinians. This fascism won’t end with Mahmoud Khalil. It’s a threat to all of us.“
  • Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) 4/11/25: X-post – “em>Mahmoud’s case is a litmus test for the right to free speech in our country. This ruling jeopardizes dissent. Attacks on the First Amendment will not stop with student activists advocating for Palestinian rights.”

Stefanik & Friends Public Meltdown Over Harvard Showing Some Spine (after it already complied with targeting pretty much everything Palestine-related on campus) — and demanding sanctions against even more schools

  • McClain (R-MI) 4/16/25: X-post – “.@POTUS gave Harvard a chance to address antisemitism, but this ‘elite’ university seems to think they’re above the law. NEWSFLASH: Receiving federal funding is a privilege, not a right.“
  • Blackburn (R-TN) 4/16/25: X-post – “Princeton University should have their federal funding cut until they can demonstrate that Jewish students are protected. The university has turned into a hotbed of antisemitism and pro-Hamas activity.“
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/16/25: X-post – “Today I went on CNBC to make my stance crystal clear: Schools failing to protect Jewish students’ civil rights don’t deserve a single dime of taxpayer money.“
  • Cotton (R-AR) 4/16/25: X-post – “Harvard is fighting the Trump administration harder than they fight antisemitism on campus. All that’s being asked is for them to follow the law—something any institution receiving billions in federal funding should be doing.”
  • House Committee on Education & the Workforce (GOP) 4/15/25: X-post – “Harvard—like so many schools—failed to keep Jewish students and faculty safe from discrimination as antisemitism rocked its campus. When the school’s former president testified before the Committee, she refused to condemn antisemitic mobs’ behavior on campus. Shameful.” [In response to Obama post praising Harvard for standing up to Trump]
  • Tenney (R-NY) 4/15/25: X-post – “Harvard has allowed anti-Semitism to run rampant on its campus, threatening the safety of Jewish students.  Yet, instead of taking steps to combat this vile form of hatred, they have sided with the pro-Hamas mob that is calling for the death of Jews & America.  Until Harvard takes strong action against this anti-Semitism, they should not receive a dime of federal funding.“
  • Harris (R-NC) 4/15/25: X-post – “Antisemitism has ZERO place on American college campuses. If Harvard doesn’t follow federal law, they can kiss federal funds goodbye.”
  • Hawley (R-MO) 4/15/25: X-post – “How about a 25% endowment tax. Or 50%“
  • Gil (R-TX) 4/15/25: X-post – “Time to defund. And tax that $50 billion endowment.”
  • Tenney (R-NY) 4/15/25: X-post – “Harvard has allowed anti-Semitism to run rampant on its campus, threatening the safety of Jewish students.  Yet, instead of taking steps to combat this vile form of hatred, they have sided with the pro-Hamas mob that is calling for the death of Jews & America.  Until Harvard takes strong action against this anti-Semitism, they should not receive a dime of federal funding.”
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/15/25: Stefanik Joined Kudlow to Discuss President Trump Holding Harvard Accountable and House Republicans Passing His Agenda in Congress
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/15/25: X-post – “President @realDonaldTrump is absolutely right—Harvard’s tax-exempt status should be on the table. When a university abandons its duty to foster truth and safety, embracing divisive ideologies over public good, it forfeits that privilege. Time to hold them accountable!” – In response to Trump suggesting that Trump should lose its tax-exempt status for refusing to allow the Trump Admin to, i effect, take Harvard over.
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/14/25: X-post – “DEFUND Harvard.” [In response to: Harvard Will Fight Trump’s Demands]
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/14/25: X-post “Statement on Harvard’s Announcement Defying the Department of Education —— ‘Harvard University has rightfully earned its place as the epitome of the moral and academic rot in higher education. Fueled by the radical groupthink Far Left faculty, inept University leadership, donations by foreign adversaries, and proHamas terrorists, Harvard has fully embraced and tolerated the raging antisemitism threatening the lives and physical safety of Jewish students on campus. It is time to totally cut off U.S. taxpayer funding to this institution that has failed to live up to its founding motto Veritas. Defund Harvard.‘” [press release]
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/14/25: X-post – “WATCH my interview with @seanhannity on @FoxNews supporting President’s decision to DEFUND @Harvard o the tune of $2 billion for their refusal to protect Jewish students and stop antisemitism on their campus. Americans do not want to fund antisemitism! @whitehouse @potus @EDSecMcMahon”
  • Glain (R-MI) 4/14/25: X-post – “It’s simple: Keep antisemitism off your campus. I will continue to work with my @HouseGOP and @EdWorkforceCmte colleagues to hold institutions accountable. We must stand up for student safety.”
  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/14/25: X-post -“‘This is absolutely the correct decision by the Trump Administration. It is the most effective way to hold these entitled higher education institutions accountable. Important statement from the Admin: “Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” said a department task force on combating antisemitism in a statement.‘” In response to a report that the Trump Admin is suspending billions in funding to Harvard.
  • Blackburn (R-TN) 4/14/25: X-post – “Princeton University should have their federal funding cut until they can demonstrate that Jewish students are protected. The university has turned into a hotbed of antisemitism and pro-Hamas activity.“

Defending Academia (albeit for the most part weakly & belatedly)

  • Balint (D-VT) 4/17/25: X-post – “Correct, people have been abducted and jailed for voicing their opinions….by YOUR government! I don’t know what your definition of free speech is, because it’s clearly not the freedom to protest, publish op-eds, or disagree with the government. We don’t buy this for a second.” In response to State Department through-the-looking-glass post 4/16/25: “Today, @SecRubio announced how we’re protecting and championing free speech at the State Department.“
  • Nadler (D-NY) 4/16/25: X-post – “Trump’s planned revocation of one of the world’s top institutions of higher learning’s nonprofit status without legitimate legal cause is bullshit. This deeply disturbing and blatantly unlawful action is Trump’s latest foray in his war to politicize higher education and degrade any institution that refuses to bend the knee. The nonprofit tax exemption being extended to all who fit the criteria—no matter who holds power—is part of what makes America great. We are a society where educational institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and religious groups of all stripes receive equal benefit regardless of ideology. We know this assault won’t end with Harvard, so I will be fighting back—and I encourage every single American to stand up against it and make their voices heard.”
  • Auchincloss (D-MA) 4/15/25: Did Harvard just grow the backbone we’ve been waiting for?
  • Nadler (D-NY) 4/15/25: X-post – “I warmly welcome this powerful statement from an important coalition of Jewish community organizations and strongly agree with their condemnation of the Trump administration’s weaponization of antisemitism to attack higher education and undermine our fragile democracy. Thank you to @theJCPA for leading this effort and to all of the organizations that signed on.”
  • Schumer (D-NY) 4/14/25: X-post – “The Trump administration is making unprecedented demands of universities aimed at undermining or even destroying these vital institutions. Universities must do more to fight antisemitism on campus, but the administration should not use it as an excuse for a broad and extra-legal attack on these institutions. Harvard is right to resist.”

Re: Iran

  • Fetterman (D-PA) 4/18/25: X-post – “The only purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is to create weapons. We can’t allow that or negotiate with this regime. Provide our comprehensive military support and whatever else Israel requires to destroy Iran’s capabilities.”
  • Ernst (R-IA) 4/16/25: X-post – “Last month, two criminals were convicted in a murder-for-hire scheme on behalf of Iran. My DETERRENCE Act strengthens criminal penalties for individuals committing crime on behalf of foreign adversaries on our soil and sends a clear message not to mess with Americans.”
  • Cotton (R-AR) 4/15/25: X-post – “This is correct. Iran is a terrorist regime that has tried to assassinate American officials on American soil—including President Trump. As President Trump said, the only solution is Iran completely dismantling its program, or we should do it for them. Allowing this maniacal terrorist regime to threaten America and the world with a nuclear weapon is unacceptable. Those who minimize the risk of this regime are dead wrong. Just look at the hundreds of missiles Iran launched at Israel in the past year, aimed at massacring civilians (including many Americans living in Israel). Imagine how much worse it would be with a nuclear weapon.“
  • Cruz (R-TX) 4/15/25: X-post – “The great @marklevinshow is exactly right. Anyone urging Trump to enter into another Obama Iran deal is giving the President terrible advice. @realDonaldTrump is entirely correct when he says Iran will NEVER be allowed to have nukes. His team should be 100% unified behind that.“
  • Graham (R-SC) 4/15/25: X-post – “Completely agree with Special Envoy Witkoff’s statement that any deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program cannot include an enrichment capability because that is how you make a nuclear weapon.“
  • Cline (R-VA) 4/15/25: X-post – “The Biden Administration’s weak appeasement of Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, has only emboldened our adversaries. That’s why I co-sponsored the Maximum Pressure Act to lock in the Trump Administration’s tough, effective sanctions and hold Iran accountable.”
  • Wilson (R-SC) 4/14/25: X-post – “Free Iraq from Iran”
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 4/14/25: X-post – “The threat of U.S. military intervention helped bring Iran back to the negotiating table. Its hobbled economy is likely to keep it there.“
  • Cornyn (R-TX) 4/14/25: X-post – “Iran has so far been the best of Trump’s second-term foreign-policy initiatives, but the Ayatollah will try to string him along on negotiations“
  • Davidson (R-OH) 4/13/25: X-post – “We’ve been asking Iran nicely… to stop funding terror through proxies (Hamas, Houthis), influence the release of all hostages held including by proxies, live at peace with neighbors, and verifiably cease its development of nuclear weapons. Direct talks are encouraging.”
  • Davidson (R-OH) 4/13/25: X-post – “Direct talks between the Trump Administration and Iran are a huge development. I joined Tony Perkins on Saturday to discuss what this means for the Middle East.“

Making Passover/Easter about Conflating Israel & Jews, Justifying Israel’s Gaza Genocide

  • Torres (D-NY) 4/13/25: X-post – “It has now been 555 days since Hamas abducted 251 hostages on October 7, 2023. We must uphold the legacy of Passover not with rhetoric alone, but through real action—by fighting for the liberation of the 59 hostages who remain in captivity. The enslavement of Jews is not merely a memory of the past; it is a brutal and barbaric reality unfolding in the terror tunnels of Gaza.”
  • Torres (D-NY) 4/12/25: X-post – “Happy Passover to my Jewish friends and constituents across the United States and around the world. Passover is a celebration of liberation from oppression — a timeless theme that resonates as powerfully as ever. The millennia-long Jewish struggle for freedom has taken on renewed urgency in the face of rising antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Even in the shadow of October 7th, I remain relentlessly hopeful that the long arc of history bends toward freedom and security for the Jewish people. Chag Pesach Sameach.”
  • Scott (R-FL) 4/12/25: X-post – “As we approach sundown, I want to wish our Jewish community throughout Florida and around the country a happy and meaningful Passover. Florida will always stand with our Jewish community and great ally, Israel!“
  • Diaz-Balart (R-FL) 4/12/25: Díaz-Balart Commemorates Passover, Reaffirms Support for Jewish Communities [“…this year, Passover arrives during a time of deep pain for the Jewish community. The alarming rise in antisemitism and vitriol against Jewish people across the world and here in our country, especially on college campuses, is of serious concern and threatens the safety and wellbeing of Jewish Americans. This hatred is anti-American, despicable, dangerous, and contrary to the foundational values of our country. We must never allow the hatred and indifference that led to the atrocities of the past to be forgotten or ignored. On October 7, 2023, Israel suffered the deadliest terrorist attack in its 76-year history. The Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas, the evil, Iranian-backed terrorist group, launched an unprovoked and barbaric assault on Israel, resulting in the massacre of more than 1,200 innocent civilians, including 46 Americans. Hamas brutally kidnapped 254 hostages, including 12 Americans. Four of those Americans–Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein, and Gad Haggai–were murdered by Hamas. Today, 59 hostages remain in Hamas’ brutal captivity… As Israel defends itself against relentless terrorist attacks and works to bring its citizens home, Congress must remain united in unwavering support and solidarity with Israel. We must continue to demand the release of every hostage and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable. This Passover, I pray for freedom–for those still in captivity, for the families grieving unimaginable loss, and for Jewish communities facing rising threats. But I also celebrate the unbreakable resilience, hope, and enduring legacy of a people who, through centuries of persecution, continue to grow stronger. May this season bring comfort, strength, unity, and renewed faith in a future of peace and safety for Israel, for the Jewish people, and for us all. Chag Sameach.”]
  • Smith (R-MO) 4/11/25: Easter Blessings [“…When I was elected to be your voice in Congress, I pledged that I would never let my faith waver. That I would not be afraid nor would I ever hesitate to stand up with conviction for the values and beliefs that we all hold dear. These are lessons I learned as a young boy as the son of a preacher, and that I haven’t forgotten to this day. One of those convictions is to stand up for God’s chosen people in Israel. These past few years have been so hard for people of the Jewish faith, who have been tested by virulent antisemitism and a culture on the radical Left that would prefer Israel to be wiped off the map. When I was first elected to Congress, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel and be re-baptized in the Jordan River. Sharing that experience made me feel even more closely connected with my faith, as I recalled the stories of Jesus being Baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist. It was one of the most spiritually meaningful moments of my life, and it instilled in me an even stronger will to continue standing up for Israel…”]

Re: the Trump Admin Convincing Bibi to Remove a Senior Official the Trump Admin Doesn’t Like

  • Cotton (R-AR) 4/10/25: X-post – “It’s not a ‘threat to democracy’ for an elected head of state to have the power to remove the chief of an intelligence service—it’s essential to democracy. And if Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost confidence in this intelligence chief, how can the U.S. government have confidence in him?” [responded to, in groveling terms, by Israeli “opposition” leader Yair Lapid: “My dear friend @SenTomCotton You are one of Israel’s greatest friends in the senate. A constant voice of moral clarity. As I’m sure you know, the head of Shin Bet is leading an investigation into Qatari payments to Netanyahu’s office and closest advisors including during the war. It is a devastating breach of our security and many of the details are not even being denied. As someone who cares deeply about national security, I’m sure you understand the severity. The Prime Minister has the right to fire him but only after the investigation is concluded.“

Re: US Collective Punishment Against Everyone in Yemen (pro & con)

  • Wilson (R-SC) 4/17/25: X-post – “MAJOR action by President Trump and Treasury Secretary Bessent today sanctioning the International Bank of Yemen & blocking Houthi money laundering & drying up their resources. Hope our partner Oman will do more to seal border & enforce sanctions against Houthi. I told you Trump will fix it!”
  • Garamendi (D-CA) 4/17/25: X-post – “From serving in the Peace Corps, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impact of hunger. You never forget the look in a child’s eyes when food is scarce. Now, a ship full of wheat is headed to Yemen—where 17 million people are food insecure. But thanks to Trump’s reckless cuts to USAID, no one will be there to distribute the wheat leaving it to rot. This is what happens when we slash humanitarian aid. This is the cost of Trump’s policies.”

Other stuff

  • Goldman (D-NY) 4/17/25: Statement from Congressmen Goldman and Smith, Co-Chairs of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, on Antisemitic Attack on Governor Josh Shapiro
  • Norcross (D-NJ) 4/16/25: Overcoming antisemitism is a battle the Jewish People should not fight alone
  • Fitzpatrick (R-PA) 4/15/25: X-post – “Each of the 40+ committees, caucuses, and task forces I serve on stands for a real issue—and each week, I’m putting one in focus and the action we’re taking to solve it. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, I’m working every day to confront antisemitism head-on—supporting our Jewish communities, standing with Israel, and making sure hate has no place in our future...”
  • Sherman (D-CA) 4/16/25: X-post – “I am outraged—but unfortunately not surprised—that the domestic terrorist who tried to murder @GovernorShapiro and his family on the first night of Passover was motivated by hateful anti-Zionist beliefs. Since #Oct7, this ideology has fueled violent antisemitic attacks against Jews across the United States. We must all call out this hate for what it is.“
  • Moskowitz (D-FL) 4/15/25: Moskowitz, Baumgartner Bill to Sanction the Taking of American Hostages Passes House Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Smith (R-NJ) 4/14/25: Smith Welcomes Appointment of Rabbi Kaploun as U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 4/14/25: Gottheimer Leads Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Maritime Security With Key Allies Israel, Greece, and Cyprus

5. Selected Media