FMEP Legislative Round-Up April 25, 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.

1. Bills & Resolutions

S. 558, Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025, and S. 163, Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025 are back on the Senate HELP Committee schedule for markup on 4/30/25. See Section 3, below, for details.

(TARGETING SETTLER TERRORISM?) HR XXXX: On 4/24/25, Rep. Nadler (D-NY) posted on X: “Today I spoke at a rally in New York protesting Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit and making clear that Ben-Gvir is not welcome here. We must be crystal clear about who Ben-Gvir is: he is a racist, terrorist, Jewish supremacist, bent on enacting Meir Kahane’s vision. He has prevented the hostages from coming home and pushed for an unending war in Gaza. Ben-Gvir is the inciter-in-chief of settler violence in the West Bank, and I invite my colleagues to join me in supporting new legislation I will introduce next week to combat all violence in the West Bank in response to Ben-Gvir’s visit.” [emphasis added]

2. Letters

3. Hearings

[BACK ON THE SCHEDULE] April 30, 2025: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold an “Executive Session” (originally scheduled for 4/9/25) to consider S. 558, Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025, and S. 163, Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025. Also see: Senate HELP committee to vote on Antisemitism Awareness Act next Wednesday (Jewish Insider 4/23/25)

As a reminder,

  • S. 558 seeks to codify into law, and enforce, the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including its “contemporary examples” that explicitly conflate criticism of Israel, Israeli policies/actions, and Zionism with antisemitism [with the targeting of such criticism the clear objective of the legislation].
  • S. 163 seeks to encourage and make it easier for students to file complaints regarding alleged antisemitism on campus — an initiative that, when coupled with S. 558, would quite literally encourage, enable, and arguably require the wholesale suppression and punishment of virtually all free speech/protest on campus related to Israel or Zionism.

April 30, 2025: The Senate Committee on the Aging joins the “FIGHTING ANTISEMITISM IS THE TOP PRIORITY OF THIS CONGRESS — REALLY AND TRULY BUT TO BE CLEAR WE ONLY MEAN ONE KIND OF ANTISEMITISM AND THAT’S THE ONE THAT’S ALL ABOUT ISRAEL, DON’T EVEN MENTION PEOPLE WITH POWER THROWING NAZI SALUTES ETC…” club, with a hearing entitled, “Never Again: Addressing the Rise of Antisemitism and Supporting Older Americans.” Witnesses will be: David Schaecter, Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach; Rabbi Mark Rosenberg, Senior Advisor & Chief Chaplain to the Miami-Dade Sheriff and more; Ted Deutch, American Jewish Committee; and Rebecca Federman, Community Security Initiative.

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)
  • 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.“
  • NEW: NBC Chicago 4/21/25: DePaul president called to testify before Congress regarding campus antisemitism
  • Also see Section 2, above, for details of letters sent by the Committee Chair to universities demanding documents in advance of the hearing.

4. Selected Members on the Record

Re: Israeli-imposed Humanitarian Catastrophe + Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza

  • Fetterman (D-PA) 4/23/25: X-post – “What’s truly intolerable? Innocent civilians held in tunnels for 565 days and counting. European allies should demand the elimination of Hamas and for the release of all remaining hostages. These actions would quickly end the suffering in Gaza.“
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/22/25: X-post – “This is wrong. I’ve spoken to Israeli families who described the agony they wake up to every day not knowing if their loved ones will come home safe. Reaching a ceasefire agreement so we can get hostages safely out and humanitarian aid to civilians in must be the top priority.” Responding to Washington Post X-post, “Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, drew outrage Monday when he said returning Israeli hostages still held by Hamas is not the war’s ‘most important goal.’”
  • Van Hollen (D-MD) 4/22/25: X-post – “It’s been 50+ days since the start of a complete blockade on food & humanitarian relief to civilians in Gaza. Jose Andres is right: End the blockade & suffering. Release all the hostages. End the war. No more Oct 7ths. Security, dignity, human rights & self-determination for all.”
  • Emmer (R-MN) 4/22/25: X-post – “Hamas still holds 59 hostages, including 5 Americans, in Gaza—God only knows under what conditions. America’s support for Israel’s efforts to confront Iranian aggression, destroy Hamas, and return the hostages will not waver. Not now, not ever.“
  • Massie (R-KY) 4/21/25: X-post – “If you’re trying to make the case that Israel should continue bombing Gaza and America should pay for it, saying I support communism (or that I’m antisemitic) for not sharing your world view is ridiculous and will only hurt your case.“
  • Sanders (I-VT) 4/21/25: X-post – “It’s been 51 days since ANY humanitarian aid has entered Gaza. Israeli Minister of Defense Katz has said: ‘Israel’s policy is clear: no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza.’  This is a war crime.   We must end our complicity. NO more military aid for Netanyahu’s war machine.” Also see lengthy response to Sanders on X from Israeli Defense Minister Katz — not denying that Israel is preventing entry of aid into Gaza, but insisting that it is all totally legal and that aid is not needed right now anyway.
  • Tlaib (D-MI) 4/21/25: X-post – “Thank you for using your voice to recognize the human dignity of the Palestinian people, even in your final days. Your dedication to always lifting up immigrants, vulnerable, and oppressed people everywhere is an inspiration to us all.”
  • Cruz (R-TX) 4/18/25: X-post – “Hamas are barbaric terrorists who gleefully use human shields as an instrument of war. In 2018 I authored and passed into law mandatory sanctions to hold them accountable for this practice. The Biden admin wouldn’t enforce those sanctions, because they wanted to falsely blame Israel for the deaths of Palestinian civilians. Thankfully, President Trump and Trump officials will change course.”

Members Visit Students Detained for Palestine Protest

  • Pressley (D-MA) 4/23/25: WATCH: Pressley, Markey, McGovern Recount Harrowing Visit with Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil at ICE Facilities in Louisiana
  • Pressley (D-MA) 4/22/25: X-post – “I spent the day at the ICE Detention centers where Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil are being unjustly detained. They’ve been taken thousands of miles away from home, and denied the dignity, medical care, and due process they deserve. This is not normal. No part of this is legal or just. My constituents deserve to live free from fear. Our freedoms and our destinies are tied.”
  • McGovern (D-MA) 4/22/25: X-post – “Rümeysa Öztürk & Mahmoud Khalil broke no laws, yet have been denied due process & locked away for exercising their First Amendment rights. Make no mistake: they are political prisoners, detained not for what they’ve done, but for what they dared to say. We went to Louisiana to hear their stories & demand their release.”
  • Markey (D-MA) 4/22/25: X-post – “After meeting with Khalil today, his story reminds us that this betrayal and injustice should have never happened. We have a moral obligation to stand with and unequivocally call out the injustices Mahmoud Khalil and too many others are suffering from at the hand of this administration. We demand justice.”
  • Markey (D-MA) 4/22/25: X-post – “I filmed this yesterday on my way to Lousiana where my constituent Rümeysa Öztürk is being wrongfully held by ICE. I’m there now demanding her release. More to come.”
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/21/25: X-post – “When I met with Mohsen Mahdawi today, we spoke about how appreciative he is to have the support of so many people in Vermont. He said one of the reasons he wanted to become a citizen was because of his belief in American democracy. He hopes that justice will prevail in his case.”
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/21/25: X-post – “I just met with Mohsen Mahdawi where he’s being held in Vermont. He was detained when he showed up for his citizenship interview. He should be released so he can become a citizen.”
  • Welch (D-VT) 4/21/25: X-post – “I just met with Mohsen Mahdawi where he’s being held in Vermont. He was detained when he showed up for his citizenship interview. He should be released so he can become a citizen.“

Targeting Anyone Who Dares to Protest for Palestinian Lives/Rights

  • Stefanik (R-NY) 4/25/25: X-post – “DISGUSTING: Rutgers faculty defended Hamas terrorists after the Oct 7 massacre. They pushed vile anti-Israel propaganda & ‘contextualized’ the slaughter of Jews. Rutgers is now under federal investigation — and rightfully so. There is NEVER justification for terrorism.” Linked to article, Radical Rutgers University Faculty Defended Hamas Days After October 7 Attack (National Review 4/25/25)
  • Lankford (R-OK) 4/24/25: X-post – “Thank you to the Trump administration for standing up for Jewish students and combating antisemitism on college campuses. No student should be afraid to go to school or face discrimination or harassment because of their faith or heritage.” Responding/re-posting X-post by the Department of Education touting “100 Days Strong: @POTUS and @EDSecMcMahon have made it clear: Antisemitism has no place in our classrooms or on our campuses.” (including a table laying of the Trump Admin’s accomplishments with respect to cracking down on academia in the name of fighting antisemitism)
  • Lawler (R-NY) 4/25/25: X-post – “Antisemitism has no place in our schools, on our campuses, or anywhere in our society. AAA is a straightforward, bipartisan effort to codify an executive order to ensure that federal civil rights protections can be enforced.” Linked to image with headline, “The Antisemitism Awareness Act Is Back” with quote from Lawler.
  • House Foreign Affairs Committee (GOP) 4/24/25: X-post – “If you are a foreign guest in OUR country trying to force Jewish students off their campus & rooting for terrorists, we are going to revoke your visa and force you out of our country.” [responding to post alleging that protesters at Yale were blocking Jewish students from moving around on campus; in reality what the video shows is a student demanding to walk through the middle of a circle of protesters, rather than walk around them, like other people are doing]
  • House Committee on Education & the Workforce (GOP) 4/23/25: X-post – “When will schools wake up to the fact this is harassment of Jewish students? Blatant antisemitism? Schools like @Yale need to follow the law and protect all students—including Jewish students.” [with video alleging showing protesters at Yale blocking a Jewish student from moving around on campus; in reality what the video shows is a student demanding to walk through the middle of a circle of protesters, rather than walk around them like other people are doing]
  • Malliotakis (R-NY) 4/23/25: X-post – “Unfortunately, this is not surprising. When New York colleges have allowed antisemitism to run rampant, people march in the streets waving Hamas and Hezbollah flags without accountability & hate crimes are reduced or dropped entirely, it allows antisemitism to fester. New York must do better.” With image reading: “New York leads the nation in reported antisemitic incidents in 2024: ADL“
  • Scott (R-FL) 4/23/25: X-post – “This is the right move. Hamas terrorists have been holding Americans and Israelis hostage for 565 days. No one who sympathizes with these terrorists should be handed a platform to spread their hate and antisemitism.” In response to post: “#BREAKING @Cornell’s president has rescinded the invitation for antisemitic singer Kehlani to perform at the school’s annual Slope Day concert.” [her crime: opposition to Gaza genocide]
  • Bost (R-IL) 4/22/25: X-post – “According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitism is on the rise in Illinois, with over 335 incidents reported in 2024 – a 59% increase. That includes 79 incidents on college campuses, ranking our state 5th nationally for antisemitic confrontations at institutions of learning. Antisemitism has no place in our state, and I will continue to do all I can to stop it.“
  • House Committee on Education & the Workforce (GOP) 4/22/25: X-post – “Make no mistake: antisemitism skyrocketed on college campuses around the U.S.—not just at the Ivy Leagues. The Committee looks forward to bringing in these university leaders to testify about what they’re doing to address antisemitism and protect students—as the law requires.”
  • Gottheimer (D-NJ) 4/22/25: Gottheimer Statement on the Anti-Defamation League’s 2024 Audit Showing Worst Year Ever for Antisemitic Incidents [“We cannot sit idly by while individuals in politics, pop culture, or sports openly spew antisemitic tropes and hatred — the magnitude of this crisis demands real action. That’s why I’m continuing fighting to pass my bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act to ensure our children can attend schools and universities without fear of intimidation, threats, and violence.“]
  • Harris (R-MD) 4/21/25: X-post – “The US government should not use taxpayer dollars to subsidize the student loan debt of universities that preach, teach, and tolerate antisemitism.“
  • McClain (R-MI) 4/21/25: X-post – “Eradicating antisemitism should not be a controversy. Instead of making their campus safe for ALL students, Harvard wants to let the problem continue. Our tax dollars shouldn’t go to universities that support antisemitism.”

Recess Travel to Israel/Middle East

  • Moreno (R-OH) 4/23/25: X-post – “While some of my colleagues are trying to jailbreak a criminal illegal in El Salvador, I traveled to Israel to remind the world Hamas has held an American citizen hostage for 564 days. We cannot rest until Hamas is eradicated and EVERY hostage is home safe. #BringThemHome”
  • Jeffries (D-NY) 4/22/25: JEFFRIES LEADS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO THE UNITED KINGDOM, DENMARK, ISRAEL AND JORDAN
  • Landsman (D-OH) 4/22/25: Landsman Joins Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to the United Kingdom, Denmark, Israel, and Jordan

Conflating the Holocaust with October 7. 2023

  • Lankford (R-SC) 4/24/25: X-post – “Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel, time stands still for a moment of silence. After October 7, old wounds have reopened. We stand with Israel today and every day as we combat antisemitism. As we say, Never Again, and remember all those lost to the Holocaust, we also remember those still being held hostage and pray for their safe release.”
  • Mills (R-FL) 4/24/25: X-post – “On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the 6 million Jewish lives lost and vow ‘ever Again.’ I stand steadfastly with Israel, our ally, against hatred and terror. After the October 7, 2023 attacks, I was privileged to help evacuate over 250 Americans from Israel. I urge all to pray for the hostages still held by Hamas. I will continue to fight for aid to strengthen Israel’s security and pursue lasting peace. Today, let’s honor the victims of the Holocaust and the resilience of its survivors.“

Iran

  • Weber (R-TX) 4/22/25: X-post – “The Obama & Biden Administration played games with Iran—and it’s time to put that to bed. Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. They chant ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’—and they mean it. Letting them enrich uranium is like handing a match to an arsonist. Under President Trump, I hope to see that threat shut down for good.“

Other stuff

  • Rosen (D-NV) 4/22/25: Rosen Sounds Alarm on Disturbing Findings from ADL Antisemitism Report, Urges Congress to Take Action to Combat Rise of Antisemitism
  • Ciscomani (R-AZ) 4/22/25: X-post – “I am disgusted by this antisemitic act against the Chabad Tucson-Young Israel Synagogue. Jewish residents in Tucson deserve to feel safe in their own communities and places of worship. I strongly and unequivocally condemn this despicable act.“

5. Selected Media

Genocide & the Annihilation of Gaza

Recess travel

  • Israel – Office of the Prime Minister 4/25/25: PM Netanyahu Meets with Bipartisan US Congressional Delegation led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries [“…The delegation, which attended Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day events this morning, expressed unequivocal bipartisan support for the State of Israel and its actions against the terrorist organizations and the Iranian axis. Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s relentless efforts to advance a framework for the release of the hostages, the importance of the dialogue with the American administration in order to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is completely dismantled, and the IDF’s determined campaign to destroy Hamas’s military and governing capabilities in the Gaza Strip. Participating in the meeting were US Representatives Ann Wagner (R-MO), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-American Samoa), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Laura Friedman (D-CA), and US Deputy Chief-of-Mission Stephanie Hallett.”]
  • Jewish News Syndicate 4/22/25: Jeffries leading bipartisan House trip to Israel, Jordan

Targeting Protests/Protesters for Palestinian Lives/Rights

Iran

Elections

Other stuff