FMEP Legislative Round-Up July 5, 2024

Resource

July 5, 2024

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings
4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Elex/Politics
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

Note: Huge thanks to Haydn Welch and Sheridan Cole, advocacy officers at the Middle East Democracy Center, for their great work guest-writing the Round-Up the past two weeks!

New from FMEP:

New episode of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts podcast (7/3/24), Witnessing in the West Bank & Gaza Strip with Riham Jafari, ft. FMEP Fellow Rania Batrice speaking with Palestinian communication and advocacy specialist Riham Jafari about Gaza and the West Bank, focusing specifically on the impact of the last nine months on women and girls, on the health system in Gaza, and on the use of starvation as a weapon against the Palestinians in Gaza.
New episode of FMEP’s Occupied Thoughts podcast (6/25/24), Israel is Annexing the West Bank, ft. FMEP fellow Peter Beinart in conversation with Professor Yael Berda about Israel’s de facto annexation of the West Bank.

1. Bills & Resolutions

Targeting Student Protests/Protesters for Palestinian Rights/Lives

HR 8913 (pdf): Introduced 7/2/24 by Ferguson (R-GA) and 8 Republican co-sponsors, the “Protecting American Students Act“. Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Also see press release — “‘The rising antisemitic behavior on college campuses is beyond unacceptable, and many leaders of these movements are international students,’ said Congressman Ferguson. ‘United States educational institutions should not be rewarded with generous tax benefits while condoning this behavior, and the Protecting American Students Act ensures these universities create a safe environment for all students.’”
HR 8914 (pdf): Introduced 7/2/24 by Malliotakis (R-NY) and 7 Republican cosponsors, the “University Accountability Act.“ Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Also see press release — “…Under current federal law, a violation of Title VI, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, can result in the loss of federal funds, but often times results in a mere corrective action that would bring the college or university back into compliance. The University Accountability Act would require colleges and universities that meet the penalty criteria to pay a fine of either five percent of the school’s aggregate administrative compensation as reported on the school’s Form 990, or $100,000, whichever is greater. After three civil rights violations, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would be required to review the college or university’s tax-exempt status for possible revocation. If enacted, Columbia University, which has been at the epicenter of anti-Israel protests and horrific antisemitic attacks against those of the Jewish faith, would be fined $1.9 million.“[emphasis in the original]. Also see: Stefanik, Malliotakis Introduce Legislation to Impose Penalties on Antisemitic Universities
HR 8833 (pdf): Introduced 6/28/24 by Banks (R-IN) and 7 Republican cosponsors, “To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose campus policies relating to responding to certain incidents of civil disturbance, and for other purposes,” aka the “No Tax Dollars for College Encampments Act.” Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Also see: Banks’ press release; Stefanik press release; Stefanik, Banks introduce No Tax Dollars for College Encampments Act (Jewish News Syndicate 7/1/24); Republicans introduce bill attacking Gaza solidarity encampments at US universities (Middle East Eye 7/2/24)
HR 8902 (pdf): Introduced 6/28/24 by Pfluger (R-TX) and 4 Republican cosponsors, “To make certain individuals ineligible to receive any Federal financial aid under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965,” aka the “Freeze Aid for Student Assaulters (FAFSA) Act of 2024.” Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Also see: Pfluger press release – Pfluger Introduces Legislation to Revoke Visas and Federal Student Aid for Individuals Convicted of Assaulting Police Officers or Rioting
HR 8903 (pdf): Introduced 6/28/24 by Pfluger (R-TX) and 7 Republican cosponsors, “To direct the Secretary of State to revoke the visa of any alien admitted to the United States under section 101(a)(15)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act who has been convicted of assault in a police officer or an offense related to rioting,” aka the “Uproot Rioting International Students Engaged in Radical Subversion Act (UPRISERS) Act.” Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Pfluger press release – Pfluger Introduces Legislation to Revoke Visas and Federal Student Aid for Individuals Convicted of Assaulting Police Officers or Rioting

2. Letters

7/2/24: Emmer sends letter to new University of Minnesota President asking for plan to protect Jewish students on Campus [letter text]. Also see: University of Minnesota overtaken by ‘radical, pro-Hamas activists,’ House majority whip says (Jewish News Syndicate 7/3/24)

3. Hearings & Markups

July 9, 2024: The House Committee on Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions will hold a hearing entitled, “Confronting Union Antisemitism: Protecting Workers from Big Labor Abuses.” No witnesses have been announced as of this writing. Also see: press release – Chair Good to Hold Hearing on Divisive, Contentious Union Political Activism

July 10, 2024: The House Foreign Affairs Committee is scheduled to hold a mark-up up a list of measures, including:

HR 8345 (GOP, co-sponsored by HFAC chair McCaul, R-TX), To limit funds to the United Nations and other organizations that provide any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status to the Palestine Liberation Organization, and for other purposes. [reminder, from press release: “Current U.S. law prohibits U.S. funding to organizations, such as the UN, which give the PLO full membership or standing as a member state. The NOPE Act updates the existing funding prohibition to organizations that offer the Palestinian Authority or the Palestine Liberation Organization “any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status.”]
H. Res. 1323, Rejecting the United Nations decision to place the Israel Defense Force on a list of child’s rights abusers.
H. Res. 554, Affirming the nature and importance of the support of the United States for the religious and ethnic minority survivors of genocide in Iraq.
HR 7025, To extend and authorize annual appropriations for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom through fiscal year 2026.
H. Res. 1328, Recognizing the actions of the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias in the Darfur region of Sudan against non-Arab ethnic communities as acts of genocide.

July 10, 2024: The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe will hold a hearing entitled, “Putin’s Syrian Puppet: War Crimes and Complicity from Syria to Ukraine.” Scheduled witnesses are: M. Night Shyamalan, Film Director, Producer, and Screenwriter & Co-Founder and President of The M. Night Shyamalan Foundation; Mohammed Alaa Ghanem, Syrian Civil Society Leader and Human Rights Activist; and Mouaz Moustafa, Executive Director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force.

4. Israel/Palestine in 2024 Politics/Elex

Targeting of Candidates/Incumbents Who Care about Palestinians (general)

New York Post 7/4/24: The Squad demonizes pro-Israel AIPAC with fake ‘dark money’ charge — despite its modest sway
Jewish Telegraphic Agency 7/3/24: AIPAC spent more than $14M to unseat Bowman
The Week 7/3/24: Is Jamaal Bowman’s primary defeat the beginning of the end for DC’s Squad?
The Hill 7/1/24: Progressives unleash fury on AIPAC after Bowman loss
Arab American Institute/Jim Zogby 7/1/24: A Deep Dive into the Bowman Loss
Rosa Luxemburg Foundation 7/1/24: Jamaal Bowman’s Defeat: A Blow to the Pro-Palestine Left in the US
LA Progressive 6/29/24: AIPAC’s Destructive Reach in American Politics — How it made an Example of Rep. Jamal Bowman
The Atlantic 6/29/24: What Left-Wing Democrats Haven’t Learned From Defeat – Jamaal Bowman and the infantile style in American politics

Cory Bush in the Crosshairs

Salon.com 7/4/24: “You’re gonna see just millions being poured in”: After Bowman defeat, AIPAC targets Cori Bush
JTA 7/1/24: Next up Cori Bush: After Jamaal Bowman defeat, pro-Israel donors pivot to Missouri – “We have a short window to act,” AIPAC told donors in a text [“‘On Tuesday night, the pro-Israel community helped ensure anti-Israel Rep. Jamaal Bowman won’t be returning to Congress next year,’ said the fundraising text the American Israel Public Affairs Committee sent Thursday afternoon. ‘With your support, we can also help defeat Rep. Cori Bush, another member of the anti-Israel Squad.‘”]
Politico 7/2/24: Jeffries, Dem leaders endorse Cori Bush [“It’s a show of force behind the embattled incumbent ahead of a tough primary.“]

Other

The Forward/JTA 7/3/24: Challenger backed by Republican Jewish Coalition defeats Bob Good, leader of far-right faction [“Involvement in primaries was once a rare occurrence for partisan Jewish groups on both sides, but that has changed as both parties grapple with internal realignments over support for Israel”]
Jewish Insider 7/2/24: Crowded race shaping up for top GOP spot on House Foreign Affairs Committee [“…Many of the possible contenders are seen as staunchly pro-Israel, with often similar records on the issue, and hold traditional GOP foreign policy positions, eschewing the isolationism that’s been making inroads in the party.“]
Fox News 7/3/24: Adam Schiff voter flips to GOP opponent Steve Garvey after Israel trip: ‘If you’re Jewish… you’re not happy’
Sacramento Bee 7/2/24: Garvey’s Senate campaign went to Israel, where he says he converted a Schiff voter
Jewish Insider 7/2/24: Rep. Jake Auchincloss talks Netanyahu, Bowman, Biden and antisemitism [“The Massachusetts Democrat said he’ll walk out of Netanyahu’s congressional speech if he attacks Biden, and discussed his concerns about the Antisemitism Awareness Act“]
Daily Wire 7/1/24: Steve Garvey Visits IDF Soldiers Wounded In Hamas War
Jewish Insider 7/1/24: On ICC sanctions vote, Allred breaks with other Democratic Senate hopefuls [“Reps. Elissa Slotkin, Ruben Gallego and Adam Schiff all voted in favor of ICC sanctions, which Allred opposed“]
Politico 7/1/24: She’s a Blue-Collar, Bible-Quoting, Israel-Supporting, Pro-Choice, Millennial Latina. Is She the Future of Democratic Progressivism? [“With an eclectic voting record, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez from Washington state has riled the left flank of her party. She thinks that’s a good thing.“]
NPR 6/29/24: Fetterman traveled to Israel and met with Netanyahu despite blowback on the left

5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

Members of Congress in Israel

Kustoff (R-TN) 7/3/24: press release – Congressman Kustoff Delivers Historic Address on U.S. Support for Israel at Knesset
Jerusalem Post 7/3/24: PM Benjamin Netanyahu meets US Congressman Josh Gottheimer in Israel
Jewish News Syndicate 7/3/24: Netanyahu stresses ‘joint stand against Iran’ in meet with US lawmakers [“The Israeli premier thanked Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and David Kustoff (R-Tenn.) for their support since Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.”]
Gottheimer (D-NY) 7/3/24: In Israel and UAE on House Intelligence Committee Trip, Gottheimer Focuses on American Hostage Release, Fighting Iran, Other Terrorist Proxies in Region [“Meets in UAE with Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security, Director of Signals Intelligence Agency to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, the fight against terror, and long-term solutions in the region”]
Jewish News Syndicate 7/3/24: Israeli, US politicos inaugurate Parliamentary Friendship Group [“The bipartisan group sends a message to the world that the relationship between the two countries ‘transcends parties and administrations,’ said Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana”]
Jewish Insider 7/3/24: Knesset, House launch parliamentary friendship group to strengthen U.S.-Israel ties [“‘In your fight to eradicate Hamas, America is with you all the way,’ Rep. David Kustoff says in Knesset”]