NCSJ - 07.09.2002

House Passes Anti-Semitism Resolution

July 9, 2002 - The U.S. House of Representatives approved a “sense of the House” resolution (H.Res. 393) urging European governments to combat anti-Semitism, through prevention, prosecution and through education.  The measure references ten representative anti-Semitic attacks in the past four months, including an April 13 attack on a synagogue in Ukraine.

In floor speeches, led by Reps. Benjamin Gilman (R-NY) and Tom Lantos (D-CA) (respectively, former Chairman and current Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee) members decried the upsurge of anti-Semitism.  Rep. Gilman called for taking “decisive action against perpetrators of anti-Semitic crimes”, and Rep. Lantos warned that “the future of Jewish life in Europe is in question”.

The measure’s author, Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), thanked NCSJ for its “work in support of this resolution,” in concert with the Orthodox Union, NORPAC, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

Rep. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), a Commissioner of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, also spoke highlighting the “action plan” developed in last week’s meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.  He stressed the need to address issues of monitoring, childhood education and “property restitution issues to make sure that people are fairly compensated for property that was wrongfully taken.”

Twelve members in all spoke [Reps. Gilman, Lantos, Smith (NJ), Crowley, Morella, Woolsey, Cardin and Hoeffel] or submitted testimony [Reps. Waxman, Ackerman, Ferguson and Maloney (NY)] in favor of the resolution, which passed by a margin of 412-0.  For the full text of the floor debate, please visit the Congressional Record online.