[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 707 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 707
Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month as a
time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans to the society
and culture of the United States.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 23, 2024
Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Rubio,
Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Kaine, Mr.
Hagerty, Mr. Warnock, Mr. Lankford, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Barrasso, Mr.
Padilla, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Risch,
Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Graham, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Van Hollen,
Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Kelly, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr.
Cardin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Casey, Mr. Ossoff, and Mr. Reed) submitted
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month as a
time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans to the society
and culture of the United States.
Whereas the Senate and the House of Representatives have recognized many
heritage months that celebrate the various communities that form the
mosaic of the United States;
Whereas, through recognizing and celebrating heritage months, we learn about one
another, honor the richness of the diversity of the United States, and
strengthen the fabric of society in the United States;
Whereas Jewish American Heritage Month has its origins in 1980, when Congress
enacted a joint resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution to authorize and
request the President to issue a proclamation designating April 21
through April 28, 1980, as `Jewish Heritage Week''', approved April 24,
1980 (Public Law 96-237; 94 Stat. 338);
Whereas, on April 24, 1980, President Carter issued the proclamation for Jewish
Heritage Week, and in that proclamation, President Carter spoke about
the bountiful contributions made by the Jewish people to the culture and
history of the United States;
Whereas Congress has played a central role in recognizing Jewish American
Heritage Month since the Senate and the House of Representatives passed
resolutions in 2006 and 2005, respectively, urging the President to
proclaim the national observation of a month recognizing the Jewish-
American community;
Whereas, since 2006, Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all issued
proclamations for Jewish American Heritage Month, which celebrates
Jewish Americans and encourages all people of the United States to learn
more about Jewish heritage and the contributions of Jewish people
throughout the history of the United States;
Whereas the people of the United States celebrate the rich history of Jewish
people in the United States and the more than 350-year history of Jewish
contributions to society in the United States;
Whereas the United States has long served as a haven for Jewish people escaping
from oppression in search of liberty, justice, and tolerance;
Whereas the Jewish-American community dates back to 1654, when a group of 23
Jewish people, fleeing persecution at the hands of the Portuguese
Inquisition, fled Brazil and found refuge in what is now New York City;
Whereas Jewish Americans have established deep roots in communities across the
United States and served their neighbors and the United States as loyal
and patriotic citizens, always grateful for the safe harbor that the
United States has provided for them;
Whereas the Jewish-American community has since grown to over 6,000,000 people,
representing approximately 2 percent of the population of the United
States in 2024;
Whereas Jewish Americans have served in government and the military, won Nobel
prizes, led universities and corporations, advanced medicine and
philanthropy, created and performed in enduring works of performing and
visual art, written great novels, become emblems of justice as members
of the Supreme Court of the United States, and so much more;
Whereas Jewish Americans have been subjected to a recent surge in antisemitism
as the Anti-Defamation League has documented;
Whereas the rise in antisemitism is being felt by ordinary people in the United
States, as the American Jewish Committee's State of Antisemitism in
America 2023 Report revealed that--
(1) almost \2/3\ of American Jews feel less secure in the United States
than they did a year ago, which is more than a 20 percentage point increase
in just 1 year; and
(2) nearly \1/2\ of American Jews say they altered their behavior out
of fear of antisemitism;
Whereas, over the course of the past decade, Holocaust distortion and denial
have grown in intensity;
Whereas a 2020 survey of all 50 States on Holocaust knowledge among millennials
and individuals in generation Z, conducted by the Conference on Jewish
Material Claims Against Germany, found a clear lack of awareness of key
historical facts, including that--
(1) 63 percent of respondents did not know that 6,000,000 Jews were
murdered during the Holocaust; and
(2) 36 percent of respondents thought that ``2 million or fewer Jews''
were killed;
Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has aggregated 2022 hate crime data
showing that Jewish people remain the single most targeted religious
minority in the United States;
Whereas the use of antisemitic language, conspiracy theories, and hatred has
increased on multiple social media platforms, including--
(1) tropes about Jewish control; and
(2) messages praising Adolf Hitler and demonizing all Jewish people;
Whereas antisemitism had been increasing before October 7, 2023, and since
October 7, 2023, it has dramatically escalated around the country, in
particular at institutions of higher education;
Whereas the most effective ways to counter the increase in antisemitic actions
are through education, awareness, and the uplifting of Jewish voices,
while highlighting the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to
the United States; and
Whereas, as the strength of a society can be measured by how that society
protects its minority populations and celebrates their contributions, it
is altogether fitting for the United States to once again mark the month
of May as ``Jewish American Heritage Month'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes the significance of Jewish American Heritage
Month as a time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish
Americans to the society and culture of the United States;
(2) recognizes that Jewish-American culture and heritage
strengthen and enrich the diversity of the United States; and
(3) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil
society leaders to condemn and combat any and all acts of
antisemitism.
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