[Page S3120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 246--RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JEWISH AMERICAN 
   HERITAGE MONTH AND CALLING ON ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CIVIL SOCIETY 
                    LEADERS TO COUNTER ANTISEMITISM

  Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Warnock, Mr. 
Lankford, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Risch, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Graham, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Paul, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Crapo, 
Mr. Wyden, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Kelly, Mr. 
Moreno, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. Moody, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Hagerty, 
Mr. Hawley, Mrs. Britt, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 246

       Whereas ``Jewish American Heritage Month'' has its origins 
     in 1980, when Congress enacted the 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 Jimmy 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 House 
     of Representatives passed resolutions in 2005 and 2006, 
     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 American Colonies and United States;
       Whereas the United States has long served as a haven for 
     Jewish people escaping 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 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, and so much more;
       Whereas, since Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 
     2023, antisemitism in the United States has reached record 
     highs with incidents targeting Jews and those who are 
     perceived as Jewish;
       Whereas, according to the American Jewish Committee, 77 
     percent of American Jews say they feel less safe as a Jewish 
     person in the United States because of the October 7, 2023, 
     Hamas terrorist attacks;
        Whereas, according to the American Jewish Committee, 
     almost 70 percent of Jewish adults report experiencing 
     antisemitism online, including on social media;
       Whereas, according to Hillel International, 83 percent of 
     Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some 
     form of antisemitism since the October 7, 2023, Hamas 
     terrorist attacks;
       Whereas, in 2024, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 9,354 
     antisemitic incidents in the United States, which equals an 
     average of 25 incidents per day and represents a 344 percent 
     increase in antisemitic incidents over the previous 5 years 
     and an increase of nearly 900 percent over the previous 
     decade;
       Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has aggregated 
     2023 hate crime data showing the highest number of single-
     bias anti-Jewish hate crime incidents ever recorded;
       Whereas one of the most effective ways to combat 
     antisemitism and hate is through increasing education and 
     awareness about the contributions Jewish Americans have made 
     to the United States through the arts, entertainment, science 
     and technology, the military, the government, business, 
     culinary traditions, and other fields; 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) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil 
     society leaders to condemn and counter all acts of 
     antisemitism;
       (3) calls on elected officials and State and local leaders 
     to educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish-
     American community and uplift Jewish stories and voices; and
       (4) takes all possible steps to ensure the safety, 
     security, and dignity of American Jews in all aspects of 
     their lives, including at the workplace, college and 
     university campuses, synagogues, and home.

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