January 15, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 8 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H550]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             ANTI-SEMITISM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Jackson Lee). The Chair recognizes the 
gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Schrier) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I want to applaud my colleagues, 
especially Mr. Engel and Mr. McCaul, for sending a strong message with 
a vote on H.R. 221, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-
Semitism Act.
  Jewish people enjoy freedom, acceptance, and assimilation in this 
country like we never have before. Sadly, in recent years, there has 
been a disturbing uptick in anti-Semitic rhetoric and acts both in the 
U.S. and Europe.
  In the context of rising intolerance, hatred, and xenophobia in our 
country, we are witnessing emboldened normalization of anti-Semitic 
language and behavior. This includes anti-Semitic propaganda targeting 
many of us new Members of Congress. The tragic shooting at Tree of Life 
Synagogue in Pittsburgh was the deadliest attack on Jews in our 
Nation's history.
  Bigotry is not unique to the Jewish community. What is, however, is 
that we don't have anyone monitoring and responding to the uptick in 
anti-Semitic acts and rhetoric.
  This bill elevates the State Department's top position to that of 
Ambassador, reporting directly to the Secretary of State. The stature 
of this position sends the strong message that we are committed to 
combating anti-Semitism here and abroad.
  As a Jewish woman, anti-Semitism is personal for me, but we need to 
understand this in the context of the larger issues of intolerance and 
White nationalism that are gaining traction in our country right now.
  No minority is safe when any minority is targeted. We should all be 
on high alert when Muslims, Blacks, Latinos, and immigrants are cast as 
``the other,'' scapegoated, and dehumanized. We cannot sit idly by 
while people are targeted for how they dress, how they look, or how 
they choose to worship.
  I ask my counterparts in the Senate to pass this bipartisan bill. 
Let's show the world that America takes this issue seriously and that 
hate has no place here.

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