The United States House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the rise of antisemitism in a nearly unanimous vote, with one Republican lawmaker objecting to the measure.
The resolution passed 420-1, with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) representing the only vote against it. Eight other Republicans did not vote.
The resolution calls on elected officials, faith leaders and leaders in civil society to use their positions of authority “to condemn and combat any and all manifestations of antisemitism.”
The measure also urges individuals to denounce denials or distortions of the Holocaust, and encourages them to promote education focused on the Holocaust and antisemitism.
“Tragically, antisemitism followed Jewish Americans from the old world to the new one, and its become a growing cancer on our body politic,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said from the House floor.
“Too many Americans need to hear the loud voices of their Congress calling out antisemitism. Because too many of our fellow citizens are hearing leaders they support and trust either give voice to antisemitism or rationalize antisemitism,” he added.
The resolution comes after the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported last month that antisemitic incidents in the U.S. hit a record high in 2021. In its annual audit, the group said it counted 2,717 antisemitic incidents in the U.S. last year, including harassment and vandalism.
That number marked the highest the organization has recorded since it started tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979. The resolution cited the ADL’s report.
The resolution also calls for “amplifying and ensuring” that the U.S. takes a lead in fighting global antisemitism, specifically urging cooperation with the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, along with international governments and parliaments.
Additionally, the resolution calls on social media platforms to step up efforts to address antisemitism while still safeguarding free speech concerns, and encourages taking “all possible steps” to bolster the security of Jewish institutions and groups in the U.S, among other provisions.
