Condemning Rising Antisemitism

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman for his very generous comments and congratulate him for his leadership in so many different ways, not only on this subcommittee, but also on the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which he chairs, and which is so focused on human rights throughout the world.

I thank Mr. Cohen and Mr. Chabot for their leadership on this and bringing this to the floor, bringing it in a bipartisan fashion. I appreciate that very much.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the Congresswoman from Florida, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been a giant, yes, on anti-Semitism, but on civil rights and human rights generally.

We understand that if one of us is at risk, all of us are at risk if we do not honor the rights of each individual in our country. And, as a matter of fact, that is one of the things that makes us so distinct.

This is an important resolution. It is a vital resolution. It is a resolution that must be adopted so that Congress can make clear at this moment, at this tragic moment in our history, that Jewish Americans can feel safe and at home in our country, and that anti-Semitism has no place here. Discrimination and bigotry and hate have no place in America.

Throughout the month of May, we celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month, as the gentlewoman pointed out. Why is that so important?

It is important because when we celebrate the achievements and contributions of a community, we affirm that this community matters; that those in it are valued members of our American family. That is why Black lives matter, Jewish lives matter, individual lives matter.

But we know that there are particular groups who are targeted, targeted for discrimination, and hate, and, yes, violence.

When we fail to recognize or celebrate the history and heritage of a particular community, it sends a signal that they are not valued, that they do not matter, and that they are not equal, that they do not count.

Again and again throughout history, Jewish people were seen as lesser than. Indeed, disturbingly, Jews were seen as less than human, which inevitably led to the discrimination, violence and, yes, even the genocide of the last century.

Jews who came to our shores were seeking a place to live in safety and freedom. We should be proud of that, and we need to protect that. Tragically, anti-Semitism followed Jewish Americans from the Old World to the new one and has become a growing cancer on our body politic.

Too many Americans need to hear the loud voices of their Congress calling out anti-Semitism because too many of our fellow citizens are hearing leaders they support and trust either give voice to anti- Semitism or rationalize anti-Semitism. It is not enough simply to be against anti-Semitism. We must not rationalize or temporize with anti- Semitism.

In recent weeks, we have heard more and more about the great replacement theory, a twisted conspiratorial ideology rooted in historic anti-Semitism and racism that has been used by those seeking to justify heinous acts of domestic terrorism targeting minorities. That is what happened in Buffalo.

We recall it from the billowing echoes of ``Jews will not replace us'' from the marchers in Charlottesville in 2017.

We have also heard accusations of dual loyalty tropes about Jewish financial and political control that inspired the Nazis and, yes, the Soviets alike in their horrific persecution of Jews in the 20th century.

Now, Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century, much of this anti-Semitism is fueled online through social media. We must not ignore it. It must not be allowed to metastasize.

We have a chance to do that today.

As we celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month, let us do so with gratitude and with joy, but also with concern and vigilance: Concern for what anti-Semitism does to Jewish communities in America and for what it does to our Nation and our democracy; and vigilance against those who would infect our politics and our culture with the same evils that gave the world places like Auschwitz, Dachau, and Babyn Yar.

One of the most important ways Americans can support our Jewish brothers and sisters in this country during this time of dangerous and rising anti-Semitism is to say, ``We see you. We stand with you. You matter. You count. You are part of this country and of our community,'' and to do so without qualification or equivocation.

Every Jewish American, like every American, deserves to feel safe and respected in America. Period.

Let us affirm that today. Let us affirm it every day. Let us declare that with one strong voice today and every day.

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