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[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4230 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4230

  To authorize the establishment within the Department of State of an 
  Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, to require inclusion in 
 annual Department of State reports of information concerning acts of 
        anti-Semitism around the world, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2004

 Mr. Lantos (for himself, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Kirk, and 
Mr. Lewis of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
              to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To authorize the establishment within the Department of State of an 
  Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, to require inclusion in 
 annual Department of State reports of information concerning acts of 
        anti-Semitism around the world, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Global Anti-Semitism Awareness Act 
of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Acts of anti-Semitism in countries throughout the 
        world, including in some of the world's strongest democracies, 
        have increased significantly in frequency and scope over the 
        last several years.
            (2) During the last three months of 2003 and the first 
        three months of 2004, there were numerous instances of anti-
        Semitic violence around the world, including the following 
        incidents:
                    (A) In Putrajaya, Malaysia, on October 16, 2003, 
                Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia told the 57 
                national leaders assembled for the Organization of the 
                Islamic Conference that Jews ``rule the world by 
                proxy'', and called for a ``final victory'' by the 
                world's 1.3 billion Muslims, who, he said, ``cannot be 
                defeated by a few million Jews''.
                    (B) In Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15, 2003, 
                simultaneous car bombs exploded outside two synagogues 
                filled with worshippers, killing 24 people and wounding 
                more than 250.
                    (C) In Hobart, Australia, on January 5, 2004, 
                poison was used to ignite and burn anti-Semitic slogans 
                into the lawns of the Parliament House of the state of 
                Tasmania.
                    (D) In St. Petersburg, Russia, on February 15, 
                2004, vandals desecrated approximately 50 gravestones 
                in a Jewish cemetery, painting the stones with 
                swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti.
                    (E) In Toronto, Canada, from March 19 to March 21, 
                2004, vandals attacked a Jewish school, a Jewish 
                cemetery, and area synagogues, painting swastikas and 
                anti-Semitic slogans on the walls of a synagogue and on 
                residential property in a nearby, predominantly Jewish, 
                neighborhood.
                    (F) In Toulon, France, on March 23, 2004, a Jewish 
                synagogue and community center were set on fire.
            (3) Anti-Semitism has at times taken the form of 
        vilification of Zionism, the Jewish national movement, and 
        incitement against Israel.
            (4) Anti-Semitism is also increasingly emanating from the 
        Arab and Muslim world on a sustained basis, including through 
        books distributed by government-owned publishing houses in 
        Egypt and other Arab countries.
            (5) In November 2002, state-run television in Egypt 
        broadcast the anti-Semitic series entitled ``Horseman Without a 
        Horse'', which is based upon the fictitious conspiracy theory 
        known as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The Protocols 
        have been used throughout the last century by despots such as 
        Adolf Hitler to justify violence against Jews.
            (6) In November 2003, Arab television featured an anti-
        Semitic series entitled ``Ash-Shatat'' (``The Diaspora''), 
        which depicts Jewish people conspiring to gain control of the 
        world.
            (7) The sharp rise in anti-Semitic violence has caused 
        international organizations such as the Organization for 
        Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to elevate and bring 
        renewed focus to this issue, including the convening by the 
        OSCE in June 2003 of a conference in Vienna dedicated solely to 
        the issue of anti-Semitism.
            (8) On April 28-29, 2004, in Berlin, Germany, the OSCE will 
        again convene a conference dedicated to addressing the problem 
        of anti-Semitism, with the United States delegation to be led 
        by former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch.
            (9) The United States has vigorously supported efforts to 
        address anti-Semitism through bilateral relationships and 
        interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE, 
        the European Union, and the United Nations.
            (10) Congress has consistently supported efforts to address 
        the rise in anti-Semitic violence. During the 107th Congress, 
        both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed 
        resolutions expressing strong concern about the sharp 
        escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe and calling on 
        the Department of State to thoroughly document the phenomenon.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States should continue to vigorously support 
        efforts to combat anti-Semitism worldwide through bilateral 
        relationships and interaction with international organizations 
        such as the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe 
        (OSCE);
            (2) the United States delegation to the OSCE conference in 
        Berlin should advocate for the appointment of a High 
        Commissioner on anti-Semitism;
            (3) the President should direct the United States 
        Ambassador to the United Nations to introduce in the most 
        appropriate forum in the United Nations a measure condemning 
        anti-Semitism;
            (4) the Secretary of State should establish a permanent 
        office in the Department of State to monitor and combat anti-
        Semitism; and
            (5) the Department of State should thoroughly document acts 
        of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement that occur around 
        the world.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE TO MONITOR AND COMBAT 
              ANTI-SEMITISM.

    The State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 is amended by 
adding after section 58 (22 U.S.C. 2730) the following new section:

``SEC. 59. MONITORING AND COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM.

    ``(a) Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.--
            ``(1) Establishment of office.--The Secretary is authorized 
        and encouraged to establish within the Department of State an 
        Office to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism (in this section 
        referred to as the `Office') .
            ``(2) Head of office.--If the Secretary establishes the 
        Office pursuant to paragraph (1), the head of the Office shall 
        be the Director for Monitoring and Combatting anti-Semitism. 
        The Secretary shall appoint the Director of the Office.
    ``(b) Purpose of Office.--Upon establishment, the Office shall 
assume the primary responsibility for--
            ``(1) monitoring and combatting acts of anti-Semitism and 
        anti-Semitic incitement that occur in foreign countries;
            ``(2) coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that 
        portion of the report required by sections 116(d)(7) and 
        502B(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
        2151n(d)(7) and 2304(b)) relating to a summary of acts of anti-
        Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement around the world for 
        inclusion in the annual country reports on human rights 
        practices; and
            ``(3) coordinating and assisting in the preparation of that 
        portion of the report required by section 102(b)(1)(C) of the 
        International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
        6412(b)(1)(C)) relating to an assessment and description of the 
        nature and extent of acts of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic 
        incitement that occur in foreign countries for inclusion in the 
        annual international religious freedom report.
    ``(c) Consultations.--The Director of the Office shall consult with 
domestic and international nongovernmental organizations and 
multilateral organizations and institutions as the Director considers 
appropriate to fulfill the purposes of this section.
    ``(d) Public Hearings and Evidence.--The Director of the Office may 
hold public hearings take testimony, and receive evidence as the 
Director considers appropriate.''.

SEC. 5. INCLUSION IN DEPARTMENT OF STATE ANNUAL REPORTS OF INFORMATION 
              CONCERNING ACTS OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

    (a) Inclusion in Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.--The 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 116(d)(7) (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)(7)), by 
        striking the semicolon and inserting ``and a summary of acts of 
        anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement that occur in foreign 
        countries, including descriptions of--
            ``(A) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, 
        Jewish people, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, 
        Jewish community institutions, including schools, synagogues, 
        and cemeteries that occurred in foreign countries during the 
        preceding year;
            ``(B) instances of propaganda in government and non-
        government media and other sources in foreign countries that 
        attempt to justify or promote racial hatred or incite acts of 
        violence against Jewish people;
            ``(C) the actions, if any, taken by the governments of such 
        countries to respond to such violence and attacks or to 
        eliminate such propaganda or incitement;
            ``(D) the actions taken by such governments to enact and 
        enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to 
        religious freedom of Jewish people; and
            ``(E) the efforts of such governments to promote anti-bias 
        and tolerance education;''; and
            (2) in the fourth sentence of section 502B(b) (22 U.S.C. 
        2304(b)), by inserting before the period the following: ``and a 
        summary of acts of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement 
        that occur in foreign countries, including the descriptions of 
        such acts required under section 116(d)(7)''.
    (b) Inclusion in International Religious Freedom Report.--Section 
102(b)(1) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 
6412(b)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (C), (D), (E), and (F) 
        as subparagraphs (D), (E), (F), and (G), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(C) Acts of anti-semitism.--An assessment and 
                description of the nature and extent of acts of anti-
                Semitism and anti-Semitic incitement that occur in 
                foreign countries, including descriptions of--
                            ``(i) acts of physical violence against, or 
                        harassment of, Jewish people, and acts of 
                        violence against, or vandalism of, Jewish 
                        community institutions, including schools, 
                        synagogues, and cemeteries that occurred in 
                        foreign countries during the preceding year;
                            ``(ii) instances of propaganda in 
                        government and non-government media and other 
                        sources in foreign countries that attempt to 
                        justify or promote racial hatred or incite acts 
                        of violence against Jewish people;
                            ``(iii) the actions, if any, taken by the 
                        governments of such countries to respond to 
                        such violence and attacks or to eliminate such 
                        propaganda or incitement;
                            ``(iv) the actions taken by such 
                        governments to enact and enforce laws relating 
                        to the protection of the right to religious 
                        freedom of Jewish people; and
                            ``(v) the efforts of such governments to 
                        promote anti-bias and tolerance education.''.
    (c) Effective Date of Inclusions.--The amendments made by 
subsections (a) and (b) shall apply beginning with the first report 
under sections 116(d) and 502B(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2151n(d) and 2304(b)) and section 102(b) of the 
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6312(b)) 
submitted more than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
                                 <all>
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