Original Resolution honoring and commending the American Jewish Committee on its 118th anniversary

Bill: 118-hres-1578
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]
Introduced: 2024-11-18
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2024-11-18
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Summaries:
action_date: 2024-11-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution recognizes the 118th anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Committee. It also honors and commends the committee for its efforts regarding human rights, interfaith dialogue, and&nbsp;Israel.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1578 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 2024 Mr. Green of Texas (for himself, Mr. Costa , Ms. Stevens , Mrs. Fletcher , and Mr. Rulli ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability RESOLUTION Honoring and commending the American Jewish Committee on its 118th anniversary.

Whereas this resolution may be cited as the Original Resolution honoring and commending the American Jewish Committee on its 118th anniversary ; Whereas the American Jewish Committee (AJC) was founded on November 11, 1906, in New York City by a group of American Jews to raise awareness about persecution and pogroms targeting Jews in Russia and who understood that the fight against antisemitism was inextricably linked to advancing human rights and democratic values for all; Whereas the AJC recognizes that the protection of minorities underlies the fabric of democracies, and speaks out when vulnerable communities are threatened; Whereas the AJC, in partnership with the Jewish community and other civil society leaders, has been an essential resource and advocate in the fight against the rising tide of hate and bigotry; Whereas the AJC’s groundbreaking research on prejudice and racism was cited in the historic Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka; Whereas the AJC, an early supporter of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, has not wavered in its dedication to the civil rights struggle in the United States, and it remains committed to safeguarding human rights at home and abroad; Whereas the AJC has a long history of building coalitions and advocating for bipartisan, transnational solutions to address immigration; Whereas the AJC’s Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs (BILLA) works to strengthen ties between Jews and Latinos, and, in December 2023, BILLA hosted the Strategic Forum for Leaders of Ibero-American Jewish Communities in Santiago, Chile; Whereas the AJC strengthens bonds with diverse faith and ethnic communities to underscore its commitment to pluralism, to combat the rise of antisemitism and religiously motivated hate crimes, and to ensure all faiths and minorities are protected against oppression and acts of violence and are able to practice in their houses of worship without fear; Whereas, following the horrific attack at the Tree of Life or L’Simcha Congregation in Pittsburgh which killed 11 worshippers, the AJC launched a global campaign encouraging people of conscience around the world to attend Shabbat services to confront hate-motivated violence with solidarity and determination; Whereas the names of the Tree of Life attack victims are Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Edgewood Borough, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax, and Irving Younger; Whereas, in November 2016, the AJC launched the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, an unprecedented initiative, which fostered a network of hundreds of American Muslim and Jewish leaders to protect and expand the rights of religious minorities in the United States; Whereas, in January 2020, the AJC partnered with the Mecca-based Muslim World League to lead 62 Muslim representatives from over 28 countries to Auschwitz, a historic undertaking that brought one of the most senior Muslim delegations to a Nazi death camp ever; Whereas the AJC has played a pivotal role in advancing Christian-Jewish relations for over 100 years, including through the heroic leadership of Rabbi Marc H. Tanenbaum, AJC Director of Interreligious Affairs, which dramatically contributed to the declaration of the Holy See known as Nostra Aetate on October 28, 1965, transforming for the better Christian teachings on Jews and Judaism; Whereas the AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights works to combat religious intolerance, prevent genocide and mass atrocities, and oppose all forms of discrimination; Whereas, in July 2015, the AJC launched the Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism campaign to build a nationwide coalition of elected officials committed to fighting antisemitism; Whereas, since Mayors United Against Anti-Semitism’s inception, nearly 200 European mayors from 31 countries and more than 700 mayors and municipal leaders from all 50 States plus the District of Columbia have signed onto the statement condemning anti-Jewish hatred, pledging to promote respectful coexistence; Whereas the AJC has been a steadfast supporter of Israel, becoming the first American Jewish organization to open an office in Israel, and an effective advocate of Israel’s security and place among nations; Whereas the AJC seeks to expand Israel’s bilateral and multilateral ties with strategically important countries and international bodies while also working to counter assaults on Israel’s legitimacy; Whereas, in 2018, the AJC crafted a pledge of unity and resolve reaffirming the long-established transatlantic partnership between North America and Europe, which was signed by more than 30 world leaders from both continents, including current President Joe Biden, former Speaker of the House John Boehner, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Whereas the AJC’s Project Interchange has brought more than 6,200 opinion leaders and policymakers to Israel from over 120 countries and all 50 States; Whereas the AJC’s Leaders For Tomorrow (LFT) program for high school students seeks to empower young Jews to speak up for Israel and Jewish people and has reached almost 3,000 students; Whereas, in the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022, two AJC-sponsored flights transported hundreds of Ukrainian Jewish refugees to Israel; Whereas the AJC’s advocacy is underpinned by the notion that American leadership in global affairs is essential to our national interests, the preservation and advancement of democratic values and human dignity, and the security of our allies; Whereas the first University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism was hosted by the AJC in partnership with Hillel International and the American Council on Education (ACE) in April 2022 to address challenges Jewish students face on campus; Whereas the AJC’s Transatlantic Institute worked to renew the EU-Israel Association Council, which met again for the first time in decades in October 2022; Whereas, each year, the AJC engages in diplomatic outreach during the United Nations General Assembly, and, in September 2024, the AJC met with over 80 world leaders to advocate for friendships with Israel, urge leaders to counter antisemitism, implore the international community to address human rights abuses as well as nuclear development in Iran, and to emphasize support for Ukraine in its war against Russia; Whereas the AJC has been a stalwart for human rights and a bulwark against injustice worldwide, embracing a global approach with 17 international offices, 25 United States offices, and 38 international Jewish community partnerships; Whereas, since the horrific events of October 7, 2023, the AJC has written articles concerning the Israel-Hamas war and continues to provide recommendations on how to address antisemitism across the globe; Whereas, on May 21, 2024, the AJC released an updated Call to Action Against Antisemitism, a Society-Wide Nonpartisan Guide for America, which included specific guidelines for addressing antisemitism in light of the October 7 attacks; and Whereas the AJC has spearheaded the effort to combat antisemitism online and has brought attention to Jewish voices by creating the Voices Against Antisemitism campaign, a video series featuring American Jewish celebrities and social media influencers reckoning with the aftermath of the Hamas attack: Now, therefore, be it

1. Short title This resolution may be cited as the Original Resolution honoring and commending the American Jewish Committee on its 118th anniversary . 2. Honoring and commending the american jewish committee on its 118th anniversary That the House of Representatives— (1) recognizes the 118th anniversary of the historic founding of the American Jewish Committee; and (2) honors and commends the American Jewish Committee for its efforts regarding human rights worldwide, interfaith dialogue, and the promotion of Israel’s security and place in the world.