Condemning the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff.

Bill: 118-hres-798
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Owens, Burgess [R-UT-4]
Introduced: 2023-10-19
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Higher education

Religion

Terrorism
Latest action: action_date: 2023-11-02
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-10-19
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution condemns the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff. It also urges the Department of Education to direct the Office for Civil Rights to investigate and, where appropriate, take immediate action.</p>

action_date: 2023-11-02
action_desc: Passed House
text: <p>This resolution condemns the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff. </p> <p>Additionally, the resolution calls on campus administrators to (1) condemn all forms of antisemitism on college campuses; and (2) ensure Jewish faculty, students, and guests can exercise the same free speech rights as are guaranteed to all other faculty, students, and guests without intimidation.</p> <p>The resolution also urges enforcement of federal civil rights laws to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.</p>

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 798 In the House of Representatives, U. S., November 2, 2023 RESOLUTION A resolution condemning the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff, condemning antisemitism on college campuses, and supporting the right of Jewish students to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Whereas both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognized by the United States Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations; Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack to deliberately target Israeli civilians, including the killing and abduction of men, women, children, and the elderly; Whereas Hamas’ stated goal is the entire destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of its Jewish citizens; Whereas a disturbing number of student organizations at institutions of higher education placed blame solely upon the State of Israel for the attack and expressed support for the terrorist actions of Hamas through the glorification of violence and the usage of antisemitic rhetoric; Whereas on October 9, 2023, the national leadership of Students for Justice in Palestine declared a day of resistance calling on student chapters across the United States to demonstrate by not just slogans and rallies, but armed confrontation with oppressors and following this announcement many chapters issued pro-Hamas statements; Whereas on October 10, 2023, a Stanford University lecturer targeted Jewish students during a class on colonialism, justifying the actions of Hamas terrorists by calling them freedom fighters and asking Jewish students to identify themselves and stand in the corner to illustrate what Jews were doing to Palestinians ; Whereas on October 15, 2023, in a complete disregard for humanity, a Cornell University professor grabbed the microphone at a campus rally and pronounced that, Hamas has challenged the monopoly of violence and it was exhilarating. It was energizing…I was exhilarated, in reference to Hamas’ terror attack on Israel; Whereas on October 22, 2023, the Brandeis University student government voted down a simple resolution condemning Hamas and calling on the immediate release of all hostages back to their families unharmed; Whereas on October 24, 2023, George Washington University students at a vigil to support Hamas’ surprise attack prominently projected signs on the walls of the university’s library including, Glory to our Martyrs ; Whereas many administrations of institutions of higher education do not follow the practice of institutional neutrality and frequently speak out on public issues, but have failed to speak out clearly after the October 7 attack by Hamas, and have exposed their lack of regard for their Jewish and pro-Israel students; and Whereas the glorification of violence and usage of antisemitic rhetoric creates a hostile learning and working environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff; (2) calls on campus administrators— (A) to condemn all forms of antisemitism on college campuses; and (B) to ensure Jewish faculty, students, and guests can exercise the same Free Speech rights as are guaranteed to all other faculty, students, and guests without intimidation; and (3) urges enforcement of Federal civil rights laws to protect Jewish students from antisemitism.

Cheryl L. Johnson, Clerk.

tv_txt: IV 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 798 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 19, 2023 Mr. Owens (for himself, Mr. Allen , Mr. Aderholt , Mr. Banks , Mr. Bean of Florida , Ms. Boebert , Mr. Brecheen , Mr. Burlison , Mrs. Cammack , Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer , Mr. Ciscomani , Mr. Collins , Mr. Comer , Mr. Curtis , Ms. De La Cruz , Mr. DesJarlais , Mr. Diaz-Balart , Mr. Duncan , Ms. Foxx , Mr. Scott Franklin of Florida , Mr. Fry , Mr. Gimenez , Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas , Mr. Good of Virginia , Mrs. Houchin , Mr. Hudson , Mr. Lawler , Ms. Letlow , Mrs. McClain , Mrs. Miller of Illinois , Mr. Mills , Mr. Molinaro , Mr. Moolenaar , Mr. Moore of Alabama , Mr. Moore of Utah , Mr. Reschenthaler , Mr. Rose , Mr. Smucker , Mrs. Steel , Ms. Stefanik , Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mr. Tiffany , Mr. Timmons , Mr. Van Drew , Mr. Walberg , Mr. Weber of Texas , Mr. Webster of Florida , Mr. Williams of New York , Mr. Wilson of South Carolina , Mr. Yakym , Mr. Steil , Mr. Grothman , and Mr. James ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce October 25, 2023 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce RESOLUTION Condemning the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff.

Whereas both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognized by the United States Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations; Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack to deliberately target Israeli civilians, including the killing and abduction of men, women, children, and the elderly; Whereas Hamas’ stated goal is the entire destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of its Jewish citizens; Whereas a disturbing number of student organizations at institutions of higher education placed blame solely upon the State of Israel for the attack and expressed support for the terrorist actions of Hamas through the glorification of violence and the usage of antisemitic rhetoric; Whereas many administrations of institutions of higher education do not follow the practice of institutional neutrality and frequently speak out on public issues, but have failed to speak out clearly after the October 7 attack by Hamas, and have exposed their lack of regard for their Jewish and pro-Israel students; Whereas the glorification of violence and usage of antisemitic rhetoric creates a hostile learning and working environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) condemns the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff; and (2) urges the Secretary of Education to direct the Office for Civil Rights to investigate and, where appropriate, take action immediately.