Legislation Expressing U.S. Interest in Combating
Anti-Semitism at Home and Abroad
(2019)
On February 13, 2019, the House approved a motion with 424 votes (Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Justin Amash (R-MI) voted present) to add language condemning anti-Semitism to a bill calling for an end to U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. The vote was stimulated in part by controversial remarks by freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) that were widely viewed as anti-Semitic.
The motion states that “it is in the national interests of the United States to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad. With an unfortunate rise in anti-Semitism and attempts to delegitimize Israel, the United States House of Representatives must emphasize the importance of combating anti-Semitism and reject all movements that deny Israel’s right to exist.”
The House subsequently approved the bill 248-177 containing this motion.
The Senate voted in the previous Congress for a similar bill regarding Yemen (without the language on anti-Semitism), but it effectively died with the end of that session. The Senate has not voted on the House bill (H.J. Res. 37).
Sources: Juliegrace Brufke, “House approves motion condemning anti-Semitism,” The Hill, (February 13, 2019);
Catie Edmondson and Charlie Savage, “House Votes to Halt Aid for Saudi Arabia’s War in Yemen,” New York Times, (February 13, 2019).
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