00:00Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong condemnation of a sickness, of a disease that is growing stronger, more dangerous, and more violent in our own country of the United States of America. It is called anti-Semitism.
00:17On June 1st, in Boulder, Colorado, a peaceful rally called Run for Their Lives, which was just held to raise awareness about hostages taken by Hamas. That rally was violently attacked with Molotov cocktails and a homemade flamethrower.
00:36The suspect, shouting, free Palestine, injured 15 people, and many of them were elderly. One of them, think about this, Mr. Speaker, one of them was an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor.
00:52This terrorist was here illegally on an expired visa, targeted Jews on purpose, on American soil, on American soil. Let everybody let that sink in.
01:04This was a terrorist attack in broad daylight, and it wasn't even an isolated event. On May 21st, two Israeli embassy staff were gunned down, a beautiful couple, outside the Capitol Jewish Museum, right here in Washington, D.C., about a block and a half from my apartment.
01:24On April 13th, an arsonist lit the home of Governor Josh Shapiro. They lit it on fire while he and his family celebrated Passover inside, hoping to kill them all.
01:40The suspect admitted he acted out of hatred for the governor's support of Israel.
01:45Despite the barbarity of the October 7th, Hamas attacks, anti-Semitism has unfortunately surged around the world and right here in our United States of America.
01:59According to the American Jewish Committee, 77% of American Jews say they feel less safe in the United States because of October 7th.
02:09More than half say they changed their behavior in 2024 because of anti-Semitism.
02:18You know, I think of a young lady that we heard from in our Judiciary Committee, and she spoke, a college student, beautiful young woman, smart, spoke about her mother, begged her to take off her Star of David when she went out in the public.
02:35That is a sad day for America.
02:38And these aren't just statistics.
02:42That's fear.
02:44Fear to wear a yarmulke in public.
02:47Fear of attending the local synagogue.
02:50Fear of simply living openly as a Jew in this great country.
02:55There have been 9,300 documented anti-Semitic incidents last year alone.
03:02The FBI reported 1,989 hate crimes, almost 2,000 hate crimes targeting Jewish Americans in 2023 alone.
03:14It is the highest number, the highest number ever recorded.
03:19That's nearly seven out of every 10 religiously motivated hate crimes are crimes against Jews.
03:27This needs to be clear to all who are listening now and in the future.
03:33Jewish Americans make up just 2.4% of the United States population, but account for 68% of religious hate crimes.
03:46That isn't just a spike.
03:48That is a national crisis.
03:51After the Holocaust, the words collectively promised, never again.
03:57But never again is happening right now.
04:00It's happening on our streets.
04:01It's happening in our campuses.
04:03And it's happening in our communities.
04:05We need to protect America from anti-Semitism with the same ferocity as we should protect the right of Americans' free speech.
04:17Because if Jewish Americans can't walk freely in Boulder, or work safely in D.C., or celebrate Passover in their own homes without fear,
04:27then we indeed have failed as a nation.
04:30This resolution says what must be said.
04:34These are acts of terror, pure and simple.
04:37That this hate must be condemned, regardless of how many times it takes, over and over again, it must be condemned.
04:45That the lives of Jewish Americans matter, and that their safety is non-negotiable.
04:52I urge every member, every single member of this body to support it, loudly, proudly, unambiguously,
05:02because it is simply the right thing to do.
05:07And because anti-Semitism has no home, no home in the United States of America.
05:15Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
05:17I reserve the balance of my time.
05:18The gentleman reserved.
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