Bipartisan Cruz-Kaine Resolution Condemning Antisemitism Unanimously Passes Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today the United States Senate unanimously passed U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Tim Kaine's (D-Va.) bipartisan resolution condemning all forms of antisemitism.

"‘In the United States, Jews have suffered from systematic discrimination in the form of exclusion from home ownership in certain neighborhoods, prohibition from staying in certain hotels, restrictions upon membership in private clubs and other associations, limitations upon admission to certain educational institutions, and other barriers to equal justice under the law,'" Sen. Cruz said. "This is a shameful legacy and it makes it all the more incumbent that we as a Senate, speak in one voice and stand resolved that the United States condemns and commits to combating all forms of antisemitism."

"Right now, we are seeing an uptick in hate crimes against Jewish communities. We have to acknowledge that antisemitism is real, it's dangerous, and it's growing. Those of us in leadership positions need to stand up against it, and I'm grateful that Senator Cruz reached out to work together on this bipartisan effort. I'm proud the Senate came together to unanimously pass our resolution that shows we will do everything in our power to combat this rise in antisemitism," Kaine said.

Sen. Cruz's full remarks may be viewed here and below:

"Mr. President, today I'd like to thank Senator Kaine for joining with me in introducing what should hopefully be a simple, but crucially important matter for the Senate: to issue an unequivocal, direct, and clear condemnation of all forms of antisemitism. Unfortunately, we're living in an era where the need for a strong and clear condemnation of antisemitism has become acute.

"We are in the midst of a wave of antisemitism seen both here in the United States and all over the world. In just the last few years, we have seen repeated antisemitic comments made publicly, including insinuations questioning the loyalty and the patriotism of American Jews. We've seen physical violence against Jews, including shootings in Jewish places of worship such as the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and the Chabad in Poway. We've seen a wave of physical attacks against Jews in the streets of New York. And we have seen the growth on our college campuses of movements to aggressively boycott products made by Jews in Israel. And as we've learned this week, things have gotten so bad that the New York Times has announced it will simply stop running political cartoons in their International edition after being criticized and forced to apologize for recently running a blatantly antisemitic cartoon.

"This resolution was also prompted unfortunately by the inability of the House of Representatives to come together and vote on a resolution straightforwardly and directly condemning antisemitism. Too many in political life have given into the extremes, including the embrace of boycotts and at times outright hatred for Israel, the world's only Jewish state. So when the House tried to condemn antisemitism, sadly they were instead forced to water it down into a general resolution decrying bigotry of all sorts, listing every group they could think of.

"There's of course nothing wrong with condemning bigotry and hatred in general. But antisemitism is a unique prejudice, with a unique history, that has led to unique horrors throughout history. Jews today are the most targeted religious group in the United States for hate crimes, according to the data compiled by the FBI. We need to be able to acknowledge that clearly and directly and that's what this resolution does.

"This resolution outlines how ancient forms of antisemitism continue to live on today. It emphasizes that antisemitism is a unique form of prejudice, stretching back millennia and it condemns the modern form of those ancient prejudices.

"It talks about how antisemitism has for centuries included exactly what we're seeing here today, including physical attacks against Jews; including attacks on the loyalty of Jews and accusations of dual loyalty; campaigns to boycott, to confiscate, or destroy Jewish businesses; and accusations that Jews use money to purchase political power. These are all false and vicious slurs.

"This resolution also speaks to the unique prejudice Jews here in America experience, which we must acknowledge.

"I'd like to read one clause in particular in the resolution: ‘In the United States, Jews have suffered from systematic discrimination in the form of exclusion from home ownership in certain neighborhoods, prohibition from staying in certain hotels, restrictions upon membership in private clubs and other associations, limitations upon admission to certain educational institutions, and other barriers to equal justice under the law.'

"This is a shameful legacy and it makes it all the more incumbent that we as a Senate, speak in one voice and stand resolved that the United States condemns and commits to combating all forms of antisemitism.

"Mr. President, this bipartisan resolution has 56 cosponsors, including 14 Democratic Senators. I am particularly grateful to Senator Kaine and his leadership, which has been pivotal in bringing us together to speak united with one clear voice. And I'm hopeful that just moments from now the Senate will come together, will pass a clear denunciation of antisemitism 100 to nothing so that we are clearly understood and clearly heard. With that I yield to my friend, Senator Kaine."

Read the full text of the resolution here. The resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Dan Sullivan (R-Ala.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).

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