Current Events > Bipartisan bill would create 'antisemitism monitors' on college campuses

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A pro-Israel House Democrat and Republican plan to introduce legislation creating federally sanctioned "antisemitism monitors" for select college campuses.
Why it matters: It's the first bill introduced in Congress as a direct response to the pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked Columbia University and other colleges in recent days.
Driving the news: Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) are introducing the College Oversight and Legal Updates Mandating Bias Investigations and Accountability Act or COLUMBIA Act.
The bill would allow the Department of Education to send a "third-party antisemitism monitor" to any college that receives federal funding and to revoke that funding for colleges that don't comply.
The monitor, paid for by the school, would be charged with releasing a public, quarterly report evaluating "the progress that a college or university has made toward combating antisemitism."
The bill was first reported by Jewish Insider.
What they're saying: "My office and I have spoken with countless Jewish students from campuses across America who feel deeply unsafe, purely as a result of their religious and ethnic identity," Torres said in a statement.
"Jewish students have told my office that they feel completely abandoned by their university administrators and they view Congress as the only avenue for accountability and safety."
Zoom out: The bill's introduction comes as college campuses have become ground zero for a national fight over antisemitism and the Israel-Hamas war.
At least 10 House members, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have gone to Columbia this week to denounce campus antisemitism and criticize the college's administration
Several high-profile House progressives have also gone to colleges in recent days to show their solidarity with demonstrators.

But we're not concerned with Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry? What about rooting out neo-nazis in the military, the Republicans now want to help us do that right? What? No to both?

But Neo Nazis around the country are just fine man our gov is shit

Weird how this never came up for the kkk and neo Nazi rallies

Just take down the US flags at this point and put up Israel ones.

Seems bad

As usual, basically everything bipartisan is terrible.

But Neo Nazis around the country are just fine man our gov is shit

Neo Nazis are pretty anti semitic

Do these fuckers not remember the Skokie "demonstration." I don't recall riot police being called out for those literal Nazis.

Just take down the US flags at this point and put up Israel ones.

Its both amazing and sad that not even a few days ago it was conspiracy lvs of BS that Isreal controlled the country. But here we are.

Why not make a law that encompasses combatting all racism?

This would ban most conservative organizations and speakers from college campuses... but I'm going to say it's not worth the damage to the first amendment.

Because they don't actually care about racism, or antisemitism.

So where are the college monitors against anti-Arab racism following 9/11, anti-Asian racism following COVID, and anti-Black racism for the last few decades?

LOL at the thought of this getting enforced vs. anti-semitism on the right. Enforcement will be 100% vs. the left, and even something uncontroversial, like "Bibi is a fucking war criminal", will be construed as anti-semitism.

Hoist them on their own petards?

But we're not concerned with Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry? What about rooting out neo-nazis in the military, the Republicans now want to help us do that right? What? No to both?

All the free speech absolutists are awfully quiet nowadays

Seems bad