# What This Resolution Actually Does

This is a resolution from Congress expressing strong disapproval of antisemitism on college campuses and calling on university leaders to take action against it. It's important to understand what this does and doesn't do: it's not a law that creates new punishments or requirements. Instead, it's Congress making a statement and asking colleges to do better on their own.

The resolution was introduced in response to a spike in antisemitic incidents on college campuses following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. According to the resolution, Jewish students and faculty have reported experiencing hate speech, intimidation, and an overall atmosphere of fear on some campuses. The resolution calls out this problem directly and asks college presidents, deans, and administrators to publicly speak out against speech that promotes violence or hatred based on religion, national origin, or ancestry. It also encourages universities to work with Jewish student organizations and make sure Jewish students, faculty, and staff can participate in campus life without fear.

The resolution references the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism as a tool that college administrators could use to identify and address antisemitic behavior. However, the resolution doesn't mandate that universities adopt this definition or enforce any specific policies. It's essentially Congress saying "we see this problem, we condemn it, and we're asking college leaders to step up and address it themselves." For Jewish students on campuses, this represents institutional acknowledgment of their concerns, though whether it leads to actual changes depends on how individual universities respond to this encouragement.

Condemning antisemitism at institutions of higher education in the United States and encouraging college and university leaders, administrators, and faculty to speak out against antisemitism.

Kustoff, David

 <p>This resolution strongly condemns any instances of antisemitism occurring at colleges and universities in the United States.</p> <p>The resolution also</p> <ul> <li>encourages higher education leaders (e.g., presidents, deans, and administrators) to publicly condemn speech that incites or celebrates violence against any people based on religious beliefs, national origin, or ancestry; and</li> <li>encourages institutions of higher education to engage with Jewish student organizations and ensure that Jewish students, faculty, and staff can pursue their academic and personal aspirations without fear.</li> </ul>