Foster Statement on H.Res. 894

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Bill Foster released the following statement after voting “present” on H.Res. 894:

“There is no question that the recent rise in antisemitism is an urgent threat that must be addressed, but this extreme Republican resolution is not a good-faith effort to tackle the problem.

“This resolution includes an overly broad definition of antisemitism that could be used to deem any criticism of Israel’s government as antisemitic. It states that there is no difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism — a blanket statement that fails to recognize the broad range of definitions of Zionism or appreciate the diversity of thought within the Jewish community. Instead of working in a careful and collaborative way, Republican leadership chose to rush forward with a severely flawed resolution that would only serve to further divide our nation at a time when we need unity in the face of hate.

“I stand shoulder to shoulder with those who want to take meaningful action to fight the antisemitic scourge, including Congressional action. I was proud to support the Biden Administration’s National Antisemitism Strategy, which provides a whole-of-government approach to fighting antisemitism in the United States. I am also proud to join Rep. Nadler, Goldman, and Raskin to cosponsor their resolution to fully implement the National Strategy, including tangible solutions such as funding for enforcement of Title VI to address antisemitism on college campuses and increasing funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues on meaningful policies to root out hatred, bigotry, and discrimination from our nation and around the world.”

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