ADL Praises Members of Congress for Introduction of Historic Countering Antisemitism Act

New York, NY, April 10, 2024 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today welcomed the introduction of the Countering Antisemitism Act—the most comprehensive antisemitism initiative to be introduced in Congress—which will implement the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and make permanent its critical policies and infrastructure.

“The U.S. Jewish community is facing the worst crisis of antisemitism that we have seen in a generation. The Countering Antisemitism Act offers a smart, innovative whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to combating this hatred and protecting Jews around the country,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “This historic bill is the most far-reaching antisemitism initiative ever to be introduced in Congress. We applaud the Countering Antisemitism Act and its efforts to implement the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and make it permanent.”

In the aftermath of Hamas’s deadly attack on Oct. 7, ADL has tracked a dramatic surge of antisemitic incidents. ADL is proud to be working closely with Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK) and Reps. Kathy Manning (D-NC) and Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairs of the House and Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism to ensure that the whole of government is meeting this moment with effective and thoughtful policy. ADL will launch a grassroots advocacy campaign pushing for Congressional support and timely passage of the Countering Antisemitism Act.  

The Countering Antisemitism Act will create lasting executive structures to prioritize fighting antisemitism, including a domestic National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism and a dedicated Task Force that meets regularly to coordinate efforts to fight antisemitism across agencies.

It will also promote Holocaust education, address the scourge of antisemitism on college and university campuses across the country, support the life-saving Nonprofit Security Grant Program, celebrate Jewish life by declaring May “Jewish American Heritage Month,” and more.

“The U.S. government must pursue policies and create the necessary infrastructure to fight antisemitism today and well into the future, and these efforts must endure beyond any single administration or 12-month timeline,” said Greenblatt. “Thank you, Sens. Jacky Rosen and James Lankford and Reps. Kathy Manning and Chris Smith, Co-Chairs of the House and Senate Bipartisan Task Forces for Combating Antisemitism, for leading this critical, timely bipartisan initiative.”

Following years of ADL advocacy, in May 2023, the White House published the historic U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, which for the first time elevated the fight against antisemitism to a federal priority. ADL actively assisted in the development of the White House strategy, contributing more than 30 distinct policy recommendations, and has maintained an online tracker of its progress to date.

ADL also organized grassroots advocates to urge Congress and the Biden Administration to develop a unified national strategy to monitor and combat antisemitism. The foundations for these policies were set in part by ADL’s COMBAT Plan, a proposed set of government initiatives to fight antisemitism, which ADL originally released in June 2022. The COMBAT Plan articulated several of the key policies that were ultimately included in the national strategy, such as efforts around education, community safety, hate crimes, and online hate.

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all. More at www.adl.org.