Kamlager-Dove Statement on Voting 'Present' for H. Res. 894

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 5, 2023

Media Contact: Maya Valentine | maya.valentine@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) issued the following statement on voting 'present' for H. Res. 894:

"Today, I joined Democratic Leadership and 88 other Democrats in voting ‘present’ on H. Res. 894. I am greatly concerned over the rise of antisemitism — as we all should be. As the proud Representative of a large, active, and diverse Jewish community in Los Angeles, I am very aware of the fear my Jewish constituency feels when going to ordinary places such as schools, grocery stores, and the workplace. This is unacceptable, and the seriousness of antisemitism cannot be understated; it is precisely why we need to be focused on real, meaningful solutions to combat this hate. But this is not what H. Res. 894 attempts to do.

"Under the guise of condemning antisemitism, Republicans are weaponizing words and preying on the trauma of the American Jewish community by purposely including an overly broad definition of antisemitism that goes so far as to imply that it is antisemitic to criticize the actions of the Israeli government. This is a dangerous conflation that politicizes and minimizes the anxieties of the Jewish community and the desire for a safe Israel to score cheap political points. My constituents are not pawns. This ploy adds to the growing evidence that Republicans are not good faith actors when it comes to combating antisemitism. Republicans have stoked antisemitism in their far-right ranks, remained silent during Charlottesville, and denied accountability for their inflammatory, xenophobic rhetoric that has put lives in danger. Using antisemitism to advance a political agenda and further divide is a real fear the Jewish community feels.

"I am committed to advancing meaningful and productive efforts to combat antisemitism. I am supportive of efforts like President Biden’s White House National Strategy on Antisemitism, a first-ever, whole-of-society approach to counter antisemitic hate and violence. I strongly endorse and have co-sponsored H. Res. 907, led by Congressmen Jerry Nadler, Daniel Goldman, and Jamie Raskin. This important resolution calls for the full implementation of President Biden’s strategy as a substantive way of combating widespread antisemitism and would help activate laws that protect students from discrimination, harassment, or abuse based on their Jewish ancestry. These are just some of the steps I am taking to ensure that the highest levels of government are working to combat antisemitism.

"We also cannot forget that systematically rooting out antisemitism requires dismantling the bigotry and discrimination based on religious affiliation and national origin that is also the basis for Islamophobia against our Muslim and Palestinian brothers and sisters. The safety of these two communities is interlinked — at home and abroad. I will always call out hate, but I will also refuse to play into Republican games that politicize human suffering and fear."

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