Bipartisan group of lawmakers to introduce bill targeting antisemitism

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is looking to address concerns among American Jews that antisemitism is on the rise six months after Hamas’ deadly, surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Led by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., the group introducing the Countering Antisemitism Act on Wednesday aims to tackle discrimination by creating a dedicated position within the White House to advise the president and implement its coordinated strategy to combat the rise of antisemitism, according to text of the legislation first shared with NBC News.

“Antisemitism has been dramatically rising in the United States in the last several years and skyrocketed in the months since the horrific October 7 terror attack on Israel,” Rosen, the third Jewish woman and first former synagogue president ever to serve in the U.S. Senate, said in a statement. “My bipartisan legislation would establish a National Coordinator to Counter Anti Semitism for the first time ever, and take other much-needed steps across the federal government to fight anti-Jewish hatred, bigotry, and violence in the United States.”

The legislation is also backed by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Reps. Kathy Manning, D-N.C.; Chris Smith, R-N.J.; Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; and Randy Weber, R-Texas; all co-chairs of the Task Force for Combating Antisemitism in their respective chambers.

Under the legislation, the national coordinator would help implement the landmark plan, which outlined over 100 steps that federal agencies have committed to taking since the strategy was released by the White House last May. The coordinator would serve as the president’s key adviser to counter domestic antisemitism and would chair a new task force