119-hr3691

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3691 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3691

To establish the Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United 
 States.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 3, 2025

Mrs. Miller-Meeks (for herself, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, and Ms. Salazar) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To establish the Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United 
 States.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Commission to Study Acts of 
Antisemitism in the United States Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) Since Hamas deadly invasion of the nation of Israel on 
 October 7, 2023, there has been a disturbing rise of 
 antisemitism in the United States.

    (2) On April 12, 2024, a California protester was arrested 
 for threatening death upon members of Bakersfield City Council.

    (3) The Anti-Defamation League reported 9,354 antisemitic 
 incidents in 2024 alone, the highest number recorded in the 
 organization's history.

    (4) College and university campuses have experienced an 84 
 percent increase in antisemitic incidents compared to 2023.

    (5) Assaults have increased 21 percent to 196 incidents and 
 vandalism has increased 20 percent to 2,606 incidents since 
 2023.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.

 There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be 
known as the ``Commission to Study Acts of Antisemitism in the United 
States'' (in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').

SEC. 4. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

 Without making any predetermined or political findings, the 
Commission shall--

    (1) investigate the facts and causes of antisemitism in the 
 present day;

    (2) examine and evaluate evidence developed by relevant 
 Federal, State, and local governments regarding the facts and 
 circumstances of antisemitic attacks within the United States, 
 except that such examination and evaluation shall not interfere 
 with ongoing law enforcement activities and investigations; and

    (3) report to the President and Congress regarding its 
 findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislation or 
 administrative actions as the Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Members.--

    (1) Number and appointment.--The Commission shall be 
 composed of 8 members appointed as follows:
        (A) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the House 
 of Representatives.
        (B) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of 
 the House of Representatives.
            (C) 2 members appointed by the majority leader of 
 the Senate.
            (D) 2 members appointed by the minority leader of 
 the Senate.

    (2) Chairperson; vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and 
 Vice Chairperson of the Commission shall be designated jointly 
 by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority 
 leader of the House of Representatives at the time of the 
 appointment.

    (3) Political affiliation.--Not more than 4 members 
 appointed under paragraph

    (1) may be of the same political 
 party.

    (4) Timing for appointment.--All members of the Commission 
 shall be appointed not later than 10 days after the date of 
 enactment of this Act.

    (b) Terms.--

    (1) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for the 
 life of the Commission.

    (2) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
 in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
            (c) Basic Pay.--

    (1) Compensation.--Except as provided in paragraph

    (2) , 
 members shall each be paid at a rate not to exceed the daily 
 equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level III of the 
 Executive Schedule for each day (including travel time) during 
 which they are engaged in the actual performance of duties 
 vested in the Commission.

    (2) Prohibition of compensation of federal employees.--
 Members of the Commission who are full-time officers or 
 employees of the United States or Members of Congress may not 
 receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of 
 their service on the Commission.

    (3) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
 expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
 accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
 chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
            (d) Quorum.--6 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum 
but a lesser number may hold hearings.

    (e) Meetings.--As soon as practicable after all members are 
appointed, but not earlier than 15 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Commission shall meet and begin the initial operation of 
the Commission. The Commission shall meet monthly thereafter.

SEC. 6. EXPERTS; STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.

    (a) Experts.--The Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
services under 

section 3109

    (b) of title 5, United States Code, but at 
rates for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual 
rate of basic pay for GS-15 of the General Schedule. The services of an 
expert or consultant may be procured without compensation if the expert 
or consultant agrees to such an arrangement, in writing, in advance.

    (b) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 7. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may, for the purpose of 
carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commission considers 
appropriate. The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to 
witnesses appearing before it.

    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
            (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon joint request of the 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that 
department or agency shall furnish that information to the Commission.
            (d) Subpoena Power.--

    (1) In general.--The Commission may issue subpoenas 
 requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the 
 production of any evidence relating to any matter which the 
 Commission is empowered to investigate under this Act. Such 
 subpoenas shall be issued by agreement between the Chairperson 
 and Vice Chairperson of the Commission, or by the vote of a 
 majority of the members of the Commission. The attendance of 
 witnesses and the production of evidence may be required from 
 any place within the United States at any designated place of 
 hearing within the United States.

    (2) Failure to obey a subpoena.--If a person refuses to 
 obey a subpoena issued under paragraph

    (1) , the Commission may 
 apply to a United States district court for an order requiring 
 that person to appear before the Commission to give testimony, 
 produce evidence, or both, relating to the matter under 
 investigation. The application may be made within the judicial 
 district where the hearing is conducted or where that person is 
 found, resides, or transacts business. Any failure to obey the 
 order of the court may be punished by the court as civil 
 contempt.

    (3) Service of subpoenas.--The subpoenas of the Commission 
 shall be served in the manner provided for subpoenas issued by 
 a United States district court under the Federal Rules of Civil 
 Procedure for the United States district courts.

    (4) Service of process.--All process of any court to which 
 application is made under paragraph

    (2) may be served in the 
 judicial district in which the person required to be served 
 resides or may be found.

    (e) Immunity.--Except as provided in this subsection, a person may 
not be excused from testifying or from producing evidence pursuant to a 
subpoena on the ground that the testimony or evidence required by the 
subpoena may tend to incriminate or subject that person to criminal 
prosecution. A person, after having claimed the privilege against self-
incrimination, may not be criminally prosecuted by reason of any 
transaction, matter, or thing which that person is compelled to testify 
about or produce evidence relating to, except that the person may be 
prosecuted for perjury committed during the testimony or made in the 
evidence.

    (f) Contract Authority.--To the extent or in the amounts provided 
in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may enter into 
contracts to enable the Commission to discharge its duties under this 
Act.

SEC. 8. REPORT; TERMINATION.

    (a) Report.--The Commission shall transmit a report to the 
President and Congress not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act. The report shall contain a detailed statement of 
the findings and conclusions of the Commission, together with its 
recommendations for legislation or administrative actions as the 
Commission considers appropriate.

    (b) Termination.--

    (1) In general.--The Commission shall terminate upon the 
 expiration of the 120-day period which begins on the date on 
 which the Commission submits the report under subsection

    (a) .

    (2) Administrative activities before termination.--The 
 Commission may use the 120-day period referred to in paragraph

    (1) for the purpose of concluding the activities of the 
 Commission, including disseminating the report submitted under 
 subsection

    (a) and providing testimony to committees of 
 Congress concerning such report.

SEC. 9. DEFINITION.

 In this Act, the term ``antisemitism'' means a certain perception 
of Jews, which may be expressed--

    (1) as hatred toward Jews; and

    (2) by rhetorical and physical manifestations directed 
 toward--
        (A) Jewish or non-Jewish individuals;
        (B) the property of the individuals described under 
 subparagraph
        (A) ;
            (C) Jewish community institutions; or
            (D) Jewish religious facilities.
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