119-sres246

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 246 Agreed to Senate

    (ATS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 246

 Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month and 
 calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter 
 antisemitism.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 May 22, 2025

 Ms. Rosen (for herself, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Warnock, Mr. 
Lankford, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Risch, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Graham, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Paul, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Crapo, 
 Mr. Wyden, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Kelly, Mr. 
Moreno, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs. Moody, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Hagerty, 
 Mr. Hawley, Mrs. Britt, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month and 
 calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter 
 antisemitism.

Whereas ``Jewish American Heritage Month'' has its origins in 1980, when 
 Congress enacted the Joint Resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution to 
 authorize and request the President to issue a proclamation designating 
 April 21 through April 28, 1980, as `Jewish Heritage Week''', approved 
 April 24, 1980 (Public Law 96-237; 94 Stat. 338);
Whereas, on April 24, 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the proclamation for 
 ``Jewish Heritage Week'', and in that proclamation, President Carter 
 spoke about the bountiful contributions made by the Jewish people to the 
 culture and history of the United States;
Whereas Congress has played a central role in recognizing ``Jewish American 
 Heritage Month'' since the Senate and House of Representatives passed 
 resolutions in 2005 and 2006, respectively, urging the President to 
 proclaim the national observation of a month recognizing the Jewish-
 American community;
Whereas, since 2006, Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all issued 
 proclamations for ``Jewish American Heritage Month'', which celebrates 
 Jewish Americans and encourages all people of the United States to learn 
 more about Jewish heritage and the contributions of Jewish people 
 throughout the history of the United States;
Whereas the people of the United States celebrate the rich history of Jewish 
 people in the United States and the more than 350-year history of Jewish 
 contributions to society in the American Colonies and United States;
Whereas the United States has long served as a haven for Jewish people escaping 
 oppression in search of liberty, justice, and tolerance;
Whereas the Jewish-American community dates back to 1654, when a group of 23 
 Jewish people, fleeing persecution at the hands of the Portuguese 
 Inquisition, fled Brazil and found refuge in what is now New York City;
Whereas Jewish Americans have established deep roots in communities across the 
 United States and served their neighbors and the United States as loyal 
 and patriotic citizens, always grateful for the safe harbor that the 
 United States has provided for them;
Whereas the Jewish-American community has grown to over 6,000,000 people, 
 representing approximately 2 percent of the population of the United 
 States in 2024;
Whereas Jewish Americans have served in government and the military, won Nobel 
 prizes, led universities and corporations, advanced medicine and 
 philanthropy, created and performed in enduring works of performing and 
 visual art, written great novels, become emblems of justice as members 
 of the Supreme Court, and so much more;
Whereas, since Hamas' deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitism 
 in the United States has reached record highs with incidents targeting 
 Jews and those who are perceived as Jewish;
Whereas, according to the American Jewish Committee, 77 percent of American Jews 
 say they feel less safe as a Jewish person in the United States because 
 of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks;
 Whereas, according to the American Jewish Committee, almost 70 percent of 
 Jewish adults report experiencing antisemitism online, including on 
 social media;
Whereas, according to Hillel International, 83 percent of Jewish college 
 students have experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since 
 the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks;
Whereas, in 2024, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 9,354 antisemitic 
 incidents in the United States, which equals an average of 25 incidents 
 per day and represents a 344 percent increase in antisemitic incidents 
 over the previous 5 years and an increase of nearly 900 percent over the 
 previous decade;
Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has aggregated 2023 hate crime data 
 showing the highest number of single-bias anti-Jewish hate crime 
 incidents ever recorded;
Whereas one of the most effective ways to combat antisemitism and hate is 
 through increasing education and awareness about the contributions 
 Jewish Americans have made to the United States through the arts, 
 entertainment, science and technology, the military, the government, 
 business, culinary traditions, and other fields; and
Whereas, as the strength of a society can be measured by how that society 
 protects its minority populations and celebrates their contributions, it 
 is altogether fitting for the United States to once again mark the month 
 of May as ``Jewish American Heritage Month'': Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the Senate--

    (1) recognizes the significance of Jewish American Heritage 
 Month as a time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish 
 Americans to the society and culture of the United States;

    (2) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil 
 society leaders to condemn and counter all acts of 
 antisemitism;

    (3) calls on elected officials and State and local leaders 
 to educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish-
 American community and uplift Jewish stories and voices; and

    (4) takes all possible steps to ensure the safety, 
 security, and dignity of American Jews in all aspects of their 
 lives, including at the workplace, college and university 
 campuses, synagogues, and home.
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