Representative Peter Roskam The Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism recently released a statement in response to the newly-released data from the Kantor Center’s recent report on the rising tide of European anti-Semitism. The Kantor Center’s report concluded that anti-Semitic incidents had risen in the U.S. by 57% between 2016 and 2017. The Taskforce, in their release, urged the passing of H.R. 672 and H.R. 1911, two bills to help address European anti-Semitism. The Taskforce is a bipartisan coalition of both Democrat and Republican Representatives, re-launched in February of 2017, with a goal of “work[ing] together to root out hatred and racism in all its ugly forms [and] find[ing] innovative solutions that match the 21st century face of this ancient bigotry.” H.R. 672, the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act, would require the U.S. State Department to document the security challenges of European Jewish communities, and also urges European governments to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism, a definition used by the governments of Britain, Germany, and numerous other international bodies and governments. H.R. 1911, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act of 2017, would amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 in order to provide a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. The Special Envoy would have the rank of Ambassador and would be appointed by the President, and would serve as the primary advisor to coordinate efforts intended to combat anti-Semitism in both Europe and the United States. The full text of the Taskforce’s statement on European anti-Semitism can be found below: “We are gravely concerned by the staggering increase in anti-Semitism across Europe as documented in the recent report by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University. It is inexcusable that Jews in Europe are living in fear of violence, harassment, and abuse in 2018 for no reason other than their faith. When widespread anti-Semitism goes unchecked in Europe, the results are heinous, sometimes even deadly, and we must redouble our efforts to reverse the trend of such bigotry. “We therefore urge our Senate colleagues to pass H.R. 672, the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act, authored by Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Nita Lowey to require the State Department to document the security challenges of European Jewish communities, U.S. partnerships with European law enforcement agencies to counter anti-Semitism, and efforts by European governments to acknowledge, adopt and apply a working definition of anti-Semitism. “Additionally, attacks on and threats to Jewish communities globally are why it is urgent for the Administration to immediately appoint a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism. Congress created and required this position through provisions of law authored by Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Chris Smith to provide a full view of the anti-Semitic challenges for Jewish communities abroad and to lead U.S. efforts to fight anti-Semitism. We call on the State Department to swiftly fill this position. “We also urge the House to pass H.R. 1911, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act, authored by Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Chris Smith to strengthen and elevate the Special Envoy position. The bill requires the position to be elevated to the rank of Ambassador and appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, report directly to the Secretary of State, be a person of recognized distinction in directly relevant fields, and to be exclusively dedicated to monitoring and combating anti-Semitism.”