May 7, 2004 sees Congressional Record publish “GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM REVIEW ACT OF 2004”

May 7, 2004 sees Congressional Record publish “GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM REVIEW ACT OF 2004”

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Volume 150, No. 63 covering the 2nd Session of the 108th Congress (2003 - 2004) was published by the Congressional Record.

The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.

“GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM REVIEW ACT OF 2004” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S5049-S5050 on May 7, 2004.

The publication is reproduced in full below:

GLOBAL ANTI-SEMITISM REVIEW ACT OF 2004

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 493, S. 2292.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the bill by title.

The assistant journal clerk read as follows:

A bill (S. 2292) to require a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world.

There being no objection the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with amendments, as follows:

[Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the parts shown in italic.]

S. 2292

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 ``Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Acts of anti-Semitism in countries throughout the world, including some of the world's strongest democracies, have increased significantly in frequency and scope over the last several years.

(2) During the first 3 months of 2004, there were numerous instances of anti-Semitic violence around the world, including the following incidents:

(A) In Australia on January 5, 2004, poison was used to ignite, and burn anti-Semitic slogans into, the lawns of the Parliament House in the state of Tasmania.

(B) In St. Petersburg, Russia, on February 15, 2004, vandals desecrated approximately 50 gravestones in a Jewish cemetery, painting the stones with swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti.

(C) In Toronto, Canada, over the weekend of March 19 through March 21, 2004, vandals attacked a Jewish school, a Jewish cemetery, and area synagogues, painting swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans on the walls of a synagogue and on residential property in a nearby, predominantly Jewish, neighborhood.

(D) In Toulon, France, on March 23, 2004, a Jewish synagogue and community center were set on fire.

(3) Anti-Semitism in old and new forms is also increasingly emanating from the Arab and Muslim world on a sustained basis, including through books published by government-owned publishing houses in Egypt and other Arab countries.

(4) In November 2002, state-run television in Egypt broadcast the anti-Semitic series entitled ``Horseman Without a Horse,'' which is based upon the fictitious [conspiracy theory know as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion]

``Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion''. The Protocols have been used throughout the last century by despots such as Adolf Hitler to justify violence against Jews.

(5) In November 2003, Arab television featured an anti-Semitic series, entitled ``Ash-Shatat'' (or ``The Diaspora''), which depicts Jewish people hatching a plot for Jewish control of the world.

(6) The sharp rise in anti-Semitic violence has caused international organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to elevate, and bring renewed focus to, the issue, including the convening by the OSCE in June 2003 of a conference in Vienna dedicated solely to the issue of anti-Semitism.

(7) The OSCE will again convene a conference dedicated to addressing the problem of anti-Semitism on April 28-29, 2004, in Berlin, with the United States delegation to be led by former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch.

(8) The United States Government has strongly supported efforts to address anti-Semitism through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE, the European Union, and the United Nations.

(9) Congress has consistently supported efforts to address the rise in anti-Semitic violence. During the 107th Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions expressing strong concern with the sharp escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe and calling on the Department of State to thoroughly document the phenomenon.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--

(1) the United States Government should continue to strongly support efforts to combat anti-Semitism worldwide through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE; and

(2) the Department of State should thoroughly document acts of anti-Semitism that occur around the world.

SEC. 4. [REPORT] REPORTS.

[Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter] (a) One-Time Report.--Not later than November 15, 2004, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world, including a description of--

(1) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, Jewish people, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, Jewish community institutions, such as schools, synagogues, or cemeteries, that occurred in each country;

(2) the responses of the governments of those countries to such actions;

(3) the actions taken by such governments to enact and enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to religious freedom of Jewish people; and

(4) the efforts by such governments to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.

(b) Information Required in Annual Department of State Reports.--The Secretary of State shall include the information required under subsection (a) in the annual reports of the Department of State known as the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and the Annual Human Rights Report.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee amendments be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

The committee amendments were agreed to.

The bill (S. 2292), as amended, was read the third time and passed, as follows:

S. 2292

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 ``Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) Acts of anti-Semitism in countries throughout the world, including some of the world's strongest democracies, have increased significantly in frequency and scope over the last several years.

(2) During the first 3 months of 2004, there were numerous instances of anti-Semitic violence around the world, including the following incidents:

(A) In Australia on January 5, 2004, poison was used to ignite, and burn anti-Semitic slogans into, the lawns of the Parliament House in the state of Tasmania.

(B) In St. Petersburg, Russia, on February 15, 2004, vandals desecrated approximately 50 gravestones in a Jewish cemetery, painting the stones with swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti.

(C) In Toronto, Canada, over the weekend of March 19 through March 21, 2004, vandals attacked a Jewish school, a Jewish cemetery, and area synagogues, painting swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans on the walls of a synagogue and on residential property in a nearby, predominantly Jewish, neighborhood.

(D) In Toulon, France, on March 23, 2004, a Jewish synagogue and community center were set on fire.

(3) Anti-Semitism in old and new forms is also increasingly emanating from the Arab and Muslim world on a sustained basis, including through books published by government-owned publishing houses in Egypt and other Arab countries.

(4) In November 2002, state-run television in Egypt broadcast the anti-Semitic series entitled ``Horseman Without a Horse,'' which is based upon the fictitious ``Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion''. The Protocols have been used throughout the last century by despots such as Adolf Hitler to justify violence against Jews.

(5) In November 2003, Arab television featured an anti-Semitic series, entitled ``Ash-Shatat'' (or ``The Diaspora''), which depicts Jewish people hatching a plot for Jewish control of the world.

(6) The sharp rise in anti-Semitic violence has caused international organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to elevate, and bring renewed focus to, the issue, including the convening by the OSCE in June 2003 of a conference in Vienna dedicated solely to the issue of anti-Semitism.

(7) The OSCE will again convene a conference dedicated to addressing the problem of anti-Semitism on April 28-29, 2004, in Berlin, with the United States delegation to be led by former Mayor of New York City Ed Koch.

(8) The United States Government has strongly supported efforts to address anti-Semitism through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE, the European Union, and the United Nations.

(9) Congress has consistently supported efforts to address the rise in anti-Semitic violence. During the 107th Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions expressing strong concern with the sharp escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe and calling on the Department of State to thoroughly document the phenomenon.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--

(1) the United States Government should continue to strongly support efforts to combat anti-Semitism worldwide through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations such as the OSCE; and

(2) the Department of State should thoroughly document acts of anti-Semitism that occur around the world.

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

(a) One-Time Report.--Not later than November 15, 2004, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives a report on acts of anti-Semitism around the world, including a description of--

(1) acts of physical violence against, or harassment of, Jewish people, and acts of violence against, or vandalism of, Jewish community institutions, such as schools, synagogues, or cemeteries, that occurred in each country;

(2) the responses of the governments of those countries to such actions;

(3) the actions taken by such governments to enact and enforce laws relating to the protection of the right to religious freedom of Jewish people; and

(4) the efforts by such governments to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.

(b) Information Required in Annual Department of State Reports.--The Secretary of State shall include the information required under subsection (a) in the annual reports of the Department of State known as the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and the Annual Human Rights Report.

____________________

SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 150, No. 63

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