“Antisemitism is not just an attack on Jewish people—it is a threat to democracy and the safety of all communities.”
Vermont Business Magazine In the wake of the horrific antisemitic attack this week in Sydney that killed 15 Jews, Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Maxwell Frost (FL-10) have introduced the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act (ARPA).
This comprehensive strategy to combating antisemitism supports the Biden administration’s landmark U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, including its approach to defining antisemitism. ARPA also fully funds the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education, reverses the Trump closure of regional offices, prevents regional offices from being closed in the future, and creates greater congressional oversight over the work of the Department. Additionally, ARPA mandates the designation of a Title VI coordinator on every college campus in order to provide students with additional resources to report hate incidents if they occur, while working to prevent antisemitism and other hate on campus.
The bill notably creates a Hate Crime Reporting Center to record, track, index, report, and publish data related to hate crimes committed in the United States. The bill also establishes a National Coordinator to Counter Antisemitism to spearhead a whole-of-government response to the antisemitism crisis in America. ARPA fully funds the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to harden security, protect religious communities and nonprofits and ensures that recipients cannot be discriminated against based on partisan political ideologies.
The bill includes robust guardrails that protect constitutionally protected free speech and prevent the weaponization of hate speech as a cudgel to crackdown on political opponents or to pursue ulterior political agendas. The bill affirms that criticism of Israeli government policy is a form of political speech protected by the First Amendment and requires the Executive Branch to report to Congress on the propagation of extremist ideologies in the U.S. and provide an assessment of all domestic terror threats.
“The terrorist attack against Jewish families in Sydney is a tragic example of how antisemitism is on the rise. As the grandchild of a man killed in the Holocaust, I personally know how attacks like this threaten our identity and community, said Rep. Balint (VT-AL).
“I am proud to co-lead this legislation to combat antisemitism in our country. This bill would provide resources to prevent and combat antisemitism in our communities and on college campuses. It will also ensure strong Congressional oversight and guardrails to prevent any administration from politicizing antisemitism to further attack their opponents. Antisemitism is not just an attack on Jewish people—it is a threat to democracy and the safety of all communities.”
“We all witnessed in horror the antisemitic attack that took place this week in Sydney, Australia. In the wake of this tragedy, I am proud to lead this comprehensive, progressive, and critically important piece of legislation to combat the rising antisemitism in this country,” said Rep. Nadler (NY-12). “This bill shows that moderates and those aligned with the current Israeli government do not enjoy a monopoly over the fight against antisemitism and hate. I am proud to introduce, with my cherished colleagues, the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act, which embodies a comprehensive and principled framework—one that steadfastly upholds and celebrates progressive values without compromise, diminution, or equivocation.”
“I am proud to co-lead the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act of 2025, which lays out a national strategy for combating the rising threat of antisemitism while protecting freedom of speech, and calls out the Trump Administration's co-opting of antisemitism for its own political agenda,” said Rep. DeLauro (CT-10). “The horrific attacks in Australia on a Hannukah market demonstrate that unchecked antisemitic hatred has deadly consequences, and we must do everything in our power to prevent attacks like this in the future. That includes reopening the regional Offices of Civil Rights within the Department of Education that President Trump has closed, and funding nonprofit security grants to protect religious buildings and community centers. We must not stand by while hatred and extremism take root in our communities.”
"What we witnessed in Bondi on the first night of Hanukkah, and the growing rise of antisemitism in our country and across the world, is deeply disturbing and heartbreaking. Standing up to antisemitism is about protecting our neighbors and the democracy we share, which is why I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Antisemitism Response and Prevention Act. The legislation creates a coordinated, whole-of-government response to confront antisemitism wherever it appears in our communities. Unity is our greatest strength, and when we act together, hate has nowhere to take hold,” said Rep. Frost (FL-10).
The bill text can be found here.
12.18.2025. Washington, D.C. – Balint
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