Official Congressional Record
Mr. President, I rise today to speak once again about a crisis that demands the ongoing attention of the Senate: the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism in America. Across our country, Jewish Americans are continuing to face unspeakable acts of hate, threats, violence, and discrimination that are happening at record levels. Unfortunately, this is not anything new. In fact, for more than a decade, anti-Semitism has been on the rise. It is setting record numbers year after year, particularly since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. According to an ADL report, 2025 was the third highest year for anti- Semitic incidents since the ADL began collecting data, and physical assaults against Jews were higher in 2025 than ever before. So I want everyone to just think about that. Physical assaults against Jews were the highest since ADL began tracking this data nearly 50 years ago. FBI data--well, it has shown that Jewish Americans are the target of almost 70 percent of religiously motivated hate crimes in this country despite making up only 2 percent of the population. Think about that-- 70 percent of crime against 2 percent of the population. Just this past year, a historic synagogue in Jackson, MS, was firebombed. Jewish congregations were defaced in Austin, TX; Albuquerque, NM; Hot Springs, AK; and Oak Park, MI. In West Bloomfield, MI, a man actually drove his car into a building housing a synagogue and a preschool and then opened fire. Even beyond these specific incidents, we are witnessing worrying trends in how Americans are thinking about Jewish communities. Last week, the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate released a poll that found that nearly one-third of people 18 to 44 viewed Jews as a ``threat to the unity of American society''--2 percent of the population a ``threat to the unity of American society.'' Let that sink in. The same poll found that one in eight young adults said Jewish people ``cause problems in the world,'' and around one in five younger Americans did not consider slurs against Jews to be harmful to Jewish people. I really wish these findings were hard to believe, but for many around this country, they aren't surprising. For some, they will point to the war in the Middle East and U.S. policy in the region as a driver of these spikes in anti-Semitism. And, of course, we can and we must have frank, open discussions on how the United States should handle our foreign policy. But we cannot stand idly by and allow these disagreements to become excuses for turning a blind eye on attacks towards Jewish Americans. When we return from the August State work period, it will be September and the High Holidays. High Holidays--well, they will be in full swing. From Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, this is the holiest time of the Jewish year, and many Jews, including those who may not go to synagogue any other time, will be preparing to attend religious services in observance of these important holidays. But it is the unfortunate reality that these holidays are now marked by a palpable fear because large gatherings make communities vulnerable to attacks. Sadly, what should be a season of reflection and prayer, worship and renewal, is a source of, now, fear and anxiety for far too many American Jews. As a result, one in four Jewish Americans has skipped Jewish events and Jewish religious observances due to the fear of being targeted. It is not right. It is not right. They don't go to temple for fear of being targeted. Something must be done. Before I came to the Senate, I was the president of the largest reform synagogue in Nevada, and I know firsthand the preparations that synagogues undertake to keep their congregations safe--especially during the High Holidays. No one should have to worship behind a barricade. No one should have to go through a police check and police surrounding your entire building in order to go pray. But as anti- Semitic harassment and violence continue to be a real threat, heightened security measures are a fact of life for Jewish communities. Every synagogue leader in this country has to think about hiring professional security, installing cameras, doing everything they can to protect their congregation. Security is the largest line item on a budget now. This heavy burden isn't only an emotional and logistical one; robust security comes with a steep financial cost. There is a highly successful Federal grant program at FEMA that helps at-risk institutions, including houses of worship like synagogues, churches, and mosques. Well, it helps them to make the security upgrades they need so Americans can worship peacefully and safely. That is why we need to robustly fund the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. In fact, authorizing $1 billion for this program--nearly three times the current funding level--is the key component of the Jewish American Security Act. It is my comprehensive, bipartisan bill with Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma to address anti-Semitism and threats to the Jewish community. But this program can only help institutions if grant money is actually accessible and if there is enough money available to the applicants who need it all across this country in communities large and small. Unfortunately, many institutions had less than a month to apply for grants through the NSGP this year. Sometimes they only had days to review the program, develop proposals, and gather the necessary documents and supporting assessments. In past years, the application window had been as long as 80 days. So that is why, in addition to making this historic investment in NSGP, our bipartisan bill would make important reforms to streamline how the program is implemented and allow grant funding to be used to hire security services so that the program truly matches the needs of the congregations it is meant to support. And it won't just stop there. Our bipartisan Jewish American Security Act would also create a new Federal grant program to support local police who protect at-risk houses of worship. You know, I often say: Anti-Semitism is the canary in the coal mine. It is a warning sign--a warning sign--for all other forms of hate and discrimination to come. Tackling anti-Semitism sends a strong message that we do not--will not--tolerate hate and discrimination in our country, in the United States of America. And if we don't draw this line now, if we don't stand up, if we don't say, ``Enough is enough,'' then when will we? Who is next? The Jewish community is the canary in the coal mine. We must draw the line. We must pass this bill. The Jewish American Security Act is so critical to our safety and security. When will we say, ``Enough is enough''? Let's hope it is now. Thank you. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
View on ourcommons.ca ↗
