Capito, Colleagues: Biden Administration Must Act to Protect Jewish Students from Pro-Hamas, Anti-Semitic Mobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joined 26 of her Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter-led by U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)-to Attorney General Merrick Garland and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, urging them to restore order to campuses that have been effectively shut down by anti-Semitic mobs that are targeting Jewish students. The senators requested Attorney General Garland and Secretary Cardona provide an update on efforts to protect Jewish students by Wednesday, April 24.

In part, the senators wrote: "You need to take action to restore order and protect Jewish students on our college campuses. President Biden issued a statement on Sunday, purporting to condemn the outbreak of anti-Semitism. If that statement was serious, it must be accompanied by immediate action from your departments."

Full text of the letter may be found here.

BACKGROUND:

Since the Hamas-led massacre against Israel on October 7, there has been a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic incidents, including targeted harassment, directed at Jewish children in K-12 schools. Senator Capito has joined a number of efforts condemning these anti-Semitic acts and called on the administration to address the rising rates of antisemitism. A list of Senator Capito's efforts can be found below:

• October 26, 2023: Senator Capito sent a letter to Secretary Cardona urging the Biden administration to protect Jewish college students amid rising anti-Semitic incidents and attacks on college campuses.

• October 30, 2023: Senator Capito co-sponsored the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, which provides the Department of Education a proper definition of contemporary antisemitism, including anti-Semitic anti-Zionism, to combat and prevent anti-Jewish bigotry on college campus.

• November 30, 2023: Senator Capito sent a letter to Secretary Cardona urging the Biden administration to address antisemitism toward Jewish children in K-12 schools amid rising rates in the aftermath of Hamas' attacks against Israel.

• December 12, 2023: Senator Capito, who serves as the vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, spoke at the weekly Senate Republican Leadership Press Conference about the rise of anti-Semitism on college campuses across the U.S. and the need to protect students.

• January 31, 2024: Senator Capito led a group of her Republican colleagues in a series of Senate floor speeches focused on the rise of anti-Semitism.

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