Two representatives from New York are considering a bill that would send “antisemitism monitors” to college and university campuses receiving federal funding. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) plan to introduce the College Oversight and Legal Updates Mandating Bias Investigations and Accountability (COLUMBIA) Act. Under this proposed legislation, the Department of Education would be able to send third-party monitors to campuses to address antisemitism, with the costs covered by the institutions themselves. The monitors would issue quarterly reports on how universities are handling antisemitism and provide recommendations to lawmakers. Schools that do not cooperate could potentially lose federal funding.
The bill comes in response to a rise in campus antisemitism, highlighted by recent encampments and protests at universities like Columbia, Yale, New York University, Harvard, George Washington, and MIT. Students have faced suspensions, arrests, and even canceled graduation ceremonies due to these incidents. The bill’s sponsors hope to address the concerns of Jewish students who feel abandoned by their university administrations and seek accountability and safety through congressional action.
The proposed legislation follows a rise in antisemitic incidents in the United States after a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, leading to a self-defense operation in Gaza. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the US increased by 360% in the months following the attack.
