Over Labor Day weekend, it was announced that 23-year-old Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin was among the six captives who were brutally murdered at the hands of Hamas. My heart goes out to the families who are mourning the loss of their loved one. And I pray for the safe return of the dozens of other innocent people who have been held hostage in brutal conditions by this barbaric terror group for nearly a year.
Anyone with a sliver of decency would agree that Hamas is pure evil. But as we’ve seen at so-called “pro-Palestinian protests” across the country, far too many people here in the U.S. support Hamas and its evil goal of wiping Israel – and millions of innocent people – off the face of the earth. These hate-filled groups spray paint awful phrases like “Death to America”, “Hamas is coming”, and “from the river to the sea” on public property. They take down the American flag, burn it, and replace it with the Palestinian flag. They target, harass, and chase down Jewish college students who are just trying to get to class.
In Washington, I’ve been on the frontlines in the fight to combat antisemitism – especially on college campuses. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over the tax code, I’ve been leading Congress’s investigation into the rise in antisemitism on the campuses of tax-exempt universities. The generous benefits these universities receive under the U.S. tax code are not a blank check. By failing to ensure a safe learning environment – including protecting Jewish students from harassment and violence – they are putting their lucrative tax benefits at risk.
As a new semester begins, I’m closely monitoring universities that have failed to protect Jewish students. These universities must prove to Congress and, more importantly, Jewish students, that they are willing to stand up to antisemitic hatred. I’ll keep fighting tooth and nail until every Jewish student on an American university campus feels safe.
My investigation has also uncovered that the hate-filled rallies on campuses and in cities across the nation aren’t part of some organic uprising. The Ways and Means Committee has exposed how tax-exempt organizations within the United States are actively engaged in an organized effort to abuse the trust and generosity of U.S. taxpayers and funnel resources towards antisemitism, violent protests, and terror-aligned organizations. I will continue working to advance legislation to protect taxpayers and crack down on these terrorist-supporting groups.
Antisemitism has no place in America – or any town or city in the world. It’s dangerous, morally wrong, and un-American. As your voice in Washington, I will never stop fighting to root out antisemitism. And I will always stand with Israel – our most important ally – in its war against the evil Hamas terrorists who slaughtered over a thousand innocent men, women, and children.
