Statement from Congressman Dan Goldman on Republican Bill that will Undermine Campus Safety Efforts for Jewish Students

Washington, DC - Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today issued the following statement on H.R. 3724, The Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023. H.R. 3724 would weaken universities’ ability to enforce restrictions on campus protests, endangering Jewish students. H.R. 3724 passed out of committee with unanimous Republican support.

A video of Congressman Goldman’s remarks during debate on H.R. 3724 can be found here.

“After months of haranguing university presidents for failing to protect Jewish students on college campuses, Republicans are bringing to the floor a bill that will make it more difficult for universities to keep Jewish students safe.

“H.R. 3724 would potentially strip public universities of their ability to control spontaneous protests or enforce reasonable ‘time, place, and manner’ restrictions on campus protests, which is the most basic method used by universities to stop antisemitic protests and encampments on campus. This bill also makes all campus spaces effectively ‘public forums,’ which could subject Jewish students to antisemitic protests in their classrooms, dorms, or campus Hillels.

“This Republican bill will make Jewish students more vulnerable to harassment and intimidation anywhere on campus at a moment’s notice and leaves universities with limited ability to stop them.

“H.R. 3724 is further proof that Republicans have no interest in actually combating antisemitism or keeping Jewish students safe, but rather continue to use antisemitism as a political weapon.

“If Republicans truly cared about Jewish students, they would not make it easier for antisemitic agitators to form encampments on campuses or to harass Jewish students but would instead support my ‘Standing Up for Students’ Act to increase funding for the Department of Education’s drastically underfunded Office of Civil Rights, which has opened more than 150 new investigations since October 7. Yet, not a single Republican has co-sponsored this bill.

“I urge all of my Republican colleagues who claim to care about antisemitism on college campuses to oppose H.R. 3724 and instead support my ‘Showing Up for Students’ Act so Congress can be part of the solution, not the problem.”

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