Washington – Chairman Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) hailed the signing by President George W. Bush of the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-332).  Chairman Smith worked with Senator Voinovich (R-OH) and Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), a holocaust survivor, to bring the bill to fruition.  The Act will increase U.S. efforts to combat anti-Semitism through the establishment of a monitoring office, new reporting standards for acts of anti-Semitism both here and abroad, and the creation of a one-time global report on anti-Semitism. 

“I am very pleased President Bush took concrete action against the evil of anti-Semitism and signed the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act into law,” said Rep. Smith.  “I appreciate the President’s words that ‘This nation will keep watch; we will make sure that the ancient impulse of anti-Semitism never finds a home in the modern world.’ The unwavering support from the Bush Administration on this issue has greatly aided our efforts to fight anti-Semitism across the globe.”

Smith had introduced H.R. 4214 as the companion to the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act, S. 2292, authored by Senator Voinovich.  Rep. Smith successfully included an amendment into the measure to strengthen the new law, so it will now require:  annual reports on acts of anti-Semitism including acts of physical violence and harassment against Jewish people as well as acts of vandalism against Jewish community institutions; creates a new Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism in the U.S. State Department; calls for appointment of a Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism and enhanced the reporting requirements.   The President signed the law into force on Saturday, October 16.

“Realizing now is the time to act, Senator Voinovich, Congressman Lantos and myself worked together to further strengthen the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act,” said Rep. Smith.  “Working in concert with their offices, we amended the text to add mechanisms to improve and strengthen the ability of our government to combat the evil of anti-Semitism.”

“The new Office will track anti-Semitism worldwide, reporting on incidents of violence against Jews or Jewish institutions, government responses to violence, private and governmental propaganda, and efforts to promote anti-bias and tolerance education,” explained Smith.  “Anti-Semitism can strike anywhere and at anytime.  The Special Envoy will be able to shine the light of truth into dark places around the world that foster or permit anti-Semitic hate.”

Smith’s measure establishes additional requirements for reporting on anti-Semitism when appropriate in the State Department’s annual reports to Congress on Human Rights Practices and International Religious Freedom.  These standards parallel the areas covered by the Office, enabling U.S. embassies to more thoroughly and consistently document acts of anti-Semitism. 

The Global Anti-Semitism Review Act maintains the one-time State Department report on global anti-Semitism mandated by S. 2292.  Setting a benchmark for individual countries around the globe, the report will compile, country by country, the number of acts of physical violence against Jews or vandalism of Jewish community institutions, as well as government responses to such actions.  In addition, the report will detail steps taken by governments to protect the religious freedoms of Jewish people and describe governmental efforts to promote anti-bias and tolerance education.

Chairman Smith has been a tireless advocate in the fight against anti-Semitism.  In addition to this Act, over the past three years, he has introduced three congressional resolutions condemning anti-Semitism, as well as introduced three resolutions denouncing anti-Semitism at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly which were all unanimously passed.  Mr. Smith convened two Helsinki Commission hearings in Congress specifically on anti-Semitism to highlight the violence and to search for answers.  He also participated as Vice Chairman of the U.S. Delegations to the OSCE conferences on anti-Semitism in Vienna and Berlin, as well as sponsored three international parliamentary forums on anti-Semitism in the OSCE region.