Why the Antisemitism Awareness Act now has a religious liberty clause to protect ‘Jews killed Jesus’ statements
New language in antisemitism bill clarifies First Amendment protections
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in 2024. Photo by Allison Robbert/Bloomberg
By Jacob Kornbluh April 29, 2025
Senate Republicans added an amendment to bipartisan legislation addressing rising antisemitism on college campuses that could be seen as a concession to Christian conservatives who want to protect those who preach that the Jews killed Jesus.
The final language of the Antisemitism Awareness Act was posted online on Tuesday ahead of a committee vote.
The added language, which is referred to as a “manager’s amendment” and proposed by the committee’s chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, states that the legislation would not “diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, including the free exercise of religion.”
The bill would require the Department of Education to use the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism — which classifies most anti-Zionism as antisemitic — when investigating allegations of discrimination.
It passed in the House last May by an overwhelming majority of 320-91, but was stalled in the Senate due to some resistance over constitutionally protected free speech. It has been reintroduced in the House this year and is up for a vote at the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Wednesday morning.
The Democrats who oppose enshrining the IHRA definition object to what they say would be the criminalization of criticism of Israel. Of the 11 examples of antisemitic speech IHRA includes, six have to do with Israel.
But for many of the 21 Republicans who voted against the bill last year, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene and former Congressman Matt Gaetz, the problem is an example that says accusing Jews of deicide is antisemitic. The claim that the Jews killed Jesus is widely considered an antisemitic falsehood.
At least two Republican members of the Senate committee that will vote on the bill, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama and Roger Marshall of Kansas, have expressed their objections due to concerns about religious liberty and the ability to express certain views.
As the only amendment, Cassidy’s language on religious liberty could reassure Republicans that their rights as Christians won’t be violated and potentially secure their votes, according to two veteran policy strategists familiar with discussions about the legislation.
A Cassidy representative didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Progressive Jewish groups oppose
As the Antisemitism Awareness Act heads to a Senate committee for a crucial vote, 10 progressive Jewish organizations have signed a letter opposing the legislation for representing an endorsement of the Trump administration’s “efforts to weaponize antisemitism.”
“Voting in favor of this legislation in this current political climate would represent an endorsement of the Trump administration’s escalating efforts to weaponize antisemitism as a pretext for undermining civil rights, deporting political dissidents, and attacking the fundamental pillars of our democracy, making the Jewish community and others less safe,” the letter reads.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, until January the Senate majority leader, is a sponsor and made moving the bill forward a top priority in the last session of Congress. Schumer has since criticized Trump’s crackdown on campus antisemitism, signing a letter last week accusing his administration of using antisemitism as a “guise” to attack universities.
Some Democrats who previously said they supported the bill are now expected to vote against it over concerns about Trump’s approach to antisemitism, Jewish Insider is reporting. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Jewish Maryland Democrat, is asking his Senate colleagues to vote against it.
The 10 progressive Jewish organizations signing the letter opposing the Antisemitism Awareness Act are Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Habonim Dror North America, Hashomer Hatzair USA, J Street, Jewish Community Action, the New Israel Fund, New Jewish Narrative, the New York Jewish Agenda, The Nexus Project, and T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights.
While progressive groups have been vocal critics of the Trump administration, the letter puts them in the position of also undercutting efforts by Democratic and Jewish lawmakers to take steps they say would protect Jews.
“We are witnessing the co-opting of the fight against antisemitism to pursue unrelated, authoritarian goals by the Trump Administration, and the so-called Antisemitism Awareness Act will give them another tool,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street’s president, in a press release. “Antisemitism is a serious problem and addressing it requires a multifaceted strategy, but this legislation, combined with the current administration’s actions, aren’t making Jewish Americans any safer.”
The JTA contributed to this report.
