Lankford, Rosen Recognize First Anniversary of Formation of Bipartisan Task Force to Combat anti-Semitism

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, released the following statements in recognition of the Task Force’s one-year anniversary:

“In the last year since Senator Rosen and I started the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, more than a third of the Senate has joined with us in a bipartisan way to condemn acts of hate, promote a uniform definition of anti-Semitism for the US and governments around the world, and ensure our schools are equipped to provide education on the Holocaust,” said Lankford. “I look forward to our ongoing work to raise awareness and do what we can to fight anti-Semitism and religious persecution in the US and worldwide.”

“In recent years, anti-Semitism and acts of hate have grown at an alarming rate in the United States and throughout the world,” said Rosen. “Standing against anti-Semitism is a critical issue that’s near to my heart. That’s why one year ago today, I joined Senator James Lankford to launch the Senate’s first Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism. Over the past year, we’ve worked to educate and empower communities to fight back against hate. We’ve been able to make great strides, but our work is far from done. We have an ongoing responsibility to our neighbors, to our friends, to our community, and to our children to confront anti-Semitism wherever it rears its ugly head.”

Background

Last year, Lankford and Rosen launched the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism. The Task Force now has 38 Senators, with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans.

Additional Task Force members include: Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mike Braun (R-IN), Tom Carper (D-DE), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bob Casey (D-PA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Doug Jones (D-AL), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Tim Scott (R-SC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Todd Young (R-IN).

In January, Rosen and Lankford, along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp by Allied Forces during World War II. The bipartisan resolution unanimously passed the Senate in February. In September, Lankford and Rosen sent a letter to Polish President Andrzej Duda expressing concern over the rise of anti-Semitic discourse in Poland and urging Poland to enact a comprehensive Holocaust restitution law. Lankford also penned an op-ed with Gary Bauer, a Commissioner of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and Gayle Manchin, Vice Chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, to highlight areas of increasing anti-Semitism around the world.

###