College presidents' testimony faces bipartisan rebuke in House measure
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House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images.
The House is set to vote Wednesday on a bipartisan resolution to condemn congressional testimony from the presidents of Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania.
Why it matters: It would be the most formal reproach yet of last week's testimony, in which the three presidents dodged questions about whether calls for the genocide of Jews would violate their schools' codes of conduct.
Driving the news: The three-page resolution is being led by House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), two of the most moderate Jewish Democrats in the House.
- It takes aim at the three presidents for "their failure to clearly state that calls for the genocide of Jews constitute harassment and violate their institutions' codes of conduct."
- In addition to the testimony, the measure condemns antisemitism on college campuses, stating: "Jewish and Israeli students have faced physical violence, hate-filled disruptions in the class, calls ... for the elimination and destruction of Israel and other forms of persistent harassment."
- There has been an increase in incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campuses throughout the U.S. since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
State of play: The House is scheduled to vote on the resolution Wednesday, according to a schedule sent out by Scalise's office on Tuesday night.
- Its call for the three presidents to resign could split Democrats: even some Jewish moderates who have strongly condemned them have also said calling for their ousters is a step too far.
The backdrop: The presidents have faced a barrage of criticism for saying that potential repercussions against students and faculty calling for the genocide of Jews would depend on context and whether the calls are targeting specific individuals.
- Penn President Liz Magill resigned over the weekend, as did Penn Board of Trustees Chair Scott Bok.
- Harvard's board announced that their president, Claudine Gay, will not be removed from her post over the controversy.
- Kornbluth has enjoyed firm support from the MIT board despite the criticism.
What they're saying: "These are Ivy League university presidents that were asked a softball question: 'Does calling for the genocide of Jews count as harassment under their school's policies?' That's not a trick question," Moskowitz said in a statement.
- Stefanik said in a statement lawmakers are "only just beginning to address the pervasive rot of antisemitism that has infected America's higher education system."
Go deeper:
- Major law firms urge colleges to condemn discrimination surge on campus amid Israel-Hamas war
- CAIR records "unprecedented" surge in anti-Arab, Islamophobic bias in U.S.
- Antisemitic incidents surge 337% since start of Hamas-Israel war: ADL
Editor's note: This article has been updated with further context and to reflect that the vote is scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
