Washington, D.C. - 9/16/25… Today, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the only Jewish member of the New Jersey delegation, issued the following joint statement after New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani pledged to dismantle the city's adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism:

"Zohran Mamdani's reckless attempt to roll back New York City's adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism is shameful, dangerous, and completely disgusting.

Let's be extremely clear: the BDS movement is antisemitic. Efforts to delegitimize Israel's right to exist are antisemitic. And refusing to outright condemn the violent call to 'globalize the intifada' - offering only that you'd discourage its use - is indefensible. There are no two sides about the meaning of this slogan - it is hate speech, plain and simple. Given the sharp spike in antisemitic violence, families across the Tri-State area should be alarmed. Leaders cannot equivocate when it comes to standing against antisemitism and the incitement of violence against Jews.

This is exactly why Congress must pass our bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which enshrines the IHRA definition in law and ensures that the Department of Education has a clear, consistent standard to combat antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head. We will continue working together, across party lines, to make sure our communities are safe, our values are clear, and antisemitism is confronted head-on."

According to the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, college campuses saw an 84% rise in antisemitic incidents (1,694 total), comprising nearly 1 in 5 of all reported cases nationwide in 2024. The same report found that New York and New Jersey continue to lead the nation in reported antisemitic incidents, with more than 1,400 and 700 cases last year, respectively. In 2024 alone, more than 9,300 incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism, and assault were documented, the largest number since ADL tracking began more than four decades ago.

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Full text of the Antisemitism Awareness Act can be found HERE.