May 20, 2025 — Washington, DC
American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO Ted Deutch today testified at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing on the “Worldwide Persecution of Jews.” During his opening statement, Deutch told the Commission how Congress can fight global antisemitism: “Make sure that fighting antisemitism is a priority across Congress, as both a threat to human rights and a threat to liberal democracy, if left unchecked. From engaging with senior foreign officials and visiting Jewish communities when you travel abroad, to elevating the issue of antisemitism at hearings like this and staying engaged at the UN and other multilateral bodies, because hate and antisemitism will become normalized when we shirk from our global leadership.”
To best counter antisemitism, Deutch stressed the importance of U.S. global leadership and remaining engaged at international bodies such as the UN, UNESCO, and OSCE and also encouraging governments and executive agencies, at home and abroad, to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism as a tool to better understand, and therefore combat, anti-Jewish hate.
Deutch highlighted the importance of swiftly confirming Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, President Trump’s nominee for Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, as well as providing $3 million in funding for the office, so that the United States can continue to serve as the moral leader on the world stage in the fight against antisemitism and to protect Jewish communities across the globe. He also called on American leaders to encourage our allies and partners to adopt the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism, appoint a designated official to facilitate and streamline national coordination to address antisemitism, and to create and implement whole-of-society and whole-of-government national action plans to combat antisemitism.
In April, Deutch testified at the Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Never Again: Addressing the Rise of Antisemitism and Supporting Older Americans.” During that hearing, Deutch emphasized the need to pass key bipartisan legislation, including the HEAL Act to help stamp out misinformation about the Jewish community, and the Protecting Students on Campus Act to help identify antisemitism and empower students to report Title VI violations. He also called on Congress to codify May as Jewish American Heritage Month into federal statute.
Deutch previously served as a Member of Congress from Florida from 2010-22. During his tenure in the House, he served as the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and a founding co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York, 25 regional offices across the United States, 15 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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