Press Releases

Today, Congressman Mike Lawler issued a statement after outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer put Congressman Lawler's Antisemitism Awareness Act forward as an amendment to the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

"After dragging his heels for six months after the bill passed the House overwhelmingly, I am glad that Senator Chuck Schumer has succumbed to pressure and is finally moving the Antisemitism Awareness Act," said Congressman Lawler. "I don't think it's any coincidence this news comes just days after Senator Schumer was roundly criticized for his conversations with Columbia University administrators undermining efforts to hold them accountable. I just sent the Senator a letter on this, signed by several of my New York colleagues. Jewish students cannot afford to wait any longer for their safety to be protected on campus. It is long past time to get the Antisemitism Awareness Act across the finish line."

Earlier this week, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) sent a letter, along with Representatives Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Brandon Williams (NY-22), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Anthony D'Esposito (NY-04), Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), and Nick LaLota (NY-01), to outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer castigating his comments to Columbia Administrators following antisemitic incidents on campus. The comments came to light on the heels of a damning new report by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce detailing the extent of antisemitism on college campuses and how administrators have enabled the abusers. 

In his conversations with some of the very college administrators who have been enabling campus antisemites, Senator Schumer not only failed to hold these administrators accountable, but outright undermined efforts to do so. Senator Schumer ensured the then embattled and disgraced Columbia University President Minouche Shafik that universities would not face accountability if Democrats were in charge because the University’s political problems were only among Republicans. He also advised then-President Shafik to keep her head down and not to meet with Republicans.

"Your comments are a disgrace to the office you hold and they warrant serious explanation," wrote the lawmakers. "According to then-President of Columbia, Minouche Shafik, you assured Columbia Administrators that universities would not face accountability if Democrats were in charge because the University’s political problems were only among Republicans. You then advised then-President Shafik to keep her head down and not to meet with Republicans. Your contribution to Columbia University’s disingenuous response to antisemitic incidents reveal precisely where your true priorities lie."

"Despite outwardly condemning the discrimination at Columbia University this past Spring, your words tell a different story," the lawmakers continued."Antisemitism must be rooted out, not accepted or excused. There is an unfortunate, yet clear distinction between your words spoken in public and your advocacy behind closed doors. Sadly, in light of this report, your upcoming book seems designed to profit you personally and politically, rather than enrich the dialogue surrounding antisemitism and offer concrete steps to combat it."

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.