In a close vote, the House of Representatives passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act, aimed at combating antisemitism on college campuses, with a vote of 320-91. The legislation seeks to expand the legal definition of antisemitism used to enforce anti-discrimination laws, facing strong criticism from some lawmakers, including Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, vehemently opposed the bill, referring to it as a "ridiculous hate speech bill" on social media. He argued that the legislation lacked regard for the Constitution and was based on an interpretation of certain Bible verses that would meet the bill's definition of antisemitism.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act, if passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden, would require the Department of Education to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination rules. Critics of the bill, including Gaetz, viewed it as government overreach that could limit free speech on college campuses.

During the debate on the bill, Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York and the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, also expressed opposition. He argued that some of the examples of antisemitism included in the IHRA definition could potentially infringe on protected speech, particularly when it came to criticism of Israel.

Despite the opposition, the Antisemitism Awareness Act received support from over a dozen Democratic lawmakers, including Jewish representatives such as Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey, Jared Moskowitz from Florida, and Ritchie Torres from New York. On the Republican side, while Rep. Gaetz vocally opposed the bill, the majority of GOP lawmakers, 187 in total, voted in favor.

Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York and the bill's lead sponsor, emphasized the importance of clearly identifying antisemitic behavior that involved harassment, bullying, or the justification of violence towards Jewish individuals. Lawler stated that it was necessary to clarify what constituted antisemitism, given the alarming instances of such behavior.

Gaetz's remarks criticizing the bill quickly drew strong rebukes from his peers, including Jeff Miller, an ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who accused Gaetz of promoting antisemitic tropes. Gaetz later clarified that he was not taking a position on who killed Jesus, but rather highlighting a conflict between the bill and the First Amendment.

The passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act in the House marks a significant step in addressing antisemitism on college campuses. The bill's fate now rests with the Senate, where further debate and potential amendments can be expected.