NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Rep. Mike Lawler urged attendees at the 13th Annual Jerusalem Post Conference in Manhattan Monday to call Sen. Chuck Schumer's office to "demand" he stop delaying bringing the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the Senate floor -- one month after the House of Representatives passed it.
The Republican congressman -- who represents Rockland and Putnam counties, as well as parts of northern Westchester and southern Dutchess counties -- introduced the legislation. The House of Representatives voted to pass the legislation on May 1: 320 to 91 with 70 Democrats and 21 Republicans voting against the bill.
"The key is to get especially the Antisemitism Awareness Act passed right now that is sitting on Chuck Schumer's desk," Lawler said, to a chorus of some "boos" in the audience, "the highest ranking Jewish official in American history."
He encouraged the audience of hundreds, who gathered at a Park Avenue venue for the day-long event, "And so what I would ask all of you in this room to do, in all seriousness, is to call Chuck Schumer and demand that that bill, the Antisemitism Awareness Act, be brought for a vote immediately on the US Senate floor."
The Act states its purpose is, "To provide for the consideration of a definition of antisemitism set forth by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance for the enforcement of Federal antidiscrimination laws concerning education programs or activities, and for other purposes."
Citing Democrat congressmen Ritchie Torres of New York, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Jared Moskowitz of Florida -- with whom Lawler has worked with on several pieces of legislation pertaining to Iran, the Middle East and antisemitism -- Lawler said of the trio, "All three are strong advocates for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. They have pushed back against the lunacy within their own party, and have been willing to work across the aisle to get this done."