H.R.1033 - COLUMBIA Act of 2025
H.R.1033 was introduced on February 5, 2025 by Representative Torres (D-NY). It is currently pending before the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and has one cosponsor on a bipartisan basis.
Related legislation: None
Bill Summary: H.R.1033 would require the Secretary of Education to establish and appoint third party antisemitism program monitors to oversee institutions of higher education where there are reports of high incidence of antisemetic activity.
Context: Following the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the Red Army established and incorporated what were known as political Commissars, whose primary responsibilities were to ensure the loyalty and morale of soldiers, promote specific political ideologies and prevent dissent. As Congress and the Executive Branch continue to weaponize antisemitism, not to protect Jewish students on college campuses, but to exert pressure on political speech to repress dissenting voices critical of U.S. foreign policy, these Federal antisemitism monitors will inevitably be used in similar fashion to the Soviet Commissars, to chill dissent and to promote political ideologies that are uncritical of the Israeli government’s actions.
While H.R. 1033 does not on its own address the law and would encourage the reporting of antisemitism on increased data collection on possible civil rights violations, it is important to recognize the context of this Bill under the current environment where the federal government has weaponized antisemitism to conflate criticisms of the Israeli government’s actions and other protected political speech with hate. In combination with other bills including H.R. 1007, which would establish the IHRA as the definition of antisemitism for the enforcement of federal antidiscrimination laws concerning education programs and activities, the results would lead to policing of speech never before seen in the United States.
The central demand of most protests, including student encampments, has been for schools to divest from investments in Israel as it continues to commit gross violations of human rights with U.S. taxpayer dollars.
American Values Analysis: This Bill would undermine American values and freedoms by requiring colleges to bring on political commissars to police speech on college campuses. The policing of political speech would compromise the safety of Jewish Americans by associating them with the policing of speech on campuses, and by effectively placing antisemitism above all other forms of hate speech, creating unnecessary frictions.
American Interest Analysis: This Bill is not in American interests as we criticize other countries for repressing dissidents for their political speech, and would undermine our efforts to increase democratic ideals around the globe.
A New Policy’s Recommendation: OPPOSE
A New Policy is opposing H.R. 1033 because it would be deeply damaging to American universities and force them to acquiesce to future political pressures that police speech and undermine the Constitution, particularly as such policing relates to America’s unconditional support of Israel's war in Gaza.
For more information please contact: Tariq Habash, (202) 770-0055, info@anewpolicy.org
