FIRE statement on congressional leaders smuggling unconstitutional Antisemitism Awareness Act into a must-pass defense bill

Congressional leadership is aiming to add the Antisemitism Awareness Act to this year’s defense bill. FIRE has consistently warned about the threat to free speech posed by the act, and makes it easy to voice your opposition.

Below is a statement from FIRE Legal Director Will Creeley:

You can’t protect Americans by chipping away at their ability to speak out — and that’s exactly what this act does.

Requiring colleges and universities to police students and faculty using a vague definition of anti-Semitism will leave them unclear about whether core political speech — fully protected by the First Amendment — will result in punishment. That’s not how free speech works. 

Colleges have the legal and moral obligation to make sure their campuses are free from discriminatory harassment, including anti-Semitism. But they don’t need this act to ensure their students and faculty are safe — the only thing this act will ensure is that student and faculty speech is chilled.

FIRE is 100% dialed in to stop any threat to Americans’ free speech rights. If this bill is passed, we aim to challenge it in court.