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Up Close: Amid pushback, sponsors of House antisemitism bill defend proposed legislation

ByBill Ritter and Eyewitness News WABC logo

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Up Close 5/5/24: Sponsors of antisemitism bill defend legislation

Amid another week of college campus protests, Up Close speaks with U.S. Congressmen Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) about a new House bill broadening the definition of antisemitism.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Another week of anti-war and pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, from New York to California, and a lot of colleges and universities across the country.

Now the House of Representatives has passed a bill broadening the definition of antisemitism, but there are some, who very much fight hate at every turn, who ask if this bill goes too far?

We talk to two of the sponsors of the measure, U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-New York) and U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey), who are trying to push bipartisanship.

Meanwhile, New York City has announced a curriculum on hate crimes and their impact, and New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks is set to testify to Congress this week about hate and antisemitism in schools. He joins us.

Up Close airs Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. on Channel 7, WABC-TV in New York City.