Lower Bucks Today

Reps. Kristin Marcell, Martina White, and Rob Mercuri held a press conference in Harrisburg to address the lack of legislative action by House Democrats against rising antisemitism. They announced a discharge resolution for House Bill 1986, which focuses on transparency in Holocaust and genocide education.

Marcell emphasized the importance of educating young Americans about historical events like the Holocaust, citing an Economist poll that found "1 in 5 young Americans believe the Holocaust is a myth." She criticized the Democratic majority for not advancing legislation to combat antisemitism despite increasing incidents across Pennsylvania.

White proposed two new bills aimed at fighting antisemitism on campuses and in public spaces. The first bill seeks to cut funding to higher educational institutions that support or promote antisemitism. "Pennsylvania taxpayers should not enable or support antisemitism," she stated. Her second bill would prohibit face coverings in public spaces with limited exceptions, as she noted that masks are often used by perpetrators of antisemitic acts to conceal their identities.

Mercuri plans to introduce legislation requiring universities receiving state funding to implement anti-harassment policies addressing antisemitism. He described this measure as essential for ensuring safety and accountability at universities: "By enacting these policies, we can keep improving the accountability and transparency of our universities to the taxpayers."

The representatives urged action from their colleagues to confront this pressing issue.