(Courtesy of OU) The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, applauded the U.S. House’s passage of a bipartisan bill that elevates the office of special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism to the rank of ambassador and increases the office’s resources to do its work combating anti-Semitism worldwide..

The Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act was approved by unanimous consent recently, just weeks after the U.S. Senate passed its version of the bill, S.238.

The legislative effort was led in the House by Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), as well as Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), Peter King (R-N.Y.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), Bradley Schneider (D-Ill.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas) and Kay Granger (R-Texas). The Senate bill was led by U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Cary Gardner (R-Colo.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

Nathan Diament, executive director for public policy for the Orthodox Union, stated, “The Jewish community is very grateful for Congress’s passage of this important legislation. Sadly, we have seen a surge of anti-Semitic incidents around the world in recent years. With the passage of this legislation, the Senate is providing powerful new tools to the State Department to lead impactful international efforts to combat what has been aptly called ‘the world’s oldest form of hatred’ and roll back the tide of anti-Jewish hate.”

Mark (“Moishe”) Bane, president of the Orthodox Union, stated, “We are very grateful to Representatives Engel and Smith and Senators Rosen and Rubio and the other legislators who shepherded this bill to passage. We thank Speaker of the House Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy for enabling it to pass in the waning days of the House’s session. We pray that these new resources will enable the United States to lead efforts to bring greater security to Jews around the world.”