One of the first things you notice when you interview Congressman Tom Kean, the Republican Party candidate who is running for reelection in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, is that he is uncommonly polite. He speaks slowly so you, as the interviewer, don’t have to scramble to take notes, and he offers to repeat his answer if you missed part of it. He thanks you for your time. And he directs his staff to send web links to follow-up on a few things he mentioned.
Another thing you notice, right off the bat, is that he demonstrates a clear and thoughtful understanding of Jewish communal concerns and the ways that the federal government can address those concerns.
When asked what steps he would advocate for to address the troubling rise of antisemitism in the United States, Kean spoke first about the HEAL (Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons) Act. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by Congressman Josh Gottheimer in January 2023 and Kean is a cosponsor; the bill is currently under consideration by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The legislation calls for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to conduct a national study on Holocaust education in states, local educational agencies, and in public schools, including a review of standards and requirements and instructional material.
Kean then spoke about the importance of the federal government adopting the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism, which recognizes that antisemitism may be expressed as anti-Israel agitation. This definition has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives but has not moved forward in the U.S. Senate.
When asked if he would support an increase in federal government funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which offers funding for facility-hardening at houses of worship and other Jewish communal entities, Kean replied without hesitation: “Yes, to whatever level I could,” and went on to say: “We need to do everything in our power to cut down on antisemitism. We need to root it out, we need to make people feel safe in our communities.”
Asked about his views on Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Kean shared that he has visited Israel four times, including a trip within the past year. He said that he has seen, firsthand, “the carnage committed by Hamas” and visited Kibbutz Nir Oz, the Nova festival site, and evacuated towns in the north of Israel. “What Israel is doing is necessary and appropriate,” he said. “It needs to defend itself and win this fight.” He noted that Hamas is still holding hostages in Gaza, Hezbollah is still launching missiles into Israel, and Iran has fired over 100 missiles at Israel two times. “We must ensure that Israel has the weapons and the intelligence it needs to defeat these enemies.”
Questioned for his view on campus protests with antisemitic overtones, Kean said, “We must hold people in leadership positions accountable who don’t keep the people (on their campuses) safe.” He stated that he was one of 73 people in Congress who cosigned a letter calling for the resignation of the presidents of the three Ivy League schools who testified before Congress, and he was the only federal official in New Jersey who called for Rutgers University President Jonathon Holloway to resign, in May.
Kean said that it is important to know that some colleges did well, and some did poorly, in handling the protests. Those that did well held people accountable, had people arrested for breaking the law, removed students who made others feel unsafe, and removed administrators who made students feel unsafe. He advocated for denying federal funds to schools that don’t handle protests well and investigating where the funds for the pro-Palestinian protesters and professors is coming from.
Asked to identify his top three accomplishments in office, Kean first shared that he joined the Problem Solvers Caucus (co-chaired by Gottheimer) and was recognized by the group in April for his efforts to keep the government open (during a potential shutdown). “It’s important for people of the world to see us working in a bipartisan way,” Kean said.
He said that he is the chair of the Europe subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In that role, he has mobilized support to give Ukraine the tools it needs to defeat Putin and to call attention to Russia and Iran’s cooperation in energy development and missile technology. He has also pushed for sanctions on Iran.
As a third achievement, Kean pointed to the Firefighters Safety Grants program passed by Congress. “As a former fighter and EMT, I know the importance of these grants.” He shared that the legislation for this program received approval from 93% of the House, 88% in the Senate, and was signed into law by President Biden.
When asked if, in a nod to bipartisanship, he could identify a step by President Biden in handling the conflicts in the Middle East that he supported, Kean pointed to Biden’s decision in October 2023 to immediately move the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Mediterranean, to discourage Iran, the Houthis and Hezbollah from taking advantage of the shock in Israel and the unfolding conflict between Israel and Hamas.
To learn more about Congressman Tom Kean and his record, please visit:
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes reader feedback.
