Antisemitism Awareness Act not expected in stopgap government funding bill
Schumer saw the legislation as a fallback option to pass the antisemitism legislation after his effort to add it to the defense bill fell short
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA)
The Antisemitism Awareness Act (AAA) is not expected to be included in the stopgap funding bill that Congress must pass by the end of the week to avert a government shutdown, two sources familiar with the situation told Jewish Insider.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had seen the funding legislation as a fallback option to pass the AAA after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) rejected his request to put it in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, insisting on a standalone vote in the Senate.
Though the spending has not yet been fully finalized or released, that avenue is now likely closed, sources said. The chances that the bill will pass through the Senate in the current Congress now appear slim.
The development would be a major setback for Schumer, who had pledged to Jewish leaders and others that he’d take action on the legislation before the end of the year, while rejecting entreaties to bring the legislation to a standalone floor vote. Jewish leaders’ frustration with the Senate majority leader has been building for months.
One source said Schumer had feared exposing Democratic divisions on the bill with a public vote, which could have split the Democratic caucus and exacerbated post-Oct. 7 divisions over Israel and antisemitism policy.
Congress is set to conclude business this week for the current session, and the Senate has little floor time remaining for a standalone vote. Much of its remaining floor time will likely be dedicated to the defense bill and the funding bill. But some in the Jewish community are still pushing for a standalone vote before the end of the year.
The funding bill is expected to serve as a vehicle for a range of other last-minute priority legislation. The stopgap legislation, known as a continuing resolution or CR, is expected to run through March 14.
It’s not certain the AAA will have the support to pass next year in a Republican-controlled Washington, given staunch opposition from some right-wing lawmakers. The legislation would have to be reintroduced in the House and opposition to it has grown on the right since it initially passed the lower chamber with overwhelming support. It also remains to be seen how the incoming Trump administration would approach the bill.