Bipartisan duo launches congressional caucus to confront antisemitism at colleges

Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., are launching a congressional coalition to target antisemitism at institutions of higher education.

The Combating Antisemitism on College Campuses Caucus will provide a bipartisan avenue for lawmakers to "coordinate oversight of how" schools of higher learning react to antisemitism, according to press releases issued by the lawmakers' offices.

The caucus will "press institutions to protect Jewish students, faculty, and staff, and to enforce their own anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies," "advance and track federal legislation targeting campus antisemitism and BDS-driven discrimination," and "spotlight schools that are getting it right and share best practices across campuses nationwide," the releases note.

CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM EXTENDS BEYOND STUDENT PROTESTS AND INTO CLASSROOMS, ADL WARNS

Left: Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., walks through Statuary Hall before a vote on the Republican budget plan at the U.S. Capitol on April 10, 2025 in Washington, D.C.; Right: Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., arrives for a Congressional briefing on Venezuela at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (Left: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Right: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

While Gottheimer is a Jewish Democrat and Stefanik is a Catholic Republican, both lawmakers are concerned about the problem of antisemitism.

"Since October 7th, Jewish students on too many campuses have been harassed, intimidated, and made to feel like strangers in their own school," Gottheimer said, referring to the 2023 attack by Hamas terrorists in Israel.

TRUMP INDICATES SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIAN-BACKED PLAN TO HELP CANADIAN JEWS ESCAPE ANTISEMITISM

United States Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, speaks at Faith and Freedom Coalitionâs Road to Majority Conference 2026 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 2026. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"That’s why Elise and I are teaming up to launch this caucus to hold universities accountable, back up the schools getting it right, like Vanderbilt, and make sure every Jewish kid can have a college experience without fear of discrimination or violence," he noted.

Stefanik, the author of the book "Poisoned Ivies," noted that she has "been proud to be the leader in Congress on combatting antisemitism and anti-Americanism at our colleges and universities."

PIERS MORGAN EVISCERATES IVY LEAGUE STUDENT WHO REFUSED TO WORK 'FOR A JEW' AS 'BRAZENLY' ANTISEMITIC

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Gottheimer "has been a leading partner and legislator with whom I have worked on this critical issue," Stefanik noted. "We are committed to saving American higher education for the next generation."

Fox News' Kelly Phares contributed to this report.