Washington DC - The US House on Wednesday advanced legislation to codify a particular legal definition of antisemitism despite disagreement among Jewish communities.

Members of the lower chamber voted 320-91 to approve HR 6090, known as the Antisemitism Awareness Act.

The bill, introduced last year, would require the US Department of Education to adopt a controversial working definition of antisemitism crafted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) when investigating discrimination and harassment claims.

The IHRA working definition classifies "denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor" and "drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis" as antisemitic.

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The move has sparked fierce backlash from Jewish groups who do not agree that criticism of the State of Israel equates to antisemitism. As Israel wages a brutal and plausibly genocidal assault on Gaza, many fear codifying the definition could lead to even greater repression of speech in support of Palestinian human rights on college campuses, as less as severely restrict research and teaching.

"This legislation would do nothing to fight antisemitism. Instead, it would enable repression of students and faculty advocating for Palestinian rights," Jewish Voice for Peace wrote on X.

Hadar Susskind, president and CEO of Americans for Peace Now, said, "Antisemitism is the hatred of Jews. Unfortunately, one doesn’t need to look far to find it these days. But the supporters of this bill are looking in the wrong places."

"They aren’t interested in protecting Jews," Susskind continued. "They are interested in supporting right-wing views and narratives on Israel and shutting down legitimate questions and criticisms by crying 'antisemite' at everyone, including Jews, who oppose the Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir, Smotrich government."

The House's passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act comes as young people across the US rise up for an end to Israel's US-backed siege on Gaza. The student movement for Palestinian freedom is spreading rapidly to institutions around the country, igniting hope for a better tomorrow.

But fears for free speech rights and student safety on college campuses are growing as many lawmakers and university administrators have green lit violent crackdowns on the protests.

While protections for Jewish students are urgently needed, civil rights groups say the Antisemitism Awareness Act will end up doing more harm than good by silencing Palestinian, Jewish, and allied voices.

The American Civil Liberties Union wrote: "Federal law already prohibits antisemitic discrimination and harassment by federally funded entities. H.R. 6090 is therefore not needed to protect against antisemitic discrimination; instead, it would likely chill free speech of students on college campuses by incorrectly equating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism."