S. 558 · 119th Congress

Has education civil rights officials consider a specific definition of antisemitism

Official title: Antisemitism Awareness Act of 20251

Never got a floor vote

§1What it does

Why this matters: A plain-English description of the bill as it was voted on, written by us from the official summary and text.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

This bill would put into law a requirement that the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights take into account the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism when it reviews or investigates complaints of discrimination based on race, color or national origin that involve a person's actual or perceived Jewish ancestry or ethnic characteristics, in programs that receive federal funding.2,3 The alliance's working definition describes antisemitism as a particular perception of Jewish people that can show itself as hatred of Jews.2 The bill specifies that the definition includes the alliance's accompanying list of contemporary examples of antisemitism, and it states that nothing in the bill may be read to limit rights protected by the First Amendment.3

§2Status

StatusLatest action, April 30, 2025: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Committee consideration and Mark Up Session held.1
IntroducedFebruary 13, 2025
SponsorSen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]
Cosponsors47 cosponsors (20 Democratic, 27 Republican)
Official recordS. 558 on Congress.gov

§3It never got a vote

Why this matters: This bill had wide support from both parties, but it never reached the House or Senate floor, so no member of Congress was ever recorded voting for or against it.

Latest action, April 30, 2025: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Committee consideration and Mark Up Session held.1 How bills die without a vote.

2026 candidates who sponsored or cosponsored it (12)