Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025

The Antisemitism Awareness Act of 2025 would establish a legal requirement for the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to apply the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when reviewing and investigating complaints of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in schools and educational programs that receive federal funding.

Under this bill, the IHRA's definition would serve as a reference standard for civil rights investigators. The IHRA defines antisemitism as a certain perception of Jews that may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. By codifying this definition into law, the bill aims to provide clearer guidance to education officials handling discrimination complaints and potentially expand protections against antisemitic conduct in federally-funded educational institutions.

Currently, the bill has passed initial committee consideration in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee but has not advanced further in the legislative process. Most introduced bills do not become law, and this measure would require passage by both chambers of Congress and presidential signature to take effect.