The House passed a bill on Wednesday that will expand the definition of antisemitism used when applying the Civil Rights Act to universities despite Democratic pushback, as pro-Palestinian and anti-Jewish demonstrations are spreading across college campuses.

Critics call the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which has some Democratic support, an effort to silence criticism of Israel and an affront to the First Amendment.

Republicans in Congress have denounced the protests and demanded action to stop them, thrusting university officials into the center of the charged political debate over Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act would require the Education Department to adopt the definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

The House is voting on legislation that would establish a broader definition of antisemitism for the Department of Education to enforce anti-discrimination laws

The House passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act on Wednesday amid unrest on college campuses. The bill, which was introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, passed 320-91. The measure was led by Rep.

Bill to use language by International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance to define antisemitism, which critics say would chill speech