George Voinovich: “I am pleased the State Department has taken these suggestions into consideration in working to prepare the agenda for…”

“I am pleased the State Department has taken these suggestions into consideration in working to prepare the agenda for the Berlin conference. There has been a great deal of effort to ensure this conference meets my expectations and others', and it is my sincere hope this meeting will help move toward the goal of zero tolerance for antisemitism in the world today. While I believe we must do all we can to encourage our allies and partners abroad, as well as our international organizations, such as the OSCE, the United Nations, and the EU to combat antisemitism, it is important we redouble our efforts at home to call attention to this problem. Tomorrow the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will conduct a hearing to examine antisemitism in Europe. This continues discussion on the issue following a hearing that took place last October. While this is significant, we can and we ought to do more. Today I introduce legislation calling attention to the growing problem of antisemitism abroad. This bill, called the Global Antisemitism Review Act of 2004, urges the United States to continue to strongly support efforts to highlight antisemitism through bilateral relationships and interaction with international organizations, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Further, the legislation requires the Secretary of State to submit to Congress an annual report on acts of antisemitism worldwide.”