PRINTER'S NO. 889
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
146
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY GROVE, RYAN, HARKINS, ROTHMAN, READSHAW, STEPHENS,
BERNSTINE, PYLE, SCHLOSSBERG, MARKOSEK, FREEMAN, KAUFFMAN,
TOEPEL, RAPP, MENTZER, SOLOMON, B. MILLER, MACKENZIE,
BOROWICZ, MILLARD, ZIMMERMAN, PICKETT, MURT AND HERSHEY,
MARCH 13, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, MARCH 13, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Reaffirming support for the State of Israel and condemning the
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
WHEREAS, Antisemitism continues to rear its ugly head in the
western world; and
WHEREAS, Antisemitism manifested itself locally in the tragic
and horrifying terrorist attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in
the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on October 27,
2018; and
WHEREAS, Antisemitism is growing within the United States;
and
WHEREAS, The New York Times reported that in 2018 half of all
hate crimes within New York City were against the city's Jewish
population; and
WHEREAS, The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement
has falsely labeled the State of Israel an "apartheid state";
and
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WHEREAS, Act 163 of 2016, which amends the Commonwealth
Procurement Code, prohibits the Commonwealth from contracting
with any company or organization that engages in an economic
boycott against Israel, making Pennsylvania the 14th state to
pass anti-BDS movement legislation; and
WHEREAS, Act 163 asserts that "Israel is America's
dependable, democratic ally in the Middle East, an area of
paramount strategic importance to the United States" and that
"it is in the interest of the United States and the Commonwealth
to stand with Israel and other countries by promoting trade and
commercial activities and to discourage policies that disregard
that interest"; and
WHEREAS, The BDS movement would destabilize and threaten a
United States ally where more than 40% of the world's Jewish
population lives; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reaffirm support for the State of
Israel and condemn the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives condemn
antisemitism in all of its ugly forms on both the right and the
left; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives find the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions movement to be an antisemitic political
movement; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge each state
in the United States to adopt legislation modeled after Act 163;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives join with the
Wolf administration and urge each state and the Federal
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Government to develop policies and procedures to safeguard
institutions in order to prevent and address the growing number
of attacks on members of the Jewish community.
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