In a 303-126-3 vote on Wednesday, the House passed a resolution rebuking testimony from Harvard University President Claudine Gay, Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth, and former University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill.
The trio faced scrutiny for not unequivocally stating that calls for genocide against Jewish individuals would violate their schools' policies, reported The Hill.
House Education Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., initiated the investigation into the universities, deeming the presidents' testimony "absolutely unacceptable."
The resolution, led by House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., criticized the presidents for being "evasive and dismissive." Stefanik emphasized the bipartisan nature of the issue, stating, "This is not a partisan issue but a question of moral clarity." However, the vote exposed Democratic divisions, with 84 Democrats supporting the resolution, 125 opposing it, and three voting "present."
During a House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing, the university leaders declined to label calls for genocide as harassment, citing the context. The resolution condemned their responses and addressed the broader issue of rising antisemitism on campuses nationwide, linking it to increased incidents since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Jewish Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., opposed the resolution, citing concerns about congressional overreach and accusing Republicans of exploiting fears about antisemitism for political gain. Nadler criticized Stefanik, linking her to former President Donald Trump and accusing her of trafficking in the "great replacement theory," a charge Stefanik denied.
The fallout extended beyond the House vote. Magill resigned, and the university lost a $100 million donation. The resolution suggested Harvard and MIT presidents should consider resigning, but both schools' boards expressed confidence in their leadership, refusing to dismiss them.
"As members of the Harvard Corporation, we today reaffirm our support for President Gay's continued leadership of Harvard University," the Harvard board said.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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