U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., hosted a telephone press conference Tuesday to address anti-Semitic harassment occurring on college campuses.

“Since the Hamas led massacre against Israel last month, there has been a disturbing rise in anti-Semitic harassment and attacks directed at Jewish students on college campuses,” he said.

Cassidy – a ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee – said that at the roundtable, the administration’s legal responsibility to protect Jewish students will be examined. By law, under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Biden administration has the “responsibility of enforcement power … to prohibit discrimination and programs and activities at institutions receiving federal funds,” he said.

In a press briefing on Monday, October 30, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre outlined the administration’s plans to address the rise in antisemitic actions on campuses throughout the United States. The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security has “taken steps to ensure campus law enforcement is included in engagements” with both local and state law enforcement, in addition to providing outreach and direct support to campuses. She also stated that the Department of Education is making it easier for students who experience discrimination to file a complaint under Title VI.

Cassidy believes more needs to be done to secure student safety.

“While the administration has announced new efforts to address anti-semitism on campuses, it doesn’t ensure that colleges are actually responsibly handling these events, or even working to prevent them in the first place. They might be, they may not be. We’re going to look at that.”

Cassidy referenced an incident that occurred near Tulane University’s campus on Thursday, October 26. In a statement released by Tulane, it was stated that several arrests were made after three Tulane students were assaulted at a rally on the public sidewalk along Freret St.

The statement said “What started out as a peaceful demonstration unfortunately devolved into a violent incident and a dark day for our community.”

This rally was not sanctioned or approved by the University, and it was stated that many of the protestors were not University students. In the statement, the actions of the protestors were called “violent, deplorable, deliberately provocative and exploitative.”

Cassidy is planning to hold a roundtable discussion on the rise of anti-Semitic harassment on Thursday at 8 a.m.

Cassidy said that at the roundtable, they will hear perspectives from Jewish students and faculty, and “national education experts with extensive insight into the anti-semitism currently taking place.”

“It’s my hope that these conversations will lead to better, further bipartisan oversight.”

The roundtable will be livestreamed on the Senate HELP Committee Republicans’ youtube channel.