um of Pennsylvania, who is also known for his support and sponsorship of the 'Syrian Accountability Act' .."

WASHINGTON (PMC) - A US congressman has proposed a law that, in effect, prohibits the criticism of Israel in American college campuses by threatening these universities with federal funding cuts if they are found to be permitting censure of the Jewish State on campus.

The new legislation is to be introduced by Republican Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who is also known for his support and sponsorship of the 'Syrian Accountability Act', which accuses Syria of backing 'terrorism' and developing weapons of mass destruction.

The bill Santorum is proposing-dubbed the "ideological diversity" legislation- suggests cutting federal funding for American colleges and universities, which permit students and staff to publicly criticize Israel.

This practice of freedom of speech, Santorum claims, would be an act of "anti- Semitism."

According to the American Free Press on April 21, under the proposed bill, the federal funding formula under Title IX of the Higher Education Act will include "ideological diversity" as a prerequisite for federal funding.

The legislation has gained the support of another fellow conservative, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, who is known for being a staunch backer of Israel.

On his part, Brownback is seeking to call for a federal commission to be established under the Higher Education Act to probe any "anti-Semitic" incidents on US campuses.

The schemes to be proposed by both senators first appeared in the April 15 issue of the New York Sun; a pro-Israel daily published in Manhattan.

According to the published report, Santorum, along with other Republican members of Senate, had invited representatives of several powerful Jewish organizations to convene on Capitol Hill to discuss the senators' growing concern about mounting criticism of Israel on American campuses.

The meeting was attended by senators Santorum, Robert Bennett (Utah), Sam Brownback (Kansas) and Norm Coleman (Minnesota). Senate Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tennessee), as senators Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and George Voinovich (Ohio) sent staff representatives.

The private meeting was also attended by the pro-Israel Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, Hillel, the Ameircan Jewish Committee and the Zionist Organization of America. A representative for the Bush administration, Louis Goldstein, also attended.

-[Palestine Media Center (http://www.palestine-pmc.com/).] Published at the (http://www.palestine-pmc.com/)

http://palestinechronicle.com/article.php?story=20030425223210445

© 2002 Distance Ed Design - Dennis W. Mills, Ph.D.

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