July 15’s hearing regarding antisemitism in higher education was held by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which is in charge of overseeing the Department of Education. Their responsibilities include the position of imposing laws about anti-discrimination, as well as how federal funds that go into the field of education are used.

As a result, the committee has the power to call upon the heads of educational institutes to attend and attest before it. Politicians may also use the threat of cutting federal funds from the institutions if the leaders fail to comply with their requests, stating that such actions will be performed if they find any of the institution’s policies and responses to certain behavior to be unreasonable.

Following the 2022 midterm elections, where the Republicans took control over the majority of the House of Representatives, government officials have used the committee’s hearings regarding anti-semitism as a way to reprobate educational environments and progressive campus culture. These topics were already longstanding focal points for conservatives. They have also used the hearings to leverage the political debate surrounding the Israel-Gaza War.

Republican chairman and Michigan representative Tim Walberg stated before the hearing that the hearing was, “building on its promise to protect Jewish students and faculty while many university leaders refuse to hold agitators of this bigotry, hatred, and discrimination accountable.”

The Republican Party has also used footage of pro-Palestinian protests and movements, which have seen mixed views by the Democratic Party, in hopes of swaying voters in recent and future elections.

However, this has not gone unnoticed by the Democratic Party. Some Democratic politicians have pointed out that the opposing party only acknowledges some hate speech and may also tolerate some anti-semitism. Moreover, Democrats state that the Republicans may also be using anti-semitism as a political weapon. They also note the Republicans’ sole focus on anti-semitism rather than addressing other types of discrimination as well.

“This is our ninth hearing on antisemitism in 18 months,” Virginia representative Robert C. Scott stated during the hearing. “We’ve not held a single hearing addressing racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia or other challenges affecting other student groups on American college campuses.”