The current US special envoy for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism, Elan Carr. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.

A top American Jewish umbrella group praised on Thursday the approval by the US Senate of a bill to upgrade the status of the US special envoy on antisemitism.

“We welcome the unanimous passage by the US Senate of bipartisan legislation that would elevate the designation of the Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism to ambassador-level, providing it with additional prominence and visibility on the world stage,” the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations said in a statement.

It continued, “This post, created in 2004, plays a critically important part in the global fight against the increasingly urgent threat of antisemitism around the world. The enhancing of this position would represent further recognition by the US government of the critical importance of having an official representative to lead in combating the scourge of Jew-hatred.”

“We thank Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Gardner (R-CO) for their leadership as original cosponsors of this legislation,” the group added. “We strongly advocate for the swift passage of this measure by the House of Representatives, so that it can then be signed into law by the President. The urgency of a collective effort to fight the growing scourge of Jew-hatred underscores the need for prompt action.”