Virginia Foxx Asks Lawyer How To Protect Jewish Workers From Potentially Anti-Semitic Union Groups

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]Emeritus, uh Miss Fox, for her 5 minutes of questioning.

[00:00:04]>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here.

[00:00:09]Um Dr. Gronen, your testimony talks about the resolution your union adopted on May 5th, 2024, titled "House Staff Against Apartheid," which called for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel, and encouraged affiliated academic institutions to divest all resources from Israel, including financial contributions, human capital, pension funds, retirement programs, and intellectual property. What do you understand this call to divest all human capital to mean?

[00:00:45]>> Thank you for your question. Uh human capital very clearly refers to Israeli colleagues, but I would also say extends to other American Zionists, which includes most Jews, a large number of Christians, and a number of other Americans that just don't support this.

[00:01:00]>> [snorts] >> Thank you very much. What effect has the human capital provision in the resolution had on the Jewish and Israeli doctors you work with?

[00:01:11]>> Thank you. It's created a really problematic culture of intimidation and exclusion. Um as I mentioned previously, my colleagues are afraid to speak up against this union because of provisions like that. Um and I do worry it extends uh to patients. It totally impacts patient care. You know, should patients' family members have to worry about speaking Hebrew uh when their family member is sick in the hospital over fear of how they may be treated differently by some of their doctors that support some of these things?

[00:01:41]>> Well, thank you very much. Miss Margolies, workers in unionized workplaces have rights to decline to financially support their union's political activities.

[00:01:53]Under the Civil Rights Act, they may also obtain a religious accommodation to funding the union's activities.

[00:02:01]What additional approaches might Congress consider to protect better Jewish and Israeli health care workers from being forced to fund or accept representation from unions that promote hostility toward their identity?

[00:02:21]>> So, conduct oversight into how health care unions use due funded resources, official platforms, member communications, and representative authority. And also, Congress should be examining whether unions promoting anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist hostility can fairly represent Jewish and Israeli members. Um also, the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, the EEOC, and HHS OCR can also clarify anti-Semitic harassment in health care workplaces is unlawful, and whether it comes from employees, co-workers, professional associations, or unions.

[00:02:59]>> Thank you very much. Uh I yield back, Mr. Chairman.