NY Republican’s bill to commemorate Oct. 7 attack blocked by Democrats
New York assemblyman Lester Chang, a Navy veteran and GOP member from Brooklyn, has been working tirelessly to commemorate the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel. Despite his efforts to create a bill to officially remember the tragedy, he has faced roadblocks from Democratic leadership in the state assembly.
Chang, who has firsthand experience of war and atrocities from his time in Afghanistan, began working on the resolution to remember the terror attack a year ago. With the help of then-candidate Donald Trump and after months of crafting a balanced message with his staff, Chang submitted the resolution in January. However, it was rejected as “controversial” by leadership.
Undeterred, Chang and his colleagues converted the resolution into a bill, believing that a bill would ensure the remembrance of the event for eternity. Despite having Democratic co-sponsors and what they thought was a balanced approach, the bill was blocked by House Speaker Carl Heastie and other top Democrats.
The bill, which was supposed to go to the smaller governmental operations committee, was redirected to the larger Ways and Means committee, where four members were replaced. This move was seen as a deliberate attempt to prevent the bill from moving forward.
Assemblyman Ed Ra, the top Republican on the Ways and Means committee, emphasized that remembering the Oct. 7 attack and combating antisemitism should never be political. He, along with Assemblyman Ari Brown, accused Albany Democrats of veiled antisemitism, stating that the legislature is tainted with it.
Chang, who represents a diverse district, emphasized that he has no religious bias and is pushing for the bill out of a sense of duty. He expressed his willingness to have a Democrat sponsor the bill if it meant commemorating the Oct. 7 attack.
Despite facing opposition, at least seven Democrats from New York City have shown support for the Oct. 7 remembrance legislation. Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt echoed Chang’s concerns, highlighting the importance of commemorating the tragic day and defending the Jewish community.
Efforts to reach out to Heastie for comment on the allegations were unsuccessful. The controversy surrounding the commemoration of the Oct. 7 attack highlights the political divide in the New York state assembly and the challenges faced by legislators trying to honor a significant event in history.
