US House of Representatives approves anti-Islamophobia bill

The US House of Representatives approved, by majority, a bill drafted by Muslim Representative Ilhan Omar, to combat "Islamophobia", while a number of Republican representatives opposed it.

The US House of Representatives voted, Tuesday evening, to approve a bill to establish a new office in the State Department to combat "Islamophobia".

The bill, which was drafted by Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, won approval by a majority of 219 votes against 212 who rejected the law, according to Reuters.

The provisions of the law include the creation of a special envoy to monitor and combat Islamophobia, including violence against Muslims included in the annual reports of the US State Department for Human Rights.

Speaking before Congress, Omar said, "We are witnessing a massive escalation of violence and discrimination against Muslims all over the world," and stressed, "We must make global efforts to confront Islamophobia."

Republican lawmakers opposed the bill, describing it as "hasty and biased", while Republican Representative Scott Perry got angry and described Omar inside the House as "anti-Semitic and affiliated with terrorist organizations."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the Republican representative's speech, considering it "inappropriate and defaming his colleague Ilhan Omar."

The bill came after Muslim MP Ilhan Omar was subjected to hostile comments from Republican Representative Lauren Poubert, who called her a "terrorist".

After that comment, Democrats called for Poubert to be stripped of her duties, while the Speaker of the House criticized her