(WENY) -- Representative Marc Molinaro (R-NY's 19th Congressional District) delivered statements to the press regarding the recent encampment protests on the campuses of Cornell and Binghamton Universities.

In a press conference earlier today -- Molinaro stated that he was "distressed" by the encampments saying they were "fueled by hate and anti-Semitism."

Yesterday the house voted to pass the Antisemitism Awareness Act of which Molinaro voted in favor, if made into law the bill would re-classify certain speech critical of Israel as anti-Semitic.

Molinaro also stated that he would be open to a two-state solution only if Hamas would be removed from the situation and a ceasefire be established.

"I have spent a great deal of time talking to Jewish Americans and by the way, Israeli Americans. And again, express your views on the way in which another nation wages war, but these individuals, these families feel terrorized, and we as a nation must make perfectly clear we cannot tolerate that kind of thing," remarked Molinaro.

Molinaro also voted in-support of last week's bill that plans to send $90 billion worth of aid to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. He along with all members of the house of representatives are up for re-election this November. New York's 19th Congressional District consists of Broome, Chenango, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Greene, Sullivan, Tioga, and Tompkins counties, while including parts of Otsego and Ulster counties.