March 20, 2000 Vol. 2, No. 9

This Week in Washington…

For more information, contact Reva Price, Washington Representative at rprice@thejcpa.org

JCPA LENDS EXPERTISE TO UJC W-12 CONFERENCE: The UJC National Young Leadership Conference (Washington 12) is in full swing in our nation’s capital. JCPA has confirmed that more than 40 CRCs played a critical role in briefing participants in advance of hill visits scheduled for tomorrow. Participants have meetings with more than 70 Senate and nearly 300 House offices to discuss support for Israel and the peace process, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and Return to Home legislation. JCPA played a pivotal role in coordinating representatives of member agencies to help with the Hate Crimes briefings at the conference.

SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ: The House and Senate will hold hearings this week on U.S. policy and sanctions against Iraq. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Edward Walker will be appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Tuesday, and David Welch, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations will address the full House International Relations Committee on Wednesday. These discussions follow efforts by Reps. John Sweeney (NY), Joe Crowley (NY), Doug Bereuter (NE), and Tom Lantos (CA) to organize a sign-on letter to President Clinton urging that sanctions against Iraq be maintained.

THIS WEEK’S BUDGET STORY: The House is scheduled to vote on a budget resolution on Thursday that calls for no more than $596.5 billion in discretionary spending for FY 2001. The Senate Budget Committee is scheduled to mark up a budget resolution with the same numbers this week as well. There, however, is where agreement ends. The President has requested discretionary spending in the amount of $614.3 billion. With everyone seemingly in agreement over increased defense spending, the battle lines are being drawn around what is left for other discretionary spending. The JCPA is particularly concerned by efforts to slash the president’s proposed $22.8 billion budget request for international affairs by $3 billion as well to trim food stamp and nutrition programs.

TAKE OUT YOUR #2 PENCILS – OR POINT AND CLICK: The JCPA received the following note this week from Debbie Mohile, Office of Public Liaison at the White House. "As you may know, Census surveys have been sent to U.S. households this week. It is critical that every individual be accurately accounted for in order for local communities to receive state and federal funding for multiple needs (hospitals, schools, roads, etc.), helps determine representation in state and federal legislatures, even helps 911 operators to determine where each house is located! I encourage you to visit the Census website and check out the many resources they have for community and religious leaders who play an essential role in encouraging individuals in their communities to respond to the brief survey. Thanks in advance for your cooperation! Congregation information can be found on the Internet. Please go to www.census.gov". Contact rprice@thejcpa.org for details.

This Week in New York…

For more information, contact Benita Gayle-Almeleh, Senior Community Consultant at bga@thejcpa.org

UPDATE ON PAPAL VISIT: JCPA member agencies are urged to visit our website at www.jewishpublicaffairs.org for materials concerning this week’s Papal visit to Israel. A comprehensive background packet was mailed late last week to member agencies. Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 23^rd at 3:00 p.m. for a conference call from Israel, with reports from ADL Israel Office Director Rabbi David Rosen and AJCommittee’s Director of Interreligious Affairs Rabbi A. James Rudin. Contact lmallin@thejcpa.org for more information.

PLENUM POSTSCRIPT: President Clinton thanked JCPA Chair Len Cole for a copy of Building One Nation: Race, Ethnicity, and Public Policy which he received at a White House meeting for faith-based leadership on the President's race initiative. At the annual dinner of the Jewish Labor Committee, AFL-CIO International President John Sweeney praised the JCPA for its support of the living wage principle. "I want to personally thank. . .the Jewish Council for Public Affairs for your resolution in favor of living wage ordinances," Sweeney said. "We in the union movement are delighted to have you working side by side with us."