April 17, 2000 Vol. 2, No. 13

This Week in Washington...

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

Congress on Vacation: Congress has left Washington for their Easter/ Passover recess. The House will reconvene on May 2^nd, the Senate on April 25^th. The Senate is scheduled to discuss the "marriage penalty" tax and victims rights legislation upon its return.

Everyone is Talking Gun Control! Preparations continue in Washington for the Million Moms March scheduled for May 14, 2000. Since our mailing of April 4, 2000 giving background on the March two events have been added to the agenda for that Sunday morning. An interfaith service has been scheduled to take place at 10:00 am at the "7^th Street stage." If the March grows large enough this stage will be moved to 9^th street. In addition, the Jewish Community will be holding "(Gun) Locks and Bagels – A Community Meeting and Brunch" an event coordinated by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC) scheduled for 10:00 am at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill (400 New Jersey Ave. NW.) For more information, contact Jonah Goldman, JCPA Public Policy Fellow at the address above or Gail Himelfarb at the RAC (ghimelfarb@uahc.org). At the time of our last mailing we asked communities to complete a survey on Member Agency Participation in Grass-Roots Gun Control Initiatives. If you have not already done so, please fill out these forms and return them to our office. We are asked continually by coalition partners for information on particular communities and want to be able to respond accurately.

Tax Exemption Laws for Holocaust Assets Restitution Continue To Pass: Iowa and Arizona are the latest states to add laws to their books assuring that Holocaust Assets Restitution payments are tax free (See March 31, 2000 mailing). Efforts continue on the federal level to enact similar legislation. Although the Internal Revenue Service has issued several rulings exempting certain Holocaust compensation funds from taxation, Congress has never passed legislation that would provide a broad tax exemption for all Holocaust-related payments. The JCPA will be issuing "talking points" on this vital legislation in the near future.

Next Step of Budget Process Slated to Begin: Before leaving the Nations Capital, legislators completed work on their fiscal 2001 budget framework. When the Members of Congress return, the $600.2 billion in discretionary funding provided for in the budget resolution will be distributed to the 13 appropriations committees who will have the difficult task of deciding what will get funded in the next fiscal year. JCPA will monitor the activities of many of these committees in efforts to make sure our priorities are fully funded. As of now, foreign aid and refugee resettlement programs and low income housing initiatives are among the programs which are particularly vulnerable this year.

Iran Update: The trial of the Iran 13 opened last Thursday in a closed, brief session and was immediately postponed to May 1. As of today, 10 of the Jews remain in prison, and three are out on bail. In light of the delay, our most immediate goal is to get the prisoners out for Passover to be with their families. At the same time, we continue to call on the Iranian government to ensure that when the trial reconvenes it is held in an open and fair manner, following all legal norms, and respecting the prisoners' human rights. A special prayer for the 13 has been composed, and is posted on our website, for use during Passover. For information contact eyaari@thejcpa.org.

This Week in New York...

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

The Argentina Committee is convening a conference call at 4:15 this afternoon. Dina Siegel Vann, Latin American Affairs Director at B’nai B’rith will brief the Committee on B’nai B’rith's recent visit to Argentina, and on the status of the AMIA bombing trial. For information contact eyaari@thejcpa.org.

There will be no insider the week of April 24^th…Chag Pesach Sameach!