|
|
|
April 19, 1999 Vol.1, No. 2 This Week in Washington…
NATO'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY TO COINCIDE WITH ADMINISTRATION'S FUNDING REQUEST FOR KOSOVO ACTION The unsettling combination of festivities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this important post-war military alliance and recent events in Yugoslavia are much on the minds of Washingtonians this week. The Administration is expected to request $6 billion in supplemental funds to cover military and humanitarian operations in Yugoslavia. Some in Congress will use this request as a tool to increase defense spending, with some estimates reaching as high as $15 million under an "emergency" designation to be available for the fiscal 2000 non-defense discretionary accounts. To speed passage, lawmakers may seek to attach the funding request to the Disaster Relief Supplemental (HR1141) currently awaiting floor action. EFFORTS TO HELP DISABLED WORKERS House Committee on Commerce Health and Environment will mark up a bill (HR1180) Tuesday which would permit disabled workers to retain Medicare or Medicaid health benefits after they return to the work force. Approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Finance Committee in early March, the legislation remains stalled by Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott. The JCPA organized briefings on Capitol Hill on this issue for the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services in early March, in preparation for their advocacy with members in support of the initiative. OTHER CONGRESSIONAL ACTION The House is set to vote Tuesday under suspension of the rules on a bill (HR573) awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights activist Rosa Parks. The Senate Foreign Relations will take up legislation Wednesday to reauthorize the State Department and related activities for fiscal 2000 and 2001. The House International Relations Committee approved similar legislation last week. (HR1211) Once again, the issues of International Family Planning and UN arrears threaten to stall the initiatives. The Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution is scheduled to mark up legislation that would grant Congress the power to prohibit desecration of the US flag. (S.J. Res 14), with the House Subcommittee having approved an identical resolution (HJRes 33) last week. One hundred eighty-nine of the necessary 218 Members of the House have signed a "discharge" petition to force a floor vote on Campaign Finance Reform. This Week in New York…
JCPA AGENDA FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TO TAKE SHAPE The JCPA Committee on Public Policy Formulation will meet this Friday at the JCPA office in New York City to review the propositions and resolutions adopted by the 1999 Plenum. Publication is scheduled for early June. STATE DEPARTMENT'S AARON DAVID MILLER TO BRIEF ON PEACE PROCESS JCPA officers and members of the Committee on Public Policy Formulation will meet with Dr. Miller, Deputy Special Middle East Coordinator, for an early morning update on Friday. JCPA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RETREATS TO NEW JERSEY JCPA officers will meet next weekend to discuss agency policy, governance and program.
|
