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April 26 , 1999 Vol.1, No. 3 This Week in Washington…
Funding for Kosovo, Continued Congress continues to wrestle to fashion an appropriate American response to the crisis in Kosovo. Two resolutions will be considered by the House International Relations Committee: HJ Res 82, a measure to remove US troops from the current Yugoslav conflict, and HJ Res 44, which would declare war on Yugoslavia. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (IL) has indicated he will likely support a debate on the issue on the House floor. On the Senate side, Senator John McCain (AZ) introduced a bipartisan resolution calling for the President to use "all necessary force" to prevail over Milosevic (SJ Res 20). Senators McConnell (KY) and Lieberman (CT) introduced a bill which would authorize the President to provide the Kosovo Liberation Army with military assistance. (S846) However, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (MS) has indicated an unwillingness to debate the issues. Committees in both houses are scheduled to take action on emergency defense spending this week, with little resolved concerning the amount of aid to be approved. President Clinton has requested $6 billion, but Congressional leadership is calling for significantly higher funding levels. It still appears likely that this emergency spending may ultimately be attached to the controversial Disaster Relief Supplemental (HR 1141, detailed in the JCPA Insider, April 12 and 19). Congress to Pass Resolution Condemning Violence in Littleton Colorado The House and Senate will consider as yet unwritten legislation which will condemn the violence at Columbine High School. Look for a number of initiatives over the next week which will suggest various means of preventing and combating school violence. Senator Kennedy (MA) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY) have begun to push gun control legislation which would make it harder for children to obtain and use guns. (HR 1342, S735) Other initiatives for combating juvenile crime (HR1501/14R I 150) will be discussed in House Committees this week. Work Begins to Raise Minimum Wage Senator Edward Kennedy (MA) and Representative David Bonior (Ml) will reactivate their efforts this week to increase the minimum wage, employing their successful strategy of attaching the initiative to every possible piece of legislation until it passes. This week's target is the Y2K Computer bill. Supporters of the minimum wage increase seek a raise of $1.00 per hour by January 1, 2000, which would bring the minimum wage to $6.15 per hour. This Week in New York…
Just returned from an AJCommittee fact-finding trip to Macedonia, Lois Frank, co-chair of JCPA's Equal Opportunity and Social Justice Task Force, will be the guest of honor at a major fund raising dinner in Atlanta on Thursday evening by the AJC. Rabbi David Saperstein will be honored for 25 years of service to the UAHC's Religious Action Center at a dinner in Washington tonight. President Clinton is scheduled to speak at the event.
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