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June 28 , 1999 Vol.1, No. 11 This Week in Washington…
FINALLY, HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION? The Senate may consider Hate Crimes Legislation (S.622) this week if it is offered as an amendment to the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill. This represents part of a broader Democratic strategy to attach legislation to appropriations bills in an effort to showcase their agenda. See 6/25 JCPA Action Alert for additional information and recommended action on this issue. ABORTION RIGHTS IN QUESTION: The House may see action this week on HR1218, which would impose criminal penalties on those who help a minor cross state lines to obtain an abortion to avoid parental consent laws in a home state. Such penalties would apply to any adult - a grandparent, sibling or member of the clergy - who assists the minor in such travel. Democrats may seek to amend the legislation to exempt close family members from penalty, although a similar attempt to change the wording failed in the Judiciary Committee. SILK ROAD LEGISLATION TO SENATE FLOOR: Later this week, the Senate is slated to consider The Silk Road Strategy Act as part of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The Bill establishes a framework for relations between the U.S. and countries in Central Asia and the Caucuses. A large coalition of Jewish organizations supports this legislation as critical to the stability of a strategically vital region. Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakstan and Uzbekistan all have significant Jewish populations. The latter three, although Muslim majority nations, maintain good relations with Israel and can provide positive models of the benefits of trade and commercial activity with Israel for other Islamic nations. FEAR, LOATHING, PRAYER AND FASTING? On Tuesday, the House will consider a resolution (as yet unnumbered) expressing outrage at the "malicious and cowardly acts of arson" against three Sacramento synagogues earlier this month. The bill would endorse use of federal law enforcement personnel to identify those who committed "the heinous acts and bring them to justice in a swift and deliberate manner." Also on Tuesday, the House will discuss legislation (HconREes94) sponsored by Helen Cenoweth (ID), and cosponsored by Majority Leader Dick Armey (TX) and Majority Whip Tom DeLay(TX) calling for a national day of prayer, fasting and humiliation. The initiative, while declaring the importance of God and religion in our society, links rejection of these beliefs to recent school shootings and hate crimes as well as a variety of unpleasant situations including civil unrest and genocide. This Week in New York…
SIGNIFICANT SUMMER READING: Copies of the 1999-2000 JCPA Agenda for Public Affairs are available. Contact hluftig@thejcpa.org for order forms and pricing…. Look for the 1999 Plenum Highlights in a revised and dynamic format…. Plenum speeches by Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Harold Schulweis and JCPA Chair Steve Schwarz are available in attractive pamphlets and provide excellent discussion material for board meetings, leadership training, etc. THE PLACE TO BE FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE: This year's National Workshop on Christian-Jewish Relations will take place in Houston October 24-27, 1999. Look for a mailing from Karen Senter (ksenter@thejcpa.org) with detailed information. The Workshop is an excellent training opportunity for lay leaders and professionals interested in expanding their knowledge of and contacts in the interreligious realm.
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