July 23, 2001 Vol. 3, No. 22

This Week in New York…

STANDING TOGETHER --

SOLIDARITY RALLY WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

Marvin K. Lender has been named chairman of "Standing Together" - will take place Sunday, September 23^rd at 1 p.m. along Second Avenue, beginning at 47^th Street, in Manhattan.  Tens of thousands of Jews and other supporters of Israel are expected to attend the rally, along with regional and national leaders and Israeli officials. JCPA is a cosponsor of the rally, and is working with member agencies across the country to bring delegations of Israel activists to New York to stand in solidarity. There are only 62 more days until the rally! Contact the JCPA today to learn what your community can do!

Missions: UJC/JCPA Solidarity Mission, September 9-14; JCPA Leadership Mission, October 22-28. Contact hluftig@thejcpa.org for more information.

Solidarity Now! Tip of the Week: This week’s highlight comes from South Palm Beach County, FL. "Political Action 101", a seminar on advocacy training, featured sessions on Israel’s perspective of the American media; insights into how policy and positions are determined by members of Congress;how newspapers determine editorial policy, develop stories and create headlines; and how to write effective letters to members of Congress, op-ed pieces, and letters to the editor. Contact annec@bocafed.org for more information.

This Week in Washington...

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

Action Needed Today: The House of Representatives will vote later this week on HR 7, the Community Solutions Act. (See JCPA Action Alert, July 13, 2001.) Last week, the House Ways & Means Committee gutted tax incentives for charitable giving to very low levels. Next year, non-itemizers may deduct a total of $25 from their taxable income. For the average non-itemizer, that equals a tax benefit of $3.75 per year. The newest version of the bill also allows Cabinet Secretaries to convert longstanding grant programs into vouchers without Congressional approval. By using voucher programs, overt religious discrimination against beneficiaries would be permissible. For example, when the government funding comes in the form of a voucher, services can be withheld until a beneficiary engages in worship or agrees to convert his or her religion. Put this on your "Must Do" list: JCPA member agencies are urged to be in immediate phone contact with members of the House of Representative urging a vote against HR7. Contact rprice@thejcpa.org for more information.

Busy July on the Hill: A vote on the Foreign Aid Appropriations bill will take place in the House later this week. (See JCPA Action Alert, July 13, 2001) This is the legislation that provides military and economic support for Israel. Affordable housing for the elderly will be the topic of a hearing by the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity and in the Senate, the Special Aging Committee will hold a hearing on long term care issues focusing on costs and demand. The House Education and the Workforce subcommittee on Education Reform will hold a hearing on research on improving US schools. Education legislation passed recently by both houses has yet to find its way to a conference committee to iron out differences between the two bills. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to markup pending legislation including S. Con. Res. 16, expressing the sense of Congress that the George Washington Letter to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, RI on display at the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum is one of the most significant early statements buttressing the nascent American constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

Social Security Interim Report Due Shortly: President Bush's Social Security Commission will hold its second meeting on July 24 at which time it is anticipated that it will release its interim report. The commission is expected to recommend partial privatization of the Social Security system. JCPA policy notes that "the defined-benefit nature of the Social Security program must be retained, in order to ensure that all beneficiaries receive a minimum level of financial support, regardless of economic circumstances." It is feared that privatization will require deep benefit cuts that, on average, will not be offset by the earnings of private accounts. Events are being scheduled around the country on July 23 to protest the privatization of Social Security. To find out more about participating in an event in your community, contact steitelbaum@thejcpa.org.