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August 9, 1999 Vol.1, No. 15 This Week in Washington…
JUST WHEN THEY THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO BACK IN THE WATER: Congress begins a four week recess, with members returning home to report to and meet with constituents. With numerous critical issues still unresolved - many of which have been reported on here in the INSIDER - the time is right to firm up appointments to discuss: HATE CRIMES: The Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed by the Senate as part of the Commerce State Justice Appropriations Bill. The House Judiciary Committee has already held hearings on the legislation, HR 1082, but House members should be urged to join the 180 co-sponsors of the legislation and move the initiative to the House floor. (JCPA Memorandum, July 23, 1999) JUVENILE JUSTICE: House and Senate Conferees met briefly to reconcile differing versions of the Juvenile Justice bill and are adjourned until September. Three critical points should be made when meeting with members: the final version must not include a provision allowing the Ten Commandments to be displayed on or within public property; legislation should include those gun control provisions covered by the Senate version; and finally, that the bill not include provisions which would weaken efforts to protect and rehabilitate juveniles and efforts to address disproportionate incarceration of minority youth. (JCPA Action Alert, July 2, 1999) MINIMUM WAGE: In the face of Senate failure to act on a minimum wage amendment to the tax cut bill, Senator Kennedy has vowed to continue to move the legislation until he is successful. The House version of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 1999 (HR325), which calls for a $1 increase in the minimum wage, currently has 146 co-sponsors. Members of Congress need to hear that this issue remains important to constituents. (JCPA Action Alert, July 29, 1999) MANAGED CARE: The Senate passed managed care legislation in mid-July. Just last week, a bi-partisan group of House legislators agreed on their own legislation, but the fine print has yet to be drafted. The initiative will most likely allow patients to sue their health plans in state courts, expand protections for patients in managed care plans, including increased access to emergency and specialty treatment and women's health care. Members of Congress should be urged to bring this initiative to a vote when they return from recess. (JCPA Action Alert July 12, 1999) FOREIGN AID: The House passed their Foreign Aid Appropriations last week, paving the way for conference with the Senate. Although the bill contains monies for Israel, it falls short in several other areas, including $1.2 billion promised to Israel during the Wye River negotiations. Conferees should be urged to communicate these concerns. (JCPA Memorandum, August 4, 1999) HOLOCAUST RELATED LEGISLATION: Action is still pending on legislation to exempt Holocaust survivors and heirs from federal tax on restitution payments, and the Nazi Benefits Termination Act. New legislation to extend the US Holocaust Assets Commission until December 2000 is also pending, and legislators should be encouraged to pass all of these important bills. (JCPA Action Alert July 15, 1999) ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA: COEJL has endorsed the Act to Save America's Forests (H.R. 2512/S. 1368), introduced by Representative Anna Eshoo (CA) and Senator Robert Torricelli (NJ) on July 14. If passed, this bill would protect core areas of natural forests on Federal lands in every region of the country from logging and road building. Only environmentally compatible, sustainable logging would be permitted outside of the protected core forest areas. SCHWARZ TO THE WHITE HOUSE, TAKE 2: JCPA Chair Steve Schwarz joins an elite group of American Jewish leaders for an "outreach meeting" with President Clinton this Thursday.
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