September 25, 2000 Vol. 2, No. 32

This Week in Washington...

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

So Much to Do, So Little Time: With less than one week left until the end of the FY 2000, Congress is expected to pass a "continuing resolution" to keep the Government running for at least an extra week beyond the deadline. With 11 of the 13 appropriations bill still to be completed, Congress has abandoned hope of finishing work on the spending bills before the October 1^st deadline, making the hoped-for October 6^th adjournment date a virtual impossibility. Many JCPA priority issues remain in limbo, with very little time left to act. Conferees on the Department of Defense Authorization Bill will most likely decide this week whether to include hate crimes legislation in the bill’s final version. We have just learned that the Christian Coalition will meet in Washington at the end of this week and has declared defeat of hate crimes legislation a major priority. Have you called urge your elected officials to make sure the hate crimes bill will be a part of the final version? Legislators need to hear from constituents about the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA.) As time ticks away on the Congressional Calendar legislators are playing games with this vital piece of legislation! House and Senate Conferees are still discussing the Foreign Aid Appropriations bill. Legislators need to hear that they must appropriate as much as they can to this critical legislation, including adequate funding for refugees to the US and aid to Israel. As in past years, legislators should be urged not to hold international family planning funds hostage to these legislative priorities.

Untrivial Pursuit: Which Swedish Diplomat has Honorary Citizenship in both Israel and the US? This Tuesday, the Congressional Human Rights Caucus will mark the 19^th anniversary of the granting of honorary US citizenship to Raul Wallenberg. The Swedish Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Jan Eliasson and Congressman Tom Lantos (CA), who with his wife Annette formed the first International Free Wallenberg Committee, will provide an update on the Wallenberg situation. Wallenberg and his driver were arrested by the Red Army when they "liberated" Budapest in 1945. The Russians have never provided a satisfactory explanation as to why this hero who saved so many Jewish lives was apprehended or what has happened to him.

House Poised to Take Stand Against Unilateral Action by Palestinians: The House is scheduled to vote Tuesday on legislation opposing a unilateral declaration of an independent Palestinian State. The legislation, (HR4976/ S2938) introduced by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY) and Tom Reynolds (NY) in the House and Senators Sam Brownbeck (KS) and Charles Schumer (NY) in the Senate, calls on the President not to recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian State. The bill would also mandate that the US Ambassador to the United Nations oppose admission of a unilaterally declared state to the UN and prohibit any US assistance to a unilaterally declared state. With 79 co-sponsors the initiative is currently scheduled on a non-controversial suspension calendar.

Attention Foreign Policy Wonks: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hear from Secretary of State Madeline Albright Tuesday on "US Foreign Policy at the End of the Clinton Administration." The Secretary is scheduled to appear before the House Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday to discuss "Russia: How Vladimir Putin Rose to Power and What America Can Expect." The Senate is scheduled to vote on Tuesday to force action on the long stalled bill that would increase the number of H1B Visas available for temporary skilled workers. Although there is bipartisan support for the legislation, immigration activists (including the JCPA) had hoped to use the opportunity to include other priorities. It is still unclear whether the initiative has the 60 votes necessary to allow the bill to come to the floor or if Senators will "hold out" for the desired amendments.

This Week in New York…

For more information, contact Benita Gayle-Almeleh, Senior Community Consultant at bga@thejcpa.org

October Task Force and Board Meetings: A reminder to send in your meeting registrations form…Rooms at the Bedford Hotel are being held only through September 28^th…The Ad Hoc Committee on Constitutional Freedoms in the Age of Cyber-Technology will meet Sunday morning, October 29^th from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon… Plan to be in NYC to meet new JCPA Exec Hannah Rosenthal.

2001 JCPA Resolutions Process: Member agencies have been invited to submit proposed topics for resolutions for discussion at the October 29^th Task Force meetings. Contact mraffel @thejcpa.org or bga@thejcpa.org for more information.