CRC Legislative Digest
Educate, Inform, and Engage UJC on public policy issues of interest to the Jewish community.

December 2007

INTERNATIONAL

Israel
President Signs U.S.-Israel Defense Appropriations Bill 2008: This bill includes $450 million in joint U.S.-Israel projects. The package also includes $155 million for U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs, such as the long-range Arrow and the shorter-range David’s Sling ballistic missile defense systems; $39.6 million for the Litening, a system that improves the effectiveness of combat aircraft; and $36.5 million for the Hunter unmanned aircraft. Cooperation on defense and homeland security is a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Israel.

Holocaust
Holocaust Insurance Claims Accountability Act of 2007: This bill will be considered by the House Committee on Financial Services on Tuesday, Dec. 11 and was recently approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The legislation would require insurance companies doing business in the United States to publicly disclose all Holocaust-era insurance policies. HR 1746 recognizes that less than three percent of the number and value of insurance policies owned by Jews at the beginning of World War II have been satisfied through the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (“ICHEIC”) process, which ended last spring. The bill would mandate insurance companies doing business in the U.S. to open their books and fully disclose the names of all World War II-era policyholders so that Holocaust survivors and their relatives can pursue legitimate claims. Click here for more information.

Iran
Iran Divestment Resolutions in U.S. Congress Still Pending: The Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs is considering the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007 (HR 2347), which would promote divestment from firms with more than $20 million invested in Iran’s energy industry. The bill would shield investment and pension managers from lawsuits contending that divestiture would lower a fund’s returns. The second, HR 957, is an amendment to the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 that would expand and clarify the entities against which sanctions may be imposed. The new definition adds financial institutions, insurers, underwriters, guarantors, and any other business organizations, including any foreign subsidiaries, to the list of entities already barred from investing in Iran. Both N.J. Senators support both of these pieces of divestment legislation. Click here to send a letter to your Senators.

Divestment from Iran Legislation Pending in New Jersey State Senate: The N.J. Senate Budget Committee is currently reviewing legislation S 2615, which would prohibit investment by the State of pension and annuity funds in foreign companies doing business in Iran. This bill, which previously passed the Assembly, is expected to move its way through the Senate committees and passed favorably. Governor Jon Corzine has expressed his support for the measure.

Interpol Issues Warrants for Iranians Involved with 1994 Bombing of Argentina Jewish Community: Interpol has issued wanted notices for five Iranians and one Lebanese militant linked to Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, in which an explosives-packed van leveled the seven-story community center in downtown Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, killing 85 people and wounding 200. Among the suspects Argentina is seeking are former Iranian intelligence chief Ali Fallahian, former leader of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Mohsen Rezaei, and Hezbollah militant Imad Moughnieh, who is also wanted for his alleged role in attacks on U.S. forces in Lebanon in 1983. In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Earl Anthony Wayne called the vote a “critical step in international efforts in the fight against terrorism.”

Darfur
U.S. Administration Opposes the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007: The Senate Banking Committee passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (SADA, HR 180) by a 21-0 vote. SADA allows states to divest and also bans federal contracts and allows states to ban contracts, as well. This is especially relevant for states that have divested but would like to continue adding economic pressure. However, the Justice Department is opposing the legislation. In a letter to Senate leaders, the Department suggested that the courts might knock down a provision of the proposed Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act that would give congressional authorization for state and local governments’ divestment schemes [WC] ((What does this notation mean?)). The letter also argues that the legislation, which attempts to provide a legal framework for such divestment, interferes with presidential foreign policy. Some state divestment laws have been challenged in the courts. Please thank both N.J. Senators for co-sponsoring HR 180. Click here to send them a letter.

DOMESTIC

Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations: On Nov. 15, Congress fell just two votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override the President’s veto of the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education appropriations. This bill contains earmarks for UJC MetroWest aging in place initiatives, known as Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), as well as funding for programs such as low-income home energy assistance, job training, K-12 education, Head Start, cancer research, and community health centers. The next likely step is for Congress to “split the difference” between the President’s requested levels and Congress’ suggested funding, and roll the remaining appropriations bills into an omnibus. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen has worked assiduously to secure funding for the MetroWest aging-in-place – NORC initiative. Please thank Rep. Frelinghuysen for his efforts ((how should people do that)).

Hate Crimes Legislation: Several weeks ago, the Senate amended the Defense Authorization Bill to include this year’s version of the hate crimes bill, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. A companion bill was approved by the House of Representatives as a free-standing piece of legislation. Currently, the House and Senate are negotiating the final language of the Defense Authorization Bill. Negotiators are discussing whether the final version should include the hate crimes provisions that were included by the Senate.

State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): As lawmakers continue to negotiate a compromise on SCHIP, disagreements over Medicaid eligibility and limitations have now emerged as the primary point of contention. Currently, there is no income eligibility cap on Medicaid, only a federally mandated minimum that requires states to provide Medicaid to children under the age of 6 from families living below 133 percent of the federal poverty line and to older children in families at or below the poverty line. Congress has until Friday, Dec. 14 to pass a bill that the President will sign, issue a veto-proof bill, or pass another continuing resolution with flat funding.

Soviet Jewry: On Nov. 16, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution, SR 367, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Soviet Jewry movement and the 20th anniversary of the Freedom Sunday Rally for Soviet Jews. Introduced by Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, the resolution has 18 co-sponsors, including N.J. Senator Frank Lautenberg. For more information on the anniversary events, go to the NCSJ website or visit www.sovietjewry.org.

Farm Bill: On Nov. 16, the Senate fell five votes short of the 60 votes needed to limit debate on the 2007 farm bill (HR 2419). There are over 35 million food-insecure people in the United States. The bill covers all food-related programs for the poor. After two weeks of debate, the Senate is gridlocked over how many amendments should be considered and which are relevant to the bill. During the month of December, members will attempt to reach an agreement so that Congress can hold another cloture vote.

THUD Appropriations: The House adopted the conference version of the FY 2008 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill (HR 3074) just a few votes short of the two-thirds needed to override the threatened veto. The Senate passed its own version of the appropriations bill by more than the two-thirds majority necessary, but it is not certain that these numbers will hold for the vote on the conference report. The bill is the primary source of funding for low-income housing and public housing.

This Legislative Digest was compiled from information prepared by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), United Jewish Communities Washington Action Office, and AIPAC. The Legislative Digest is produced by the Community Relations Committee (CRC), the public affairs and public policy arm of United Jewish Communities (UJC) of MetroWest NJ, to present the breadth of issues being monitored by the organized Jewish community, though UJC has not taken a position on all of these matters. For more information visit the CRC advocacy pages of www.ujcnj.org.