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

January 2008

INTERNATIONAL

Israel
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: On Dec. 14, the Senate passed its five-year, $286 billion energy bill (HR 6). The bill includes language to promote cooperation on energy-related research between Israel and the United States. The bill achieved an increase in fuel economy standards – the first in over 30 years – will save 1.1 million barrels of oil per day by 2020 and help curb reliance on foreign oil. The biofuel provision will increase U.S. production of home-grown fuel, mandating the use of 15 billion gallons of corn ethanol by 2015. The bill now awaits the President’s signature.

Support Military Aid to Israel: President Bush signed into law a bill on Dec. 26 that allocates $2.42 billion in U.S. aid to Israel, including $2.38 billion in military aid and $39.6 million in assistance for the resettlement of refugees from the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Ethiopia. Congress approved the funding on Dec. 19 as part of a comprehensive federal funding package, including the annual foreign aid bill containing Israel’s aid. The bill also includes restrictions on aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA), including a prohibition against using U.S. funds to pay the salaries of Palestinians in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Iran
N.J. Senate Passes Iran Divestment Bill: The New Jersey Senate passed legislation S.2615/A.3043 on Dec. 17, prohibiting investment by the state of pension and annuity funds in Iranian energy businesses and requiring the State Investment Council to divest monies currently invested in those companies. The bill passed through the State Senate Budget Committee on Dec. 3. UJC MetroWest Executive Vice President Max Kleinman testified before the committee, urging it to approve the bill and send it to the floor for a vote. This bill is currently awaiting a concurrence vote on Monday, Jan. 7 in the Assembly and will be sent to Governor Corzine for his signature before the end of the legislative session.

Status of Iranian Nuclear Program: On Dec. 3, 16 American intelligence agencies issued a report – The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) “Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities” – that concluded with a high degree of confidence that Iran halted its nuclear program in 2003. This report rapidly changed both international strategy negotiations as well as the domestic debate on handling Iran. Despite this report, further articles and experts have said the NIE report actually reinforces the danger posed by Iran’s continuing pursuit of the ability to make nuclear weapons. The report concludes:

  1. Iran had a covert nuclear program that it has never acknowledged;
  2. Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003;
  3. Iran’s future intentions regarding the development of nuclear weapons are unknown; and
  4. Iran’s regime has lacked candor and cooperation with world bodies, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The agencies estimate with “moderate-to-high confidence” that Teheran would at a minimum keep open the option to develop nuclear weapons. As a response to the report, UJC has launched a Stop Iran Now Campaign: A MetroWest Action Strategy. The aim is to insure that international economic and political pressure on the Iranian government continues until it curbs its weapons program, stops its human rights violations, and ends funding of terrorist organizations.

To learn more, select one of the following links:

Darfur
U.S. Senate Passes Sudan Divestment & Accountability Act (SADA): The U.S. Senate gave a green light to a grass-roots effort urging investors to withdraw their funds from companies doing business in Sudan because of violence in its Darfur region. The Senate approved legislation allowing U.S. state and local governments, as well as mutual funds and private pension funds, to divest their investments in companies involved in four Sudanese business sectors, including its oil industry. SADA would protect the right of states to divest from foreign companies that conduct business with the Sudanese government and indirectly fund the genocide in Darfur. The bill also prohibits the U.S. government from entering into contracts with these same companies. Further, it expands the right of states and also assures all Americans that they are not financially complicit in the murder, rape, and displacement of millions of innocent people.

Take Action: Contact President Bush and urge him to sign the Sudan Divestment & Accountability Act.

We are proud to say that all of New Jersey Representatives support this legislation. Please thank your Congressman for voting to stop the Genocide in Sudan. Click here for contact information.

DOMESTIC

Passage of Omnibus Bill secures Funding for UJC Aging in Place Initiative: On Dec. 26, the omnibus appropriations package (HR2764) was signed into law to fund the entire government throughout the fiscal year. Since FY2008 began on Oct. 1, disagreements between Congress and the President over spending levels have delayed passage of 11 of the 12 appropriations bills. This package “split the difference” reflecting the President’s overall budget request numbers but redistributing the spending to more closely reflect Congressional priorities. Included in this bill is an earmark for UJC MetroWest aging in place initiatives, know as Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORC).

UJC MetroWest will receive nearly $500,000 in Federal Funding from this Appropriations Package to support its innovative programming on Aging in Place for seniors in the MetroWest community. The funding insures the continuation of “LIVE-Lifelong Involvement for Vital Elders” in Parsippany as well as the expansion of services into other segments of our community. UJC serves Jewish residents in the Essex, Morris, Sussex, and northern Union counties of New Jersey. Click here to read more about this exciting initiative.

Take Action: Please contact Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, Senator Frank Lautenberg, and Senator Robert Menendez to thank them for working hard to secure an Aging Services demonstration grant for our community’s “aging in place” initiative within the just-passed omnibus appropriations bill. Bolstering local aging services is a top priority for MetroWest and the at-risk older adults we serve. The project enables MetroWest to provide innovations in service delivery – essential to meeting the increasing needs of its aging residents.

New Jersey Hate Crimes Legislation: On Dec. 13, the Senate Judiciary Committee reviewed and made amendments to S2975, legislation recently introduced and sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Loretta Weinberg to revise the state Hate Crimes Bill. The legislation would incorporate “gender identity or expression” and “national origin” within the protected classes set forth in the statute. The protected classes under the current law are “race, color, religion, gender, handicap, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.” The new bill would replace the term “handicap” with the term “disability.” Additional penalties for bias intimidation are included, too. Among other things, there is also established a Commission on Bullying in the Schools with appointments made by the Governor, the Senate President, and the Speaker of the House. The Commission is to conduct public hearings and to make recommendations for legislation. The Assembly version of the bill, A-4591 (Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo as lead primary sponsor), was introduced on Nov. 19, and referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The bill is being considered by the Assembly Judiciary Committee and is expected to reach a floor vote in both chambers on Monday, Jan. 7.

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.