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CRC Legislative Digest
 A one-stop advocacy alert to keep you current on public affairs issues that require your attention and action. The Digest informs and challenges you to engage in a meaningful public affairs agenda – one that embraces our values as Jews and reflects our interests as Americans.

June 2008

Table of Contents

Legislative Successes

Active Legislation

Iran Darfur Domestic State Year in Review: 2007-08 CRC Legislative Successes


LEGISLATIVE SUCCESSES

Senate passes Medicaid Regulation Moratoria: The Senate approved their Iraqi War Supplemental legislation, which included language regarding Medicaid regulation moratoria, by a vote of 75-22. The language is virtually identical to the measure passed in the House in May. This legislation establishes a year-long moratorium on proposed regulations by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) that would no longer allow some services to be funded for those with developmental disabilities and mental illness. These vital services maintain existing skills or facilitate the introduction of new ones that would make these individuals more self-sufficient.

House passes supplemental appropriation funds for Darfur peacekeeping and humanitarian aid: In May, by a vote of 256-166, the House passed the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008 (H. Res. 2642), which provides approximately $800 million in supplemental assistance for Darfur. It includes crucial funding to protect civilians by training, equipping, and operating the UNAMID civilian protection force and contains urgently needed funds for emergency aid, funds to assist the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan to ramp up diplomacy to secure lasting political solution to the crisis, and resources to assist in preparation for a potentially watershed national election in Sudan next year.

House approves proposal to reinstate IRA Charitable Rollover: New legislation approved by the U.S. House of Representatives would insure individuals could continue to make charitable contributions from their retirement accounts without penalty. In May, the House approved the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008. This legislation provides relief for businesses, families, and individuals by extending numerous tax exemptions that have either expired or are expiring later this year. Among the provisions that would be reinstated and extended upon enactment of this bill is a provision that would allow individuals 70½ and older to transfer tax free up to $100,000 per year from their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to a qualified charity. United Jewish Communities (UJC), which is one of the nation’s leading philanthropic networks, is a leader in the coalition that has actively promoted the creation of an IRA Charitable Rollover for the past decade. The UJC system received more than $20 million from donors through the IRA Charitable Rollover program during 2006 and 2007. The Senate must now pass legislation for this incentive to be available for 2008.

House and Senate pass landmark Genetic Non-Discrimination Act: The House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008. This landmark bill, supported by many Jewish organizations and championed by Hadassah, would prohibit insurers from basing enrollment or premium decisions on the results of genetic tests, including some which affect Askenazi Jews, and would bar employers from using such data in hiring, assignment, promotion, and firing decisions.

New Jersey legislature passes resolutions for Israel@60: Governor Jon S. Corzine, along with the State Assembly and Senate, passed resolutions congratulating Israel on the 60th anniversary of its independence and establishment of government.


ACTIVE LEGISLATION

Iran
While Iran increases its operating centrifuges to 6,000 and its ability to enrich uranium in defiance of international law, it opposes talks with six key nations (U.S., Russia, China, Great Britain, France, and Germany) who are trying to insure that the nuclear program is peaceful. At this time, the U.S. government does not have strong clear policy to prevent Iran from acquiring the capacity to assemble nuclear weapons. The U.S. government must do all it can to prevent Iran from going nuclear.

Urge World Bank to end disbursement of funds to Iran: H. Con. Res. 235 urges the World Bank to cut off finances to Iran until Iran ceases its nuclear violations and calls on the U.N. Security Council to order the World Bank to end disbursements to Iran if the bank fails to act on its own. On March 3, the Security Council imposed a third round of sanctions on Iran for defying the Security Council’s demand to suspend uranium enrichment.

Take Action: Thank Representative Ferguson for co-sponsoring this legislation and urge your representatives to sign on and move this resolution forward. (Click here for legislative contact information).

Senate holds up considering Iran Counter-Proliferation Act & Iran Sanctions Enabling Act: Although the House passed both the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act (H. Res. 1400/ S. 970) and the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007 (H. Res. 2347/S. 1430) in the fall, the Senate has held up considering these bills throughout the 2007-08 Congressional year. It is imperative that the U.S. government take strong economic and diplomatic measures to stop Iran’s nuclear proliferation.

For more Information:
  • The Importance of the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act
  • Divestment: an important tool in preventing a nuclear Iran


Darfur
Urge President Bush to instruct our U.N. ambassador to use role as U.N. Security Council President to deploy peacekeepers to Darfur: The government of Sudan has been conducting a systematic assault on the people of Darfur both in and around Khartoum, and in Darfur. And the violence is escalating. Although the U.N. approved a peacekeeping force for Darfur 10 months ago, less than a third of that force has reached Darfur. A unique opportunity is before us to help protect the people of Darfur, when the U.S. assumes the presidency of the U.N. Security Council for one month in June. As president, the U.S. can set the agenda for the Security Council and help protect the people of Darfur by organizing a high-level donor conference to secure all necessary funding and equipment for Darfur, work with the U.N. Secretary-General to insure a swift deployment without obstacles, and introduce a Security Council resolution imposing strong targeted sanctions in Sudan until deployment is facilitated.

Take Action: Sign the Save Darfur Coalition petition, President Bush: Protect the People of Darfur (online or download version), which calls on the U.S. government to expedite deployment of the peacekeepers and help protect Darfuri civilians when the U.S. assumes the presidency of the U.N. Security Council in June for one month. If you are interested, please collect signatures and circulate the petition to members in your organization, house of worship, and community.

Click here to learn more about the escalating violence in Khartoum.


Domestic
Clean Energy Production Act: At the end of April, the Green Energy Production Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate. The bill would create a Green Energy Technology Investment Program to help finance innovative research in emerging green technology. Among other provisions, S. 2940 would provide funding to help small and medium-sized businesses acquire, build, and purchase equipment for green technology development, provide loans for small businesses looking to invest in green products or technologies, and provide funding for five “pilot” educational institutions to help establish models to help other universities to incorporate environmentally friendly technology.

Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Education Assistance Act: Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) have introduced H. Res. 1092 and S. 963 legislation in their respective chambers of Congress. The bill would authorize the Department of Education to give grants of $2 million a year for the next five years to educational organizations to supplement their Holocaust programs. The bill would also provide federal resources for non-profit educational organizations to provide and enhance their Holocaust Education programming. Agencies within the Jewish Federation system may be eligible for grants


State
 Support rights of nursing home residents to receive Kosher food: S. 1218 is expected to be voted on and passed during the time this newsletter goes to press. The bill, which provides that nursing home residents have the right to receive food that meets their religious dietary requirements, has moved out of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee to the Senate floor. The bill has been passed in the Assembly. Governor Corzine will receive the bill to sign in early June.


Year in Review: 2007-08 CRC Legislative Successes

National Legislation
  • Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs)
  • U.S.-Israel Defense Appropriations Act of 2008
  • Israel@60 Resolution
  • The Sudan Divestment & Accountability Act
  • Genetic Non-Discrimination Act of 2008
Bills Passed by U.S. Senate
  • Senate passes Medicaid Regulation Moratoria
Bills Passed by U.S. House of Representatives
  • Supports moratorium on new Medicaid regulations
  • Condemnation of Hamas rocket attacks on Israel
  • Resolution on Jewish refugees from Arab lands
  • Resolution on standing up for the people of Sderot
  • Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007
  • Resolution on call for peace in Darfur
  • Supplemental appropriations funds for Darfur peacekeeping and humanitarian aid
  • House approves proposal to reinstate IRA Charitable Rollover
N.J. State Legislation
  • Iran Divestment Law
  • New Jersey legislature passes resolution for Israel@60
  • Exemption of non-profits from onerous reporting requirements
  • Religious Liberty Bill Passes N.J. Legislature
  • Hate Crimes Legislation

 

Please visit the CRC archives to view previous Legislative Digests for additional background on some of these and other issues.

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.

This Legislative Digest was compiled from information prepared by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), United Jewish Communities Washington Action Office, and AIPAC, among other sources.