Nadler: ‘Childish games’ hurt U.S.-Israel relations

Compiled by Donald H. Harrison

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-New York) said House Speaker John Boehner jeopardized bipartisan support for Israel by inviting Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a Joint Session of Congress.  He urged both Netanyahu and Boehner to “consider measures to mitigate the damage this political maneuvering has inflicted.”

Here is a test of Nadler’s statement:

“The Prime Minister of Israel, our key strategic ally and friend in the Middle East, is always welcome in the United States.  And indeed the Israeli Prime Minister has a moral imperative to give his view to the world about Iran’s looming and very real threat to Israel, and to voice his concern that a potential nuclear deal, if it were too weak, would pose great danger to both our countries.  It is in the interest of the United States that we listen to these views very carefully.

“However, Speaker Boehner, in extending an invitation to address Congress at this time and without appropriate consultation with the Administration and both parties in the House and Senate as diplomatic protocol demands, has shown his true colors.  He has demonstrated that he is willing to play childish games with our most serious questions of war and peace, and is equally willing to put partisan advantage over Israel’s security.  That the Speaker would seek to undermine the historic bi-partisan support for Israel in this way is an unprecedented, reprehensible act worthy of condemnation by both sides of the aisle, and from all friends of Israel.

“True friends of Israel understand that bi-partisan support — going back to Harry Truman — has been essential for the safety of Israel and to the success of the US-Israel strategic partnership.  And particularly given the fact that Israel is currently facing its most serious threats from all sides, by terrorists and terrorist states alike, that bi-partisan consensus is more important than ever.    It would be very wise for both parties to this invitation to consider measures to mitigate the damage this political maneuvering has inflicted.

“Despite the Speaker’s inappropriate actions, I am confident that Members of good will in both parties will continue to build the historic bi-partisan consensus that has ensured that Congress remains a bedrock of support in a strong US-Israel relationship.”
*

____________________
The Jewish Citizen
____________________

U.S. Senate

CONSERVATION –An amendment introduced by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), and Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire) received 59 votes in the United States Senate, “sending a clear signal that the Senate supports a permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF),” according to Bennet. “While the amendment needed 60 votes in order to meet a procedural hurdle, the vote on Friday, Jan. 30, proves that a bipartisan majority of the Senate supports the LWCF. While we’re disappointed the amendment did not pass, today’s vote signals that there is strong support for conservation policies like LWCF to help preserve the country’s landscapes for future generations. Protecting our land and water is mom and apple pie stuff in Colorado and we know our state is not the only one. Conserved land and wide open spaces are a huge economic driver across the country, and it’s part of who we are in the west.”

*
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE — In a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) HAS called on the league to clarify the terms of its financial commitment to The National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. He also called on the NFL to consider the ramifications of implementing a plan that bolsters the visibility of such groups via PSAs but does not provide additional resources to the groups to handle the ensuing surge in need for services. “Although I am glad the NFL has recognized the necessity of addressing this issue,  [$5 million annually] is barely a fraction of the financial support needed by organizations that every day provide shelter, counseling, and education across the country,” Blumenthal wrote. “Compared with the $10 million per year that is spent on its Super Bowl halftime show – not to mention the $5 billion the NFL earns each year in television rights – this amount seems terribly insufficient. If the NFL is serious about its commitment to combatting domestic violence, it could contribute many times more.”

*

OVERTIME PAY– Democratic U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland have urged President Obama to change Labor Department regulations concerning mandatory overtime pay.  Currently overtime pay is required for workers earning less than $23,660 annually. The two senators called for that to be raised to $56,680.
*
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS– U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) will serve on five key Senate Appropriations Subcommittees: Defense; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development; and Legislative Branch. “I am grateful to Chairman Cochran and Vice Chairwoman Mikulski for the opportunity to help shape the Department of Defense’s priorities, especially as it relates to the Asia-Pacific region,” said Senator Schatz.  “These are challenging times, and we operate in a difficult budget environment, but this puts me in a position to help Hawai‘i move forward.”

*
U.S. House of Representatives

PRECISION MEDICINE–U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus, on Friday, Jan. 30, applauded President Obama’s launch of the Precision Medicine Initiative, a bold new research effort aimed at revolutionizing how America treats disease and improves health. Through a $215 million investment in the President’s 2016 Budget, the Precision Medicine Initiative will pioneer a new, patient-focused research model that promotes individually-tailored treatments instead of the current norm of “one-size-fits-all” treatments that can be successful for some patients but not for others. Said Cohen: “The likelihood of any one of us dying from a terrorist attack or weapon fired by a rogue nation is very slim, but the odds of suffering from disease are much more likely. While we more than adequately fund the Department of Defense, we have significantly cut funding for the NIH and for biomedical research, preventing critically important research for cures and treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, stroke, cancer, and Parkinson’s. The President’s new plan will help modernize the NIH, restore some of sequestration’s cuts, and propel the next generation of effective individualized treatments. I urge my fellow Members of Congress to join me in helping him launch the Precision Medicine Initiative.”

California Legislature

DRONES –State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) has introduced a bill that would prohibit drones from trespassing on private property and invading Californians’ privacy. California law already prohibits someone from entering someone’s private property – their home or backyard, for example – without their permission, and prohibits them from photographing or recording conversations. Senate Bill 142 clarifies that the rules pertaining to trespassing and the physical invasion of privacy also apply to entry by remotely operated aerial vehicles known as drones, Jackson said.

*
Local Government

LAND USE – Mel Millstein, previously an advisor to San Diego City Councilwoman Sherri Lightner, has jointed the staff of County Supervisor Dave Roberts as a land-use advisor.  Introducing him Roberts noted that Mel is a native Russian speaker and has been an active volunteer with Jewish Family Service.

*

Political Parties

BIAS — In response to reports by Haaretz’s Debra Nussbaum Cohen and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that Bryan Fischer has parted ways with the American Family Association, the National Jewish Democratic Council has issued the following statement: “We are pleased to see reports on MSNBC that the American Family Association has chosen to no longer employ Bryan Fischer, whose comments were frequently insulting to minorities, including when he blamed the Holocaust on homosexuals and stated that Christianity is the only religion protected by the first amendment. However, we continue to call on Reince Priebus and the Republican National Committee to cancel their upcoming trip to Israel with the AFA. The RNC and the Republican Jewish Coalition have yet to speak out against Fischer’s comments, and the American Family Association continues to be an organization that gave Fischer’s voice and others’ a home for years. One man is not solely responsible for an organization’s attitude and beliefs, and the RNC must prove that it wishes to stand with Americans of all faiths and beliefs.”

*

Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World.  Your comments on any of the items above may be posted in the space below or sent to donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com