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| Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15) with JAC Executive Director Marcia Balonick and Wendy Abrams |
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For JAC, 2018 was a year filled with legislative, judicial, and ballot box battles. We fought against defunding Planned Parenthood, Brett Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court, and repealing the ACA. This was all with the goal to protect JACPAC's issues - a strong U.S. Israel relationship, reproductive freedom and the separation of religion and state.
We also traveled the country knocking on doors, encouraging voters to go to the polls and vote for our candidates. We ran remote phone banks when we couldn't visit districts in person. Helping to get-out-the-vote made a difference. Every vote counts. Many JAC candidates won by just one to two percent.
JACPAC showed our power by participating in gun violence prevention and other marches across the country. When we stand together, united, we are a powerful voice for change.
With your support, JACPAC was able to contribute to 110 races during the 2018 midterm election. We are proud to send 84 Members to Congress from 34 states. We will continue to have strong advocates for JACPAC's issues. A record number of women, many with military backgrounds, will begin serving in Congress this January. They bring a new sense of purpose to health care, family leave policy, sexual harassment, child abuse and other critical issues that disproportionately affect women.
With the Democrats in solid control of the House of Representatives, we can hopefully begin to see real progress on protection for women's reproductive rights, gun violence prevention, and many other issues. The challenge will be in the Senate, where the Democrats now only have 45 seats.
We are happy to welcome to the Senate JAC-friends Jacky Rosen (NV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ). Unfortunately, our friends Sen. Bill Nelson (FL) and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (ND) were defeated in this election.
We have started JACII groups in Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles. This is a great way for young professionals to get involved with JAC and meet other politically committed people. Please contact the JAC office for more information. We can also help start a group near you.
JAC's success on issues you care about begins with you. Your membership enables us to support candidates and offer programs. If you are already a member, please consider an additional donation. Now is a great time to renew your membership, as well. Our work at JAC is never done. We cannot take anything for granted and we must diligently protect our issues and candidates.
We look forward to your participation in 2019. Again, thank you for your continued support and interest.
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Do you know a high school or college student who would like to intern at JAC during the school year or next summer? Call the JAC office at 847.433.5999 about opportunities.
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U.S. Starts Withdrawing Troops from Syria but Campaign Not Over, White House Says
The White House said that the United States has started sending troops back from
Syria but that the move does not signify the end of the campaign or a halt to the work of the global coalition in the war-torn country. U.S. plans to pull military forces out of the country once the final stages of the last operation against Islamic State is complete, and that the time-frame for the troop pullout is expected to be between 60 to 100 days.
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Anti-Semitism Is Making a Comeback, and History Can Explain Why
As an American Jew, I have been surprised by the resurgence of anti-Semitism here. Like many others, I did not see it coming. While many rightly point to the Trump campaign and presidency as a supercharger of bigotry, I would like to focus on the largely forgotten history of anti-Semitism in America to explain recent events. As with racism, anti-Semitism has deep roots here.
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Author of Ohio's Strict Abortion Bill Believes Supreme Court Will Welcome It 'with Open Arms'
A bill that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected was approved by the Ohio Senate, the first step in what the bill's author says is the controversial legislation's path to being welcomed by the U.S. Supreme Court "with open arms." Ohio's so-called heartbeat bill would ban abortions from the moment a heartbeat is detected in a fetus, which can be as early as six weeks into a pregnancy - before some women even know they are pregnant.
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Ringing in a Christian Nationalist 2019 with an Even Larger Legislative Playbook
State legislatures across the country became showcases for Christian nationalist legislation in 2018. Leading the charge was the ominously named Project Blitz
-a coalition of Christian Right groups that are unambiguous about their intentions for the short and long term, to restore America to a Christian nation that never was.
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It's the Beginning of the End for the Gun Lobby's Power
Taken together, the events of 2016 and the results of the 2018 election will be remembered as the beginning of the end of the gun lobby's power. The 2018 elections should be as empowering for those who want to end our nation's shameful immobility in confronting mass shootings as the 1994 upheaval was for the gun lobby. There is much more work to do, but those who undertake it can know that they now have the wind at their backs.
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With Mattis Leaving, Be Afraid
The resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis propelled a bipartisan wave of anxiety across Washington and many other world capitals, and for good reason. Mr. Mattis was a rock of stability in an otherwise chaotic administration, and his announced departure followed a pair of precipitous and reckless decisions by President Trump: the removal all U.S. forces from Syria and a 50 percent
force reduction in Afghanistan. Combined with his wild swings between accepting a budget compromise and forcing a partial government shutdown on the weekend before Christmas, Mr. Trump appears unhinged and heedless of the damage he might do to vital national interests.
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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Recovering from Surgery
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent surgery for early stage lung cancer. Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital in New York performed a lobectomy, removing one of the five lobes of the lung. Short of complications in recovery, doctors say prospects look good for a full recovery for Ginsburg, 85. She hopes to be back on the court for the start of the next argument session in early January.
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Introducing JACII, a JAC group for young professionals, advocates, and those young at heart who are looking to get involved. Groups have started in Detroit, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Events will feature elected officials and speakers in lively settings. JACII is by and for young people. Now is the perfect time to get involved.
Know someone who would be interested in joining or hosting a meeting? Let us know at
[email protected]. We will be happy to help organize a JACII in your city.
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"The fact that she's been speaker and will be speaker again is testimony to her enormous ability, her toughness, her off-the-charts work ethic, and her ability to interact with people and negotiate with people and come to a conclusion. She works harder than any human being I've ever known."
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Former House majority leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) about Nancy Pelosi
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Save the Date!
Join JAC in Washington, D.C. for our
Annual Conference
March 12-14
More information to follow.
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(Want to host a JAC event? Contact the office and we will help organize it. 847.433.5999 or [email protected])
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Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs (JACPAC) is a pro-Israel PAC with a domestic agenda. We support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and advocate for reproductive health and the separation of religion and state and incorporate other issues of importance to the Jewish community, including gun violence prevention and climate change. In addition to providing financial support for U.S. Senate and House campaigns, JACPAC educates our membership with outreach events designed to inform and activate their participation in the political process.
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Federal law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation and employer for each individual who contributes over $200 in a calendar year. Maximum contribution per person may not exceed $5,000 per calendar year. According to law, JACPAC cannot accept corporate contributions. Membership, gifts, or other payments to JACPAC are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
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