January 25, 2019

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A Democrat just went viral with the best speech EVER on Senate floor
Senator Bennet (D-CO)  just went viral with the best speech EVER on Senate floor.

The emotional and economic impact of the government shutdown will not be erased with today's news. There is no guarantee that the President won't play politics with Americans' lives again. There are difficult issues facing our country that needed to be addressed and solved in a bipartisan manner. Holding the American people hostage during the debate is not the right thing.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) stood her ground. She remained committed to fighting for our families. She understood that our health and safety and a fully functioning government is the top priority of elected officials.

JAC has supported the Speaker since the first time she ran for Congress, in 1976. There were 19 women elected to Congress that year. Today, 126 women serve with her. She has been a mentor and role model for women in public service.

Leading Congress in this polarized time is a great challenge. Speaker Pelosi was not prepared to allow Congress to turn its back on Democrats - and Republicans - who were counting on the government to act in their best interests.

According to a CBS news poll, 70 percent of Americans opposed the government shutdown. Nevertheless Trump, with support from his party, allowed it to continue for 35 days.

Pollster Mark Mellman described this as a "radical disjuncture" between what people want and what our democracy gives them. The 2018 election was an important step toward reversing this trend. Twenty-nine districts that Trump won turned blue. But we still have a long way to go.

Congress reflects the will of the people, which is expressed solely at the ballot box. Elections matter and, as we witnessed, have consequences.

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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.

ISRAEL
Hamas Refuses Qatari Cash After Israel Allows Third Transfer of Funds      
  
In a surprise move, Hamas announced on Thursday that it has rejected the $15-million third tranche of the Qatari grant to the Gaza Strip, vowing to continue its weekly protests along the border with Israel. The announcement came following meetings between Hamas leaders and Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi. 
Continued Reading

Why Israel Went Public with Its War on Iran
ANTI-SEMITISM & BDS
Steve King Raising Money off Controversy from White Supremacy Comments  
 
Representative Steve King is garnering sympathy in the form of donations from supporters as he faces backlash for questioning when terms like "white nationalist" and "white supremacy" became so offensive. "The unhinged left has teamed up with Republican 'NeverTrumpers' and is pulling out all the stops to destroy me," King wrote in a campaign email. 
Continued Reading
CHOICE
How to Be Prepared If Roe v. Wade Is Overturned

Nearly half a century after the Supreme Court ruling that enshrined a woman's right to choose into federal law, the future of Roe v. Wade is uncertain. If Roe is overturned or restricted, yes, we will need to raise holy hell. But beyond fighting policy, there are steps every woman should take now to protect their rights, according to ob-gyn Kate White, M.D., and nurse practitioner Molly Finneseth.
Continued Reading

SEPARATION
Trump Administration Allows Funding for Foster Agency That Rejects Non-Christians

The Trump administration is allowing a South Carolina organization to receive federal foster care funding despite refusing to work with non-Christians or LGBTQ families. The decision, which the Department of Health and Human Services announced, violates a U.S. policy that forbids such discrimination for groups receiving federal funding. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster had asked in March for his state to be exempted from the Obama-era regulations. 
Continued Reading

BEYOND THE CORE
Dems to Push Bill Raising Minimum Age to Buy Assault-Style Weapons

Democrats are introducing a bill that would raise the minimum age to buy assault-style weapons, the latest in a multipronged effort to address a string of recent mass shootings and stifle the gun lobby's sway since taking back the House majority. The bipartisan bill would prohibit anyone younger than 21 from buying semi-automatic rifles, with exceptions for active duty military personnel and some police officers.
Continued Reading



POLITICAL BYTE
Pelosi Won, Trump Lost   
  
On Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump walked into the Rose Garden to announce, effectively, that he was throwing in the towel. After shutting down the government as part of a 35-day executive tantrum to secure funding for his proposed border wall with Mexico, Trump announced a plan to reopen the government for the next three weeks while House and Senate negotiators look at border-security funding measures. The government will reopen, and no wall is in sight.
FYI
Israel Takes 5th Place in Bloomberg Ranking of World's Most Innovative Nations
 
Israel moved up to fifth place in the 2019 Bloomberg Innovation Index, an annual ranking of the world's 60 most innovative countries. The index, unveiled Tuesday, reviews dozens of criteria using seven metrics, including research and development spending, manufacturing capability and concentration of high-tech public companies.   
JAC II
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.
The Last Word
"President Trump inflicted real pain on thousands of American families over a campaign promise he couldn't keep. 35 days of missed paychecks, disrupted federal services, & national security threats. All because he couldn't get his way. This shutdown never should have happened."

- Rep. Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA)   
    
 
 
Join JAC in Washington, D.C. for our  
Annual Conference
March 13-14
 
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Monday, January 28
Lunch with
Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15)
Chicago, IL
 
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Monday, February 4
Talking Points with
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8)
110:00 am - 12:30 pm 
Highland Park, IL
 
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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]) 
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.
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.