AIPAC assists the media with frequently updated briefs on important issues affecting the Middle East and U.S.-Israel relations. Press releases, statements, issues analysis and other useful resources are also available.
In a hearing on July 17th, the Senate Banking Committee passed key legislation to strengthen and expand sanctions on Iran aimed at pressuring the regime to abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability. Under the leadership of Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL), senators sent a strong, unified message, voting 19-2 in favor of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2008. The bill incorporates two important pieces of legislation -- S.970, the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act, which currently has 72 cosponsors, and S.1430, The Iran Sanctions Enabling Act. The bill also adds additional provisions designed to prevent the illegal diversion of sensitive technologies being passed to Iran through third countries. A similar bill has already passed the House. Click here for more information about the markup.
Congress on Thursday approved additional security assistance for Israel as part of its passage of a supplemental spending package for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Due to the likelihood that Congress will enact a Continuing Resolution at the end of this fiscal year, keeping all programs, including aid to Israel, at fiscal year 2008 levels, Congress decided to include Israel's aid increase in the supplemental, under the first year of the new 10-year, $30 billion security assistance agreement reached between the United States and Israel. The bill includes $170 million in security assistance to Israel, bringing Israel’s aid level for fiscal year 2009 to $2.55 billion, in line with American commitments to Israel under the new 10-year aid agreement signed last August.
Two-hundred and sixty-eight members of the House and 77 members of the Senate sent letters to President Bush reinforcing the key principles America should stand by as it works to help Israel achieve peace. The letters reiterate Israel’s right to self-defense, call on the U.S. to stand strongly with Israel at the U.N. and urge the president to press the Arab states to do more to support Israeli-Palestinian talks. The House letter, sent on June 27, was authored by Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Howard Berman (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). The Senate letter, sent on June 24 and signed by more than three-quarters of the Senate, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), was authored by Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and was reinforced by an additional message by Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL).
By a vote of 19 to 2, the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday approved comprehensive sanctions legislation that strengthens U.S. tools to escalate the pressure on Iran to cease its dangerous nuclear activities. The Iran Sanctions Act of 2008, a modified version of the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act (S. 970), closes loopholes in existing sanctions law, strengthens U.S. tools to cut off funds to Iran’s nuclear program and would prohibit the implementation of the recent U.S.-Russian nuclear cooperation agreement until the president can certify that Russia has ended its nuclear cooperation with Iran. The bill, introduced by Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), contains the key provisions of S. 970, which garnered 72 cosponsors in the Senate. AIPAC commends the efforts of ICPA’s sponsors, Sens. Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Richard Durbin (D-IL), for moving that critical legislation forward. Companion legislation in the House, H.R. 1400, introduced by Reps. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), passed last September by a vote of 397-16.
President Bush signed into law legislation that will expand renewable energy cooperation between the United States and Israel, and takes important steps toward achieving energy security for the United States and the world. Included as part of a larger energy package, the bill establishes a grant program for joint research and development projects between the two allies in the fields of alternative energy, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.
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Israeli civilians in Sderot worry that a Qassam rocket could strike at any moment. Listen to exclusive interviews with people whose hometown is under constant threat of attack.
