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May 27, 2005/Iyar 18 5765, Volume 57, No. 39
Stem-cell legislation, judges hot topics for Jewish groups
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Jewish groups hope to maintain the high level of activism they have brought to several recent key domestic policy discussions on Capitol Hill.
Organizations were sending out messages and calling rabbis as the U.S. Senate prepared to take on controversial judicial nominations and the House of Representatives passed a bill to expand stem-cell research.
Even after a deal was struck preventing Senate Republicans from using the "nuclear option" on judicial nominations, several Jewish groups were poised to keep up the pressure on nominees they see as too conservative.
Leaders of several Jewish organizations said they heard a desire from their members for a more activist approach to counter the growing presence of Christian conservatives, who infuse religious context into their advocacy for positions that often are in opposition to positions held by many Jews.
A group of senators reached a compromise May 23 allowing three judges to receive floor votes and allowing the filibuster option to continue only in "extraordinary" circumstances. In addition, Republicans agreed not to change rules to circumvent the filibuster, a last-ditch move that has become known as the "nuclear option."
Jewish groups applauded the compromise because it kept the filibuster intact but remained concerned that controversial nominees, including those for the Supreme Court, would be confirmed.
"It's very much a beginning," said Mark Pelavin, the associate director of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism
"All the deal really did was set the ground rules for the debates we are now going to have."
The RAC took out ads in several Jewish newspapers this week, noting, "The next fight will be even harder."
Pelavin and many others anticipate that a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy will be announced this summer.
Several other Jewish groups focused their attention on a bill supporting research on human stem cells from embryos that otherwise would be discarded.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 238-194 on May 24. It is expected to pass the Senate, but the House vote suggests congressional support is not strong enough to override President Bush's promised veto.
Hadassah has led the fight in the Jewish community, using its stature as a medical-research organization. Hadassah's national president, June Walker, called the House vote "a monumental step toward realizing the promise of stem cell research."
Beth Shapiro, the outgoing vice president of communications for the local Hadassah Valley of the Sun Chapter, said she believes President Bush's promised veto "is not in step with a majority of Americans who support stem cell research."
Shapiro told Jewish News she e-mailed her congressman, J.D. Hayworth, to express her disappointment at his nay vote. A spokesman in Hayworth's Washington office told Jewish News that Hayworth's vote was "consistent" with his previous votes on the issue.
Shapiro said she also sent a congratulatory e-mail to Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), who crossed party lines to vote in favor of the bill. The congressman has issued a statement declaring, "I believe, along with most of the medical and research community, that embryonic stem cells hold great potential to treat and cure life-threatening and debilitating conditions such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, diabetes and spinal cord injuries."
Shapiro said stem cell research is in keeping with Hadassah's commitment to pikuah nefesh - to save a life - and has the potential to save millions of lives.
Hadassah has had support from many groups, including the RAC, which rallied members who were motivated after hearing actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, speak on the issue in March.
The Orthodox Union sent a letter to lawmakers last week, also expressing its support for the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
The stem-cell issue represents a rare opportunity for the Orthodox community to stand with other Jewish organizations and many Democratic lawmakers. In the past, Nathan Diament, director of the O.U.'s Institute for Public Affairs, has reached out to Democrats on stem-cell research.
"It's important that we as an organization and a community pursue and promote policy positions consistent with our religious values," Diament said. "And wherever that puts us on the political spectrum, we let the chips fall where they fall."
He added that he has had many "teachable moments," using the issue to show that the Orthodox community is not in lock step with Christian conservatives, even though they do agree on such issues as faith-based initiatives and school vouchers, which most other Jewish groups oppose.
Jewish leaders said they have been able to change some lawmakers' minds on stem-cell research.
"We have seen instance after instance where a member of Congress was absolutely tied to a position, and we brought in a 10-year-old diabetes patient or a young woman attached to a wheelchair," Gilson said. "Seeing that real people are tied to research has had an impact."
Jewish leaders say they will stay on top of these issues after this week's votes. Many were expected to participate in a meeting May 26 with Senate Democratic leaders, organized by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
Contributing Editor Hank Neyer contributed to this article.
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