Faith groups push for recovery legislation
As the Senate gets set to vote on economic recovery legislation, religious organizations are gearing up to support it. In what’s hopefully the first of many articles, JTA’s Eric Fingerhut reports that Jewish leaders are reaching out to both houses of Congress:
Among those pushing hard for passage of the bill are officials at the United Jewish Communities, an arm of the North American network of local Jewish charitable federations, and the Jewish Council for Public affairs, an umbrella organization bringing together national organizations, the synagogue movements and more than 100 local Jewish communities.
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is also pressing for the package, while the National Council of Jewish Women is backing a number of provisions in the bill.
The organizations are writing letters to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and urging members to contact their members of Congress. The UJC will bring 60 of its lay leaders here Wednesday, the day a vote is expected on the bill in the Senate, to lobby for its passage. The UJC delegation also will visit the House of Representatives to encourage support for the final version of the measure that comes out of conference committee.
I know plenty more faith groups are mobilizing too. Will be on the lookout for stories about their efforts and relay as I find them.