Washington Wire Vol. 1, No. 1 Welcome to the first issue of OU/IPA Washington Wire. Through
this electronic newsletter, we will keep you informed of current issues and activities on
the agenda of the Orthodox Union’s public policy headquarters in the capital city.
If you are interested in more frequent updates than this monthly missive affords,
check the front page of the OU’s website – www.ou.org
– and the IPA section @ www.ou.org/public. Thus, for example, a Jewish sabbath observer could elect to work more hours certain days of the week in order to take time off to observe his religious holy day later in the week. After months of behind the scenes work by IPA staff and OU leaders, WRFA was introduced last week by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS) and John Kerry (D-MA) along with original co-sponsors Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Tim Hutchinson (R-AR) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). This bill enjoys the support of a broad range of religious communities. It has also received positive media coverage and editorials in the Jewish and secular press (including an op ed by IPA Director Nathan Diament, in the Washington Times). Over the next few months, the task that lies ahead for these sponsors and the many religious organizations supporting the bill is securing additional co-sponsors. WRFA has been designated S.1668. Please contact your Senator and encourage him/her to co-sponsor this important legislation. Push for Religious Liberty Legislation Continues Recent weeks have seen a great deal of IPA Washington staff time invested in trying to move the Religious Liberty Protection Act forward. “RLPA” is the successor to “RFRA” which was struck down by the US Supreme Court two terms ago. Like RFRA, RLPA’s goal is to ensure that no law or regulation can burden a person’s or institution’s right to the free exercise of religion, even unintentionally, unless it is serving a “compelling government interest” in the manner least restrictive to religious exercise. In the context of challenges confronted by the Orthodox community, RLPA would greatly reduce the number of cases in which zoning boards have been used to block the creation or expansion of Orthodox synagogues; it would also help relatives of a deceased person block an unnecessary autopsy procedures. RLPA has been crafted in a manner to withstand constitutional challenges under current Supreme Court precedents. RLPA passed the House in July by a vote of 306 to 118 but became mired in a campaign of politically motivated misinformation as it came over to the Senate. Opponents of RLPA have asserted that it will undermine civil rights laws, particularly those designed to benefit gay persons. This political environment has prompted some liberal groups to withdraw their support for RLPA and has made Democrats hesitant to support it. Without getting into details, we can assure you that RLPA will not foster the parade of horribles that has been suggested. We have been working closely with Senators and staff to move the bill forward despite this opposition. Here too, you can help by contacting your Senator and expressing your support for RLPA. More on this topic...
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