This week in Washington the CUFI Action Fund saw a flurry of activity on issues ranging from the fight against anti-Semitism to the continued expansion of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran. Never Again Education Act The CUFI-backed Never Again Education Act, which provides funding for Holocaust education to American school children, recently picked up a host of cosponsors in the Senate (the bill has already passed the House of Representatives). New cosponsors include Senators Tillis (R-NC), Scott (R-FL), Moran (R-KS), Collins (R-ME),
Stabenow (D-MI), Carper (D-DE), Hirono (D-HI), Brown (D-OH), Klobuchar (D-MN), Crapo (R-ID), Murphy (D-CT), Smith (D-MN), Warren (D-MA), Wicker (R-MS), Manchin (D-WV). Presently, 52 Senators have cosponsored this vital legislation, rapidly bringing us to the critical mass of 60 votes needed to advance the bill. Iran & Hezbollah Last week, the Trump administration sanctioned several entities associated with Iran’s illicit activities, including Chinese and Turkish companies who have supported Iran’s missile program and 12 entities connected to Hezbollah’s “Martyrs Foundation.” This week, the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA), the international watchdog group tasked with monitoring Iran’s nuclear weapons program, rebuked the Islamic Republic for refusing to grant the IAEA access to two undeclared nuclear facilities and refusing to answer questions about those facilities. In addition, the IAEA issued a report noting that the Iranian stockpile of enriched uranium is exponentially greater than allowed under the Iran nuclear agreement (to which Iran, Russia, China, and the European powers remain). UN BDS Blacklist Earlier this month, the virulently anti-Israel UN High Commissioner on Human Rights issued a blacklist of companies based in Judea and Samaria with the intention of seeing those companies boycotted. Both the Department of State and Department of Commerce issued statements condemning the UN’s actions and offering preemptive support to American companies targeted by the BDS
movement. “The United States has long opposed the creation of a database of companies operating in Israeli-controlled territories which facilitates the discriminatory boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) campaign and delegitimizes Israel... The United States will not tolerate the reckless mistreatment of U.S. companies, and will respond to actions harmful to our
business community,” the State Department noted. Likewise, the Commerce Department declared, “Boycotts against Israel and companies doing business with and in Israel are contrary to longstanding U.S. policy. The UN “blacklist” is anti-business, seeks to isolate Israel, has no factual basis or legal force whatsoever, and should not be adhered to
in any respect.” The Action Fund is working diligently to see the Never Again Education Act passed, Iran’s radical imperialist ambitions curtailed and the BDS movement’s efforts thwarted. However, we need your help to move the ball down the field. In just a few months, the CUFI Washington Summit (June 28-30) will provide thousands of attendees an opportunity to hear from and speak to our leaders in Washington. We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
CUFI Action Fund Team
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