Issue 68: Friday, 11 March 2022

 

THIS WEEK IN DC— Biden: US Will Downgrade Russia's Trade Status; Biden Announces Ban On Russian Seafood, Alcohol And Diamonds; Senate Gets Deal For Quick Vote On Funding Ukraine Aid; GOP Senators Grill Intel Chiefs For Not Sending Fighter Jets To Ukraine; Biden Is Shoring Up South American Ties To Help Counter Russia; Biden Warns Democrats It Will Be A 'Sad Two Years' If Republicans Take Control Of Congress; Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Is Added To A $1.5 Trillion Spending Bill; Biden Announces Russian Oil Import Ban And Warns Gas Prices Could Increase Even More; GOP Senators Urge Biden To Expedite Transfer Of Air Power; Air Defense Systems To Ukraine; Treasury Secretary Predicts Whole Year Of 'very Uncomfortably High' Inflation; Biden To Huddle With Senate Democrats As Voting Bill On Brink Of Defeat; Garland Says The Jan. 6 Investigation Won't End Until Everyone Is Held Accountable. 

IN THIS ISSUE

  • Featured Issue: MPAC Celebrates the Historic Nomination of Dr. Shereef Elhanal
  • Upcoming: Women in AMEAON


 

MPAC Celebrates the Historic Nomination of Dr. Shereef Elhanal
By: MPAC's Policy Bureau

 

Earlier this week, President Biden nominated Dr. Shereef Elnahal to be Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs. If confirmed, Dr. Elnahal would be one of the highest ranking members of the Biden Administration from the American Muslim community.

Dr. Elnahal was a White House fellow at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 2015 and rose to Assistant Deputy Under Secretary, where he served until 2018.

Following that, he became New Jersey’s health commissioner, making history as the youngest and first Muslim to hold the job.

Read full article →


 

Upcoming:

 

Through the American Muslim Elected and Appointed Officials Network (AMEAON), our network in collaboration with America Indivisible and IL Muslim Civic Coalition, this Women's History Month we are excited to announce a panel discussion with Farrah Khan, Mayor of Irvine, California, Sadia Covert, Board Commissioner for DuPage County in Illinois and Nadia Hassan, Commissioner for Maryland Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 1 PM ET. We can’t wait to learn more about their story and journey through public service. 

Register→



 

GOOD TO KNOW

  • Even many decades later, redlined areas see higher levels of air pollution
  • The 2020 census had big undercounts of Black people, Latinos and Native Americans
  • New vaccine findings pose tough questions for parents of young children
  • Berkeley vs. Berkeley is a fight over the California dream
  • Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail for lying to police in hate crime hoax

 

- THIS WEEK IN HISTORY - 

March 6, 1079 - Omar ibn Ibrahim al-Chajjam completes Jalali-calendar; March 7, 1973 - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League wins election in Bangladesh; March 8, 1963 - Syrian Arab Rep Revolution Day, Military coup in Syria; March 9, 1962 - Egyptian President Nasser declares Gaza belongs to Palestinians; March 10, 1735 - An agreement between Nadir Shah and Paul I of Russia is signed near Ganja and Russian troops are withdrawn from Baku; March 11, 843 - Icon veneration officially re-instated in Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople; March 12, 1971 - Hafez al-Assad consolidates power in Syria by installing himself as President.

March 6, 1857 - Dred Scott Decision: US Supreme Court rules Africans cannot be US citizens; March 6, 1836 - Battle of the Alamo: After 13 days of fighting 1,500-3,000 Mexican soldiers overwhelm the Texan defenders, killing 182-257 Texans including William Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett; March 7, 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell receives a patent for the telephone in the US; March 7, 1946 - Bikini Atoll islanders are evacuated by the US government to make way for a nuclear testing site; March 8, 1884 - Susan B. Anthony addresses U.S. House Judiciary Committee arguing for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution granting women the right to vote, 16 years after legislators 1st introduced a federal women's suffrage amendment; March 8, 1917 - Senate introduces the Cloture Rule, requiring a two-thirds majority to end debate, at the urging of Woodrow Wilson; March 9, 1776 - Adam Smith publishes the influential economics book "The Wealth of Nations"; March 9, 1864 - Ulysses S. Grant is appointed commander of Union Army; March 10, 1862 - US issues first paper money in the form of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1000 notes; March 10, 1982 - US President Reagan proclaims economic sanctions against Libya; March 11, 1918 - US Army mess cook Private Albert Gitchell of Fort Riley, Kansas becomes the first documented case of Spanish flu; start of worldwide pandemic killing 50-100 million; March 11, 1971 - US Senate approves amendment lowering voting age to 18; March 12, 1933 - FDR conducts his 1st "fireside chat"; March 12, 1947 - US President Harry Truman introduces Truman-doctrine to fight communism. 

 
Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council improves public understanding and policies that impact American Muslims by engaging our government, media, and communities. Our policy analysts provide insight from D.C. to the palm of your hand on the most pressing issues impacting American Muslims. Email is an important way for us to communicate with supporters like you. Should you want to stop hearing from us or change your preferences, click here to update your contact info or unsubscribe.

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