SENATE PASSES SCHUMER-AUTHORED RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE ON ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY; RESOLUTION COMMENDS ORGANIZATIONS SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION EMPOWERING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

U. S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the U.S. Senate has passed his resolution congratulating the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) on the occasion of its 100 ^th anniversary.  It passed the Senate this past  Friday with unanimous consent. The resolution, which was cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 28 other Senators, commends the JDC for the important work it has done over the course of the past one hundred years in vulnerable communities around the world.

 

"The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has been a leader in providing relief for disadvantaged Jewish people for the last 100 years, and they are always a positive force for good in the aftermath of natural disasters or other humanitarian crises," said Schumer. "The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee deserves praise and recognition for all of its great work, and I look forward to what it will accomplish over the next 100 years."

 

JDC is widely considered the leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization in the world. It provides economic relief to communities facing hardship and builds the foundation for selfsustaining Jewish community life. Founded in 1914, JDC works in more than 70 countries (including Israel) to alleviate hunger and hardship, rescue Jews in danger, create lasting connections to Jewish life, and provide immediate relief and longterm development support for victims of natural and manmade disasters.

 

JDC recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with a twoday conference in Washington, D.C. featuring remarks from Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, and Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew.

 

A full copy of the resolution is below, as well as a list of the resolution's cosponsors:

 

Resolution

 

S.RES.299

 

Whereas the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (referred to in this preamble as the `JDC'), the leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization in the world, provides... (Introduced in Senate IS)

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

 

S. RES. 299

Congratulating the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee on the celebration of its 100th anniversary and commending its significant contribution to empower and revitalize developing communities around the world.

 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 19, 2013

 

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mrs. GILLIBRAND) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

 

 

RESOLUTION

 

Congratulating the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee on the celebration of its 100th anniversary and commending its significant contribution to empower and revitalize developing communities around the world.

 

Whereas the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (referred to in this preamble as the `JDC'), the leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization in the world, provides economic relief to communities facing hardship and builds the foundation for selfsustaining Jewish community life;

 

Whereas when the JDC was founded in 1914, the organization initiated relief projects in communities primarily in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and, as of November 2013, the JDC works in 70 countries worldwide and touches more than 1,000,000 lives each year;

 

Whereas the JDC has pioneered highimpact programs that provide access to education, health care, food, shelter, and assistance with job training and placement for governments and other organizations to utilize;

 

Whereas the JDC has developed and implemented initiatives in Israeli society aimed at meeting the needs of the most disadvantaged citizens in the State of Israel, including children and youth at risk, the chronically unemployed (including ultraOrthodox Jews, people with disabilities, and Israeli Arabs), and the elderly;

 

Whereas the JDC received the Israel Prize in 2007 for its lifetime achievements and special contributions to society and the State of Israel for developing innovative, scalable solutions to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged citizens in the State of Israel;

 

Whereas the JDC has helped transform the lives of women and girls throughout the world, through initiatives that provide access to health care and education to girls, encouraging them to overcome gender barriers, receive an education, and become community leaders;

 

Whereas the JDC is engaging many young individuals in the United States to participate in rescue, renewal, and revitalization work through service and volunteer programs around the world;

 

Whereas the JDC and the United States Government have a historic and enduring relationship that has evolved from cooperating in lifesaving work in Europe through the American Relief Administration following World War I and the War Refugee Board during World War II to the more recent partnerships between the JDC and the Department of Agriculture, the Department of State, and the United States Agency for International Development;

 

Whereas the JDC mobilizes its expert professionals and network of local, United States, Israeli, and global partners, including the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, to provide immediate relief and longterm assistance in the aftermath of natural disasters, such as by providing emergency supplies and medical assistance following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011 and the earthquake in Haiti in 2010; and

 

Whereas the JDC creates programs and solutions that benefit the neediest populations in communities around the world and confronts the most difficult challenges, such as natural disasters, extreme poverty, political instability, and genocide: Now, therefore, be it

 

Resolved, That the Senate-

 

(1)   recognizes and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; and

 

(2)   commends the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee on its valuable work around the world and wishes the organization success in its future efforts.

 

 

CoSponsors

 

·         Sen. Michael Bennet (DCO)

·         Sen. Richard Blumenthal  (DCT)

·         Sen. Roy Blunt (R MO)

·         Sen. Cory Booker (DNJ)

·         Sen. Barbara Boxer (D CA)

·         Sen. Sherrod Brown (DOH)

·         Sen. Ben Cardin (DMD)

·         Sen. Susan Collins (RME)

·         Sen. Chris Coons (DDE)

·         Sen. Dick Durbin (DIL)

·         Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (DNY)

·         Sen. Tom Harkin (DIA)

·         Sen. Orrin Hatch (D UT)

·         Sen. Dean Heller (RNV)

·         Sen. Jim Inhofe (ROK)

·         Sen. Mike Johanns (RNE)

·         Sen. Mark Kirk (RIL)

·         Sen. Mary Landrieu (DLA)

·         Sen. Carl Levin (DMI)

·         Sen. Ed Markey (DMA)

·         Sen. Bob Menendez (DNJ)

·         Sen. Patty Murray (DWA)

·         Sen. Harry Reid (DNV)

·         Sen. Marco Rubio (RFL)

·         Sen. Brian Schatz (DHI)

·         Sen. Pat Toomey (RPA)

·         Sen. Mark Warner (DVA)

·         Sen. Ron Wyden (D OR)