United States

U.S. Legislative Affairs

B'nai B'rith International is a Jewish voice on international and domestic policy in defense of Israel and in support of issues of concern to both Jews and non-Jews.

Domestically, B'nai B'rith advocates on behalf of its members before congressional members and their staffs, government executives and experts in a variety of subjects, and interested parties.

Issues of Interest

Iran Sanctions
B’nai B’rith is a vocal supporter of tough sanctions against Iran as a means to stop the Tehran-based regime from advancing its nuclear weapons program. In direct meetings and official letters, we have called on nations around the world to enact the strongest possible sanctions against Iran, the largest state-sponsor of global terrorism. B’nai B’rith has called on the United States and its allies to ramp up all forms of pressure on Iran as the regime continues to delay and dissemble.

Combating anti-Semitism
B’nai B’rith tirelessly battles anti-Semitism. Through regular exchanges with the U.S. State Department and foreign governments, along with our cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Organization of American States, we fight to ensure anti-Semitism is spotlighted and deemed unacceptable. B’nai B’rith participated this year in international conferences on anti-Semitism in Poland, Germany and Israel.

Jewish Refugees from Arab Nations: B’nai B’rith Plays Key Role in Bipartisan Congressional Action
B’nai B’rith International played a pivotal role in drafting a bipartisan measure before Congress that would recognize the plight of the nearly one million Jews displaced from their homes in Arab and Muslim nations as a result of Middle East conflict. Under the bill, the State Department would be required to report to Congress on measures it has undertaken to advance the rights of these refugee populations, who have been largely abandoned by the international community.

Low-Income Housing
Housing is one of our main advocacy priorities and what we have learned from more than 40 years in that field has shaped the rest of our “aging policy” agenda.

B’nai B’rith is the largest national Jewish sponsor of low-income housing for seniors in the United States, with 42 buildings in 26 communities. We also sponsor six buildings located in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Canada, as well as additional facilities around the world. In the United States, we provide safe, affordable housing for more than 8,000 seniors of limited income without regard to race, national origin or religion. In order to fulfill our mission and standards of operations for each building, B’nai B’rith staff provides ongoing training, troubleshooting, programming and advocacy outreach for the entire housing network.

Senior Advocacy and Awareness
As a recognized expert on affordable housing for seniors, B’nai B’rith speaks out against cutting programs that are the lifeline for many of our vulnerable elderly. As members of various coalitions, including the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO) and the Elderly Housing Coalition (EHC), we continue to make our voice heard in Congress that we cannot continue to cut programs that affect the lives of low-income seniors. Prior to the Sequestration cuts in March, we organized a congressional outreach and media campaign to get the word out that the federal spending cuts would hurt programs that benefit low-income elderly, and we continue the holistic approach to blending our housing and advocacy with both programs and issues.

We call on Congress to support and expand existing housing, but we also address other federal policies that affect the lives, of older adults.

This year we have focused on Older Americans Act programs that fund everything from Meals on Wheels to adult day care services, as well as on protecting Social Security and Medicare benefits. These programs all work together to provide the safeguards that allow low-income elders to age in place and safeguard the future of all the nation’s retirees. We continue to find new ways to extend the reach of our housing and advocacy programs through new social media, while also using new workplace technology to make communicating within the housing network easier and more effective in advancing our shared goals.