Jewish groups back budget bills

Budget bills passed by Congress include measures backed by Jewish domestic policy groups.

The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed a bill removing budget cuts proposed by the Bush administration to the Medicare elderly care program and the Medicaid program for the poor. A similar Senate bill included an expansion of a program that allows charitable givers to roll over pension funds into charities, tax-free.

The United Jewish Communities backed both bills, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs urged its constituent public policy groups to lobby for them through phone calls.

Saying the measures are critical to supporting long-term elderly care, the UJC urged lawmakers to preserve them through Senate and House conference talks on the bills.

“As the legislative session progresses, we hope that Congress keeps in mind the important role that non-profit providers and those who generously support these institutions play in ensuring that a strong long-term care continuum exists across the nation,” it said this week in a statement.