The US Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to urge tighter sanction enforcement on Iran over its continued progress in nuclear proliferation. The resolution calls on President Barack Obama to strengthen the enforcement of already existing sanctions on the Islamic republic, and states that the US should back the Jewish state should Israel have to defend itself from a nuclear assault by Iran. “[The U.S. government should] stand with Israel and provide, in accordance with United States law and the …More

Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) made headlines yesterday in announcing he would not seek reelection at the end of his current term. The veteran politician has held his seat since 1979, and served in several key Congress committees, including a current seat as chairman on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He also leads the Senate’s Armed Services Committee and has been influential in setting record levels of defense assistance for Israel. The Jewish senator said yesterday he would use his last …More

Jewish Home holds coalition talks in the hope of revoking Netanyahu’s agreement with Tzipi Livni. [Times of Israel] Madeline Albright discusses discovering her own family’s Jewish heritage and Holocaust experience, in new book “Prague Winter.” [Marin Independent Journal] Taglit-Birthright founders Michael and Judy Steinhardt will auction off 400 pieces of rare Judaica collection. [JPost] Standing Together helps IDF soldiers have special Purim celebrations. [Jewish Press] Recently …More

All of the Jewish women representing the Democratic party in the US Senate and Congress have chosen to become Honorary Co-Chairs of the National Jewish Democratic Council’s (NJDC) new Women’s Leadership Network (WLN). Former US Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), who was shot in Tucson, Ariz., in 2011 and later left her post to recover from her injury, has also signed on for the role. The initiative is “an opportunity for us to stand up as women, as Jews, and as Democrats for the priorities we …More

In his Senate confirmation hearings, defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel expanded on his apology for using the term "Jewish lobby" and said it also was wrong to suggest pro-Israel groups "intimidate" Congress into doing "dumb things." Hagel, the former Republican senator from Nebraska nominated by President Obama to become defense secretary, faced an array of tough questions on Thursday from members of both parties on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Two members, Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Lindsey …More

Reacting to complaints by Belgian Jews, the country’s Senate has issued a strengthened version of a text recognizing Holocaust-era complicity. The new version was passed unanimously by the Belgian Senate on Wednesday. “The Senate hereby enacts the government’s statement made on Sept. 9, 2012, by Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who acknowledged the responsibility of Belgian authorities, and through it that of the Belgian state, in the persecution of Jews in Belgium,” the resolution now …More

A Belgian Senate committee adopted a resolution acknowledging the country's complicity in the murder of Jews during the Holocaust. The Senate’s committee on institutional affairs voted in favor of the resolution on Jan. 9, according to Belga, a local news agency. “Some Belgian authorities practiced collaboration unfitting of a democracy,” the resolution read, “with tragic consequences for the Jewish population.” The resolution also encourages the Belgian government to …More

US Sen. Rand Paul called for a reduction of foreign assistance during a visit to Israel. Paul (R-Ky.), who opposes foreign assistance, including defense aid to Israel, on Monday told the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies that the United States will always be Israel's friend but that "it will be harder and harder to be a friend if we are out of money." Paul, one of four new Republicans appointed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the United States should start cutting its foreign assistance by …More

Hawaii's governor named his Jewish lieutenant governor, Brian Schatz, to replace the late Daniel Inouye in the US Senate. Gov. Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat, on Wednesday named Schatz, a former chairman of the state Democratic Party, to replace Inouye, who died last week. Schatz, 40, lists his religion as Jewish on his Facebook page. He campaign for President Obama in Hawaii, Obama's home state, in 2008, and his experience is in the non-profit sector. He was for a time the CEO of Helping Hands Hawaii, a social …More

A letter signed by more than half the US Senate and backed by AIPAC urged President Obama to keep up pressure on Iran. "We strongly believe there should be absolutely no diminution of pressure on the Iranians until the totality of their nuclear program has been addressed," reads the letter, initiated by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and signed by another 54 senators. "The time for limited confidence-building measures is over." The letter, released Tuesday and …More

Daniel Inouye, the longtime Hawaii senator described by pro-Israel groups as one of Israel's best friends in the Senate, has died. Inouye, 88, and a decorated World War II hero, died Monday of respiratory complications at Walter Reid National Military Medical Center, the Washington Post reported. "Senator Inouye deeply understood the importance of the US-Israel relationship, and as chairman of the Appropriations Committee, worked tirelessly and effectively to ensure that America’s ally, Israel, had the …More

Senator Joe Lieberman gave his farewell address yesterday, ending a career that saw the Connecticut politician become the first Jewish nominee on a major party presidential ballot. Known for his bipartisan appeal—Lieberman ran for vice president as a Democrat in 2000, but was a serious contender for the running mate slot on Republican John McCain’s ticket in 2008—he ultimately ended his 24-year tenure as an Independent. “It requires reaching across the aisle and finding partners from the …More