NORPAC

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NORPAC President Dr. Ben Chouake (right) talks with former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

NORPAC is a bipartisan, multi-candidate political action committee (PAC) working to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. Its activities include fundraising for Senators and Members of Congress who display strong support for this relationship, daily emails regarding the situation in the Middle East, and the annual Mission to Washington.

[edit] Organization Leadership

[edit] NORPAC-Supported Issues

Each year, before its annual Mission to Washington, NORPAC selects 5 issues or bills it will discuss that year. Currently, NORPAC supports:

1. Foreign Aid to Israel
2. IFSA, the Iran Freedom Support Act (H.R.282/S.333), which imposes sanctions on Iran in response to nuclear activity.
3. USIECA, the US-Israel Energy Cooperation Act (H.R.2730/S.1862), which supports joint alternative energy research.
4. PATA, the Palestinian Anti-Terror Act (H.R.4861/S.2370), which restricts aid to the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Authority (while still allowing humanitarian aid) unless certain actions opposing terror are taken.
5. The Saudi Arabia Accountability Act (H.R.2037/S.1171), which imposes sanctions on Saudi Arabia unless it clearly shuts down terrorist organizations within the country and ends support for such organizations outside the country.

[edit] NORPAC Activities

[edit] Mission to Washington

Each year, NORPAC sends an ever-larger group of active members to meet with members of Congress and discuss various issues related to Israel and the Middle East. The most recent mission, on May 17, 2006, brought 12 buses with 530 participants (including 21 rabbis, 159 students and 275 first-timers) to meet with 400 Members of Congress, including over 90% of the Senate.

This year's trip showed a 51% increase in the number of participants since 2005, and a 78% increase since 2004.

[edit] Political Fundraising

NORPAC frequently hosts fundraisers for various political candidates who have proven themselves dedicated to the U.S.-Israel relationship. These usually take the form of a parlor meeting hosted in a NORPAC member's house, where the candidate will speak and then answer questions from the assembled participants.

Past NORPAC-backed candidates have included Representative Steve R. Rothman (D-NJ), Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Representative Eric Cantor (R-VA), Senator George Allen (R-VA), and Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV), among many others.

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (third from left) meets with Five Towns representatives from NORPAC during the annual mission to Washington. Pictured with Rep. McCarthy, from left, are Leora Jonas, Florence Wolf, Josh Justic, Natanel Odzer, and Stephen Odzer, all from the Five Towns.

Congressman Steve Rothman (second from left) poses with (l-r) NORPAC president Dr. Ben Chouake, Bob Goodman, and NORPAC vice-president Dr. Mort Fridman at a fundraiser for the Congressman.

[edit] See also

• AIPAC
• Political Action Committee

[edit] External links

• NORPAC website
• NORPAC's list of supported issues (talking points)
• NORPAC-related articles
• NORPAC 2005-2006 data as reported to the Federal Trade Commission