ADL's Government and National Affairs Office is on the ground in
Washington representing the League to Congress and the Federal Government, coordinating
ADL legislative strategy, and building national coalitions. ADL is known inside the
beltway as a resource for information and creative initiatives to help lawmakers craft
national policy.
Working in tandem with Regional Offices and their Washington Affairs Committees, the
Government Affairs Office provides its activists around the country with updated
information on how their elected representatives are involved with ADL issues, and
provides detailed background material for constituent meetings with state and Federal
legislators.
In addition to initiatives and coordinated efforts with National Headquarters and
Regional Offices on hate crimes, religion/state issues, religious expression in the
workplace, combating terrorism and supporting Israel, the Government Affairs Office
has been working with the Administration and Congress to press the German
Government to provide just and equitable compensation to Holocaust survivors in the former
Soviet Bloc.
In conjunction with the State Department, the Office is developing a State Department
Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad which seeks to give religious freedom a
more prominent role in U.S. policy-making.
Through its Congressional Task Force Against Anti-Semitism, ADL provides a framework
for Members of Congress to join their counterparts in 87 countries to set a standard of
tolerance for their nations and for the world.
Each year, ADL leaders nationwide convene in Washington for briefings from top
Government leaders, policy-makers and opinion-molders. Among those who addressed the 19th
Annual Leadership Conference in 1997 were Vice President Al Gore, Attorney General Janet
Reno, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Los Angeles Times National Political
Correspon-dent Ron Brownstein and National Public Radio's White House Corre-spondent Mara
Liasson.
The Conference culminates with the participants personally taking their message to
Capitol Hill and meeting with Members of the House and Senate and their staffs.
RESOURCES
Capital Agenda. Report from ADL Government and National
Affairs Office summarizing Congressional legislation on issues of concern to ADL.
