Yesterday, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) met with leaders of the Cleveland Orthodox Jewish community in downtown Cleveland, Ohio under the auspices of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center. At the meeting Senator Brown discussed his support for increasing the annual appropriation amount for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, as well his support for pending legislation to create a grants program to assist the nonprofit community to make their buildings more energy efficient. Senator Brown also stated his strong view that the tax deduction for charitable contributions must remain in place.

In addition to the domestic policy discussion, Senator Brown also addressed his decision not to cosponsor Iran sanctions legislation proposed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (NJ). Senator Brown stated that, “the potential of Iran getting the [nuclear] bomb terrifies everyone and there is no question that if negotiations with Iran break down the Senate will act and [President Obama] would call for increased sanctions.”

Nathan Diament, Executive Director for Public Policy for the Orthodox Union said, “we greatly appreciate Senator Brown spending time with our community’s leaders in Cleveland and his partnership on key issues of importance to the Orthodox Jewish community.”

Members of the Ohio Jewish Community meet with Senator Sherrod Brown in Cleveland, OH.