September 9, 2021
CONTACT
Noor Hindi (She/Her/Hers)| Communications Specialist |
ACCESS | 2651 Saulino Ct., Dearborn MI 48120 |
Phone: 330-990-0232
Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) released a policy paper, entitled “Reconciling MENA Exclusion With(in) the Build Back Better Agenda.” NNAAC submits this policy paper for consideration by Congressional staff as a resource through which they can draft legislative text to include within the budget reconciliation measure and to understand the needs, interests, and experiences of the Arab American and broader MENA community.
Statement of Adam Beddawi, the D.C. Policy Manager of NNAAC, upon publication of NNAAC’s policy paper, entitled “Reconciling MENA Exclusion With(in) the Build Back Better Agenda”:
“The budget reconciliation measure is a seldom used tool in Congress’ arsenal that affords the capacity to drive more money into the economy at pivotal moments. At present, Congress is deliberating over legislative text that comports with the Senate-approved budget resolution instructions. In this context, NNAAC submits this policy paper for consideration by policymakers, civil society organizations, and members of Congress. This paper avails the opportunity of the budget reconciliation measure to articulate the experiences, needs, and interests of the Arab American and broader MENA community. For each of these articulations, we propose policy recommendations to meet the needs of our community members.
Our hope is that this paper informs Congressional offices in the immediate – as they draft legislative text for this reconciliation measure. However, this policy paper is more significant as a window into the lives of the under-represented, but no less vital, Arab American community.”
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The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), a project of ACCESS, is a national consortium of independent Arab American community-based organizations. Established in 2004 as a project of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), NNAAC currently has 27 members in 11 different states. Our mission is the development of Arab American community-based nonprofit organizations that understand, meet the needs, and represent the concerns of Arab Americans at a local level, while also collectively addressing those issues at a national level. Our vision is to foster economic, cultural, social and political empowerment of Arab Americans. We are committed to working collaboratively to support the development of strong and effective Arab American community-based organizations that mobilize locally and nationally to empower the Arab American community.