Howard Berman discussed the strong record of the Democratic Congress on Israel, Iran and other issues and questions brought up by the 65 people who attended the event at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino.

Berman focused on the 2007 aid appropriation, which expanded aid to Israel and was opposed by 149 Republicans on the grounds that the appropriations bill also repealed a prohibition on aid to family planning organizations.

"The fact that far more Republicans than Democrats opposed the expansion to aid to Israel does not mean that Republicans are less supportive of Israel, but the fact that the leadership of any party chose for the first time to oppose a bill containing aid to Israel because of an unrelated provision regarding offering contraception in third world countries shows that that Israel is not their first priority," said Berman, noting that Democrats have supported appropriation bills in the past with items they did not support because they believed that supporting Israel was a higher priority.

Berman also stressed the support for sanctions against Iran and condemned the Bush Administration's opposition to the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act.

Berman also talked about how the War in Iraq was opposed by Israel and has made Israel less safe.

Domestic issues such as the SCHIP veto, Stem Cell Research Veto and the revitalization of Congress' oversight role were also discussed.