Topics of the Week - Archive
September 28, 2007
Thought of the Week
Every day holds the possibility of a miracle.
-- Elizabeth David
ACTION ALERT
Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) Needs Your Help!
GINA is on the verge of passing after 12 long years but Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is blocking the bill! GINA passed in the house on April 25 th and the Senate has released the bill from committee but Senator Coburn is single-handedly preventing a vote using a legislative tactic called a hold!
Call or fax your Senators today and ask that they request Senator Coburn to release his hold and allow a vote. Senator Coburn, who has holds on 87 bills, voted for essentially the same bill when the Senate unanimously passed the GINA in 2005.
Please take a few minutes to tailor the sample letter below including your personal reasons for supporting the bill. This bill would make it illegal for employers or insures to use genetic information in hiring, firing, promotion or insurance coverage decisions. President Bush has promised to sign the bill into law should it reach his desk.
There is power in numbers! Tell your friends, family and coworkers to take action now. We must make a big impact on this issue, and if every senator is contacted multiple times, we can make it happen!
Sample Letter
Dear Senator ____,
I support the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA, (S.358). I am writing to ask for your support for this legislation to come to the floor and pass. Please request Senator Coburn to release his hold on the bill and support it when the bill is finally voted on by the Senate.
It is astounding that this bill, which the Senate has passed unanimously in the 108th and 109th Congresses, has not passed in the 110th yet. The House passed it 420-3 on April 25, 2007 . This bill protects all Americans from the misuse of genetic information in employment and health insurance decisions. With these protections in place, Americans will be able to use genetics in medicine without fear of misuse of their genetic information.
More than 140 national patient groups, academic institutions, research centers, companies, women's organizations, labor organizations, and the millions of Americans endorse this legislation. We represent every sector of society in this nation, and we urge passage of GINA.
Thank you for your time.
Best,
___
List of Senators
Senator |
Phone |
Fax |
Daniel Akaka (D-HI) |
202.224.6361 |
202.224.2126 |
Lamar Alexander (R-TN) |
202.224.4944 |
202.228.3398 |
Wayne Allard (R-CO) |
202.224.5941 |
202.224.6471 |
Max Baucus (D-MT) |
202.224.2651 |
202.224.0515 |
Evan Bayh (D-IN) |
202.224.5623 |
202.228.1377 |
Robert Bennett (R-UT) |
202.224.5444 |
202.228.1168 |
Joseph Biden (D-DE) |
202.224.5042 |
202.224.0139 |
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) |
202.224.5521 |
202.224.2852 |
Christopher Bond (R-MO) |
202.224.5721 |
202.224.8149 |
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) |
202.224.3553 |
202.956.6701 |
Sherrod Brown (D-OH) |
202.224.2315 |
202.228.6321 |
Sam Brownback (R-KS) |
202.224.6521 |
202.228.1265 |
Jim Bunning (R-KY) |
202.224.4343 |
202.228.1373 |
Richard Burr (R-NC) |
202.224.3154 |
202.228.2981 |
Robert Byrd (D-WV) |
202.224.3954 |
202.228.0002 |
Maria Cantwell (D-WA) |
202.224.3441 |
202.228.0514 |
Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) |
202.224.4524 |
202.224.1651 |
Thomas Carper (D-DE) |
202.224.2441 |
202.228.2190 |
Robert Casey (D-PA) |
202.224.6324 |
202.228.0604 |
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) |
202.224.3521 |
202.224.0103 |
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) |
202.224.4451 |
202.228.0282 |
Tom Coburn (R-OK) |
202.224.5754 |
202.224.6008 |
Thad Cochran (R-MS) |
202.224.5054 |
202.224.9450 |
Norm Coleman (R-MN) |
202.224.5641 |
202.224.1152 |
Susan Collins (R-ME) |
202.224.2523 |
202.224.2693 |
Kent Conrad (D-ND) |
202.224.2043 |
202.224.7776 |
Bob Corker (R-TN) |
202.224.3344 |
202.228.0566 |
John Cornyn (R-TX) |
202.224.2934 |
202.228.2856 |
Larry Craig (R-ID) |
202.224.2752 |
202.228.1067 |
Mike Crapo (R-ID) |
202.224.6142 |
202.228.1375 |
Jim DeMint (R-SC) |
202.224.6121 |
202.228.5143 |
Christopher Dodd (D-CT) |
202.224.2823 |
202.224.1083 |
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) |
202.224.6342 |
202.224.1100 |
Pete Domenici (R-NM) |
202.224.6621 |
202.228.3261 |
Byron Dorgan (D-ND) |
202.224.2551 |
202.224.1193 |
Richard Durbin (D-IL) |
202.224.2152 |
202.228.0400 |
John Ensign (R-NV) |
202.224.6244 |
202.228.2193 |
Michael Enzi (R-WY) |
202.224.3424 |
202.228.0359 |
Russ Feingold (D-WI) |
202.224.5323 |
202.224.2725 |
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) |
202.224.3841 |
202.228.3954 |
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) |
202.224.5972 |
202.224.3808 |
Charles Grassley (R-IA) |
202.224.3744 |
202.224.6020 |
Judd Gregg (R-NH) |
202.224.3324 |
202.224.4952 |
Chuck Hagel (R-NE) |
202.224.4224 |
202.224.5213 |
Tom Harkin (D-IA) |
202.224.3254 |
202.224.9369 |
Orrin Hatch (R-UT) |
202.224.5251 |
202.224.6331 |
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) |
202.224.5922 |
202.224.0776 |
James Inhofe (R-OK) |
202.224.4721 |
202.228.0380 |
Daniel Inouye (D-HI) |
202.224.3934 |
202.224.6747 |
Johnny Isakson (R-GA) |
202.224.3643 |
202.228.0724 |
Tim Johnson (D-SD) |
202.224.5842 |
202.228.5765 |
Edward Kennedy (D-MA) |
202.224.4543 |
202.224.2417 |
John Kerry (D-MA) |
202.224.2742 |
202.224.8525 |
Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) |
202.224.3244 |
202.228.2186 |
Herbert Kohl (D-WI) |
202.224.5653 |
202.224.9787 |
Jon Kyl (R-AZ) |
202.224.4521 |
202.224.2207 |
Mary Landrieu (D-LA) |
202.224.5824 |
202.224.9735 |
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) |
202.224.3224 |
202.228.4054 |
Patrick Leahy (D-VT) |
202.224.4242 |
202.224.3479 |
Carl Levin (D-MI) |
202.224.6221 |
202.224.1388 |
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) |
202.224.4041 |
202.224.9750 |
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) |
202.224.4843 |
202.228.1371 |
Trent Lott (R-MS) |
202.224.6253 |
202.224.2262 |
Richard Lugar (R-IN) |
202.224.4814 |
202.228.0360 |
Mel Martinez (R-FL) |
202.224.3041 |
202.228.5171 |
John McCain (R-AZ) |
202.224.2235 |
202.228.2862 |
Claire McCaskill (D-MO) |
202.224.6154 |
202.228.6326 |
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) |
202.224.2541 |
202.224.2499 |
Robert Menendez (D-NJ) |
202.224.4744 |
202.228.2197 |
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) |
202.224.4654 |
202.224.8858 |
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) |
202.224.6665 |
202.224.5301 |
Patty Murray (D-WA) |
202.224.2621 |
202.224.0238 |
Ben Nelson (D-NE) |
202.224.6551 |
202.228.0012 |
Bill Nelson (D-FL) |
202.224.5274 |
202.228.2183 |
Barack Obama (D-IL) |
202.224.2854 |
202.228.5417 |
Mark Pryor (D-AR) |
202.224.2353 |
202.228.0908 |
Jack Reed (D-RI) |
202.224.4642 |
202.224.4680 |
Harry Reid (D-NV) |
202.224.3542 |
202.224.7327 |
Pat Roberts (R-KS) |
202.224.4774 |
202.224.3514 |
John Rockefeller (D-WV) |
202.224.6472 |
202.224.7665 |
Ken Salazar (D-CO) |
202.224.5852 |
202.228.5036 |
Bernard Sanders (I-VT) |
202.224.5141 |
202.228.0776 |
Charles Schumer (D-NY) |
202.224.6542 |
202.228.3027 |
Jeff Sessions (R-AL) |
202.224.4124 |
202.224.3149 |
Richard Shelby (R-AL) |
202.224.5744 |
202.224.3416 |
Gordon Smith (R-OR) |
202.224.3753 |
202.228.3997 |
Olympia Snowe (R-ME) |
202.224.5344 |
202.224.1946 |
Arlen Specter (R-PA) |
202.224.4254 |
202.228.1229 |
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) |
202.224.4822 |
202.228.0325 |
Ted Stevens (R-AK) |
202.224.3004 |
202.224.2354 |
John Sununu (R-NH) |
202.224.2841 |
202.228.4131 |
Jon Tester (D-MT) |
202.224.2644 |
202.224.8594 |
Craig Thomas (R-WY) |
202.224.6441 |
202.224.1724 |
John Thune (R-SD) |
202.224.2321 |
202.228.5429 |
David Vitter (R-LA) |
202.224.4623 |
202.228.5061 |
George Voinovich (R-OH) |
202.224.3353 |
202.228.1382 |
John Warner (R-VA) |
202.224.2023 |
202.224.6295 |
Jim Webb (D-VA) |
202.224.4024 |
202.228.6363 |
Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) |
202.224.2921 |
202.228.6362 |
Ron Wyden (D-OR) |
202.224.5244 |
202.228.2717 |
Please, remember that you can call the office and speak with Diana or Kim with any concerns,
questions or suggestions - our door is always
open!
Diana Pangonis
Interim Executive Director
Diana@ntsad.org
800-906-8723