[BobbyB]

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IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED
Posted by DannyD in National ALS Advocacy Day Monday January 8, 2007 at 01:23 AM

Remember the successful battle we waged last year to pass the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Bill in both the House and the Senate--only to have it vetoed by President Bush?

The bill is back again, now called House Resolution 3 and Senate Bill 5, and this time could be different. It offers a non-partisan way to increase the number of federally-funded stem cell lines: all from microscopic blastocysts otherwise thrown away, turning laboratory trash into a treasure of hope for our loved ones.

This time, support for stem cell research may be much stronger from organized religion. Throughout history, the Christian Church has been a powerful force for social change. Too often portrayed as unblinkingly opposed to all scientific advances, this opposition is far from a Christian majority; even the most conservative religions are made up of the same people whose families visit them in hospital rooms, and push them in wheelchairs. They too want health, and recognize that the act of healing has been an important part of Christianity from it very beginning. Across , and the world, Christianity and Christians are taking a fresh look at the burgeoning new science, and they like what they see. Far from the Frankensteinian nightmares once imagined, stem cell research is nothing but cells-and the hope of cure.

The House has scheduled HR 3 for floor consideration next Thursday, January 11th. The Senate will likely take the bill up later this month.

Given the imminent Congressional action on these bills, our immediate efforts to reach all Members of Congress, especially the new Members, and urge their support, are critical! Please phone or email today any newly elected Congressmen FROM YOUR STATE, as well as your own Representative. To find your members of Congress, how they voted, how to contact them, the phone numbers of all the newly-elected reps and senators, and the religious affiliation of those who voted against the bill last session--to let them know they do have constituents who support the research--scroll down.

A. Click on your state to see how members of Congress voted in the past on stem cell research, so that you have an understanding of where they stand when you contact them, by going to PAN's website

For Senate:
http://capwiz.com/pan/vote.xc/?voten...gress=1092&vot eid=8920731&state=US#activity

For House:
http://capwiz.com/pan/vote.xc/?voten...gress=1091&vot eid=7646656&state=US#activity

To find your representative's phone number if you would prefer calling rather than emailing http://capwiz.com/pan/dbq/officials/

B. Here are two ways Christians can urge Congress to support the research which may one day lead to cure for millions of good and decent folks across this planet.

F0R PROTESTANTS: if you belong to a Protestant church which supports stem cell research, as for instance Episcopalian, LDS (Mormon), Presbyterian, or Methodist, please consider calling the following members (see list below) of your faith-and urging them to support the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act-because they all voted against it before.

Leave a message for the Representative of your faith: call after hours, if you like.

You might say, for example: "Like Representative ___________, I am a Presbyterian, and our Presbyterian faith supports stem cell research. I hope Representative ______________ will vote yes on the Stem Cell Research Act this Thursday, because it is my family's most important issue. Thank you."

Here is a list of the Episcopalian, LDS (Mormon), Presbyterian, and Methodist members of Congress who voted against HR 810 by a stem cell research advocate Faye Armitage, mother of Jason, a paralyzed young man.

If you are a constituent, be sure to mention that, and leave your phone number-they will almost certainly not call you, but the phone number verifies you are a constituent.

Episcopalian:

Jo Bonner, AL, 1-202-225-4931
Ander Crenshaw, FL, 1-202-225-2501
John Mica, FL, 1-202-225-4035
Adam Putnam, FL, 1-202-225-1252
Jack Kingston, GA, 1-202-225-5831
Dennis Rehberg, Montana, 1-202-225-3211
Michael Burgess, TX 1-202-225-7772

LDS:

Jeff Flake, AZ, 1-202-225-2635
Mike Simpson, ID 1-202-225-5531
Chris Cannon, UT 1-202-225-5629

Presbyterian:

Tom Tancredo, CO 1-202-225-7882
Candice Miller, MI 1-202-225-2106
Mike McIntyre, NC 1-202-225-2731
Jimmy Duncan, TN 1-202-225-5435
Mac Thornberry, TX 1-202-225-3706
Frank Wolf, VA 1-202-225-5136

Methodist:

John Linder, GA 1-202-225-4272
Richard Baker, LA 1-202-225-3901
Jim McCrery, LA 1-202-225-2777
Stephen Buyer, IN 1-202-225-5037
Lee Terry, NE 1-202-225--4155
Ed Whitfield, KY 1-202-225--3115
Paul Gillmor, OH 1-202-225--6405
Dave Hobson, OH 1-202-225--4324
John Peterson, PA 1-202-225-5121
Ralph Hall, TX 1-202-225-6673

FOR CATHOLICS: here is a list of the Catholic legislators who voted against the Act, and who could benefit from a call from a member of their faith. Remember, statistically American Catholics overwhelmingly support embryonic stem cell research (including new House Speaker Pulosi); but all too often legislators only hear from the conservative hierarchy.

Reach fellow Catholic legislators through this main number 1-202-224-3121 and let them know you want them to support ESCR.

You can say something like:

"I am one of the vast majority of American Catholics who support embryonic stem cell research. I hope Representative ______________ will remember me and my family, and vote for the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. Thank you."

Arizona
AZ-1 Renzi, Rick

California
CA-3 Lungren, Dan
CA-21 Nunes, Devin
CA-19 Radanovich, George
CA-40 Royce, Ed

Florida
FL-21 Diaz-Balart, Lincoln
FL-25 Diaz-Balart, Mario

Georgia
GA-8 Marshall, Jim

Illinois
IL-3 Lipinski, Dan
IL-18 LaHood, Ray

Iowa
IA-5 King, Steve

Kansas
KS-1 Moran, Jerry

Louisiana
LA-1 Jindal, Bobby

Michigan
MI-1 Stupak, Bart
MI-4 Camp, Dave
MI-5 Kildee, Dale
MI-9 Knollenberg, Joseph
MI-11 McCotter, Thaddeus

Minnesota
MN-8 Oberstar, James

Mississippi
MS-4 Taylor, Gene

Missouri
MO-9 Hulshof, Kenny

Nebraska
NE-1 Fortenberry, Jeff

New Jersey
NJ-2 LoBiondo, Frank
NJ-4 Smith, Christopher
NJ-7 Ferguson, Michael

New York
NY-3 King, Peter
NY-23 McHugh, John
NY-25 Walsh, James

North Carolina
NC-3 Jones, Walter
NC-5 Foxx, Virginia
NC-10 Mchenry, Patrick

Ohio
OH-1 Chabot, Steven
OH-8 Boehner, John
OH-12 Tiberi, Patrick

Oklahoma
OK-1 Sullivan, John

Pennsylvania
PA-3 English, Philip
PA-17 Holden, Tim
PA-18 Murphy, Tim

Texas
TX-8 Brady, Kevin
TX-10 McCaul, Michael

Wisconsin
WI-1 Ryan, Paul

C. The following are the phone numbers of all the newly-elected reps and senators; CALL ALL FROM YOUR STATE to ask for their support for HR 3.

In addition, all elected officials are searchable on the PAN website here: http://capwiz.com/pan/dbq/officials/

Harry Mitchell (Arizona - 5), (480) 755-3343

Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona - 8), (520) 512-0012

Gerald McNerney (California - 11), (925) 833-0643

Kevin McCarthy (California - 22), (661) 324-3424

Doug Lamborn (Colorado - 5), (719) 266-6117

Ed Perlmutter (Colorado - 7), (303) 459-4729

Joseph Courtney Connecticut - 2), (860) 577-8283

Christopher Murphy (Connecticut - 5), (860) 223-5522

Gus Bilirakis (Florida - 9), (727) 943-7284

Kathy Castor (Florida - 11), (813) 254-5615

Vern Buchanan (Florida - 13), (941) 953-6060

Timothy Mahoney (Florida - 16), (516) 214-8050

Ron Klein (Florida - 22), (561) 995-9626

Hank Johnson (Georgia - 4), (770) 323-4265

Mazie Hirono (Hawaii - 2), (808) 230-2006

William Sali (Idaho - 1), (208) 947-5195

Peter Roskam (Illinois - 6), (630) 221-0006

Phil Hare (Illinois - 17), (309) 788-4273

Joe Donnelly (Indiana - 2), (574) 233-1601

Brad Ellsworth (Indiana - 8), (812) 434-6766

Baron Hill (Indiana - 9), (812) 522-8764

Bruce Braley (Iowa - 1), (319) 233-0861

Dave Loebsack (Iowa - 2), (319) 351-3283

Nancy Boyda (Kansas - 2), (785) 234-2251

John Yarmuth (Kentucky - 3), (502) 891-8914

Benjamin Cardin (Maryland - Senate), (410) 366-1900

John Sarbanes (Maryland - 3), (410) 235-1662

Tim Walberg (Michigan - 7), (517) 787-8677

Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota - Senate), (651) 714-2006

Tim Walz (Minnesota - 1), (507) 388-5382

Keith Ellison (Minnesota - 5), (612)522-4416

Michele Bachmann (Minnesota - 6), (651) 735-7512

Claire McCaskill (Missouri - Senate), (314) 918-8683

Jon Tester (Montana - Senate), (406) 449-0117

Adrian Smith (Nebraska - 3), (888) 237-4267

Dean Heller (Nevada - 2), (775) 324-1618

Carol Shea-Porter (New Hampshire - 1), (603) 531-9653

Paul Hodes (New Hampshire - 2), (603) 223-2006

Albio Sires (New Jersey - 13), (201) 662-1885

Yvette Clarke (New York - 11), (718) 940-2006

John Hall (New York - 19), (845) 831-1735

Kirsten Gillibrand (New York - 20), (518) 697-3720

Michael Arcuri (New York - 24), (315) 223-9280

Heath Shuler (North Carolina - 11), (828) 258-7352

Sherrod Brown (Ohio - Senate), (440) 282-3314

Jim Jordan (Ohio - 4), (937) 509-0372

Charlie Wilson (Ohio - 6), (740) 635-2006

Betty Sutton (Ohio - 13), (330) 835-4262

Zack Space (Ohio - 18), (330) 343-2430

Mary Fallin (Oklahoma - 5), (405) 608-1192

Robert Casey (Pennsylvania - Senate), (215) 567-4190

Jason Altmire (Pennsylvania - 4), (724) 274-1776

Joe Sestak (Pennsylvania - 7), (610) 891-8956

Patrick Murphy (Pennsylvania - 8), (215) 547-5211

Christopher Carney (Pennsylvania - 10), (570) 587-4723

Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island - Senate), (401) 490-8683

Bob Corker (Tennessee - Senate), (615) 250-8160

David Davis (Tennessee - 1), (423) 773-8861

Stephen Cohen (Tennessee - 9), (901) 272-0277

Nicholas Lampson (Texas - 22), (281) 488-4922

Ciro Rodriguez (Texas - 23), (210) 928-2476

Bernard Sanders (Vermont - Senate), (862) 862-1505

Peter Welch (Vermont - At large), (802) 658-0600

James Webb ( Virginia - Senate), (703) 778-4080

Steve Kagen (Wisconsin - 8), (920) 257-2592

https://als.clinicahealth.com/commen.../01/08/0623202

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[Alffe]

I just got off the phone with Joe Donnellys' people and gave them an earful.
*in a nice way of course....spirited! but nothing they could arrest me for.

Actually they (he) acted like he gave a dam.

Thank you Bobbyb for all you do to try and educate the rest of us!

[BobbyB]

Scientist: Don't halt embryonic stem cell studies
Tells Congress amniotic work is not a substitute


By Laurie Kellman, Associated Press | January 10, 2007

WASHINGTON -- The author of a study on amniotic stem cells urged Congress yesterday not to consider his work a substitute for the search for disease-fighting material from embryonic stem cells.

"Some may be interpreting my research as a substitute for the need to pursue other forms of regenerative medicine therapies, such as those involving embryonic stem cells. I disagree with that assertion," wrote Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University, the author of a study published this week and widely seized upon by opponents of embryonic stem cell research as a more moral option.

Atala and other researchers reported Sunday that the stem cells they drew from amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women hold much the same promise as embryonic stem cells.

In a letter to sponsors of legislation up for a House vote tomorrow, Atala wrote that it was "essential that National Institutes of Health-funded researchers are able to fully pursue embryonic stem cell research as a complement to research into other forms of stem cells."

The bill, which would clear the way for federally funded embryonic research, is expected to pass but without the required two-thirds' majority required to override Bush's expected veto. Senator Tom Harkin, an Iowa Democrat , said he expects the same bill to reach that veto-proof threshold when it comes up in his chamber in a few weeks.

Atala's study and the letter add a dose of drama to round two of Congress' battle with President Bush over whether taxpayers should fund embryonic stem cell research. Bush and a minority of Americans say they believe that the research is immoral because the process of removing the stem cells kills the embryo.

Opponents of the legislation, which Bush vetoed last year, say Atala's study bolsters their argument that science need not advance at the expense of budding human life.

"We're talking about saving lives here," said Representative Phil Gingrey, a Georgia Republican , an obstetrician, and a staunch opponent of embryonic stem cell research. "We don't have to split the nation on this if we've got an alternative."

He won't have much luck trying to siphon support from the bill, one of its sponsors said. "We won't lose anyone who was going to support the bill," said Representative Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat , one of her party's vote-counters in the House. In fact, "several" lawmakers who voted against the bill in the last Congress will vote for it tomorrow, she predicted.

The research reported this week suggests that stem cells extracted harmlessly from the amniotic fluid that cushions a fetus in utero hold much the same promise for disease-fighting as embryonic stem cells. Scientists hope that someday stem cells may be used against diseases such as for Lou Gehrig's, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

Polls indicate that Americans overwhelmingly support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. And scientists aren't sure that stem cells shed by a fetus and extracted from the surrounding fluid carry the same possibility for treatments and cures of diseases as those taken from embryos.

The scientific community says embryonic stem cells so far are backed by the most promising evidence that one day they might be used to grow replacements for damaged tissue, such as new insulin-producing cells for diabetics or new nerve connections to restore movement after a spinal injury.

Whatever the effect of the discovery on the policy debate, Bush is all but certain to cast a second veto of the embryonic stem cell bill if it reaches his desk.

White House spokesman Tony Snow on Monday stopped short of issuing an endorsement of the amniotic process, but he made clear that Bush views it favorably.

"Obviously, there is a difference between using amniotic stem cells that do not, by design, involve the destruction of a human life and embryonic stem cell research, which does," Snow told reporters.

Co sponsored by DeGette and Representative Michael N. Castle, a Delaware Republican , the legislation would lift Bush's 2001 ban on federal dollars spent on deriving new stem cells from fertilized embryos. Bush cast the lone veto of his presidency against an identical stem cell bill six months ago, saying he did not want to destroy life in the name of science.

Embryonic stem cells are able to morph into any of the more than 220 cell types that make up the human body. They typically are taken from fertility-clinic leftovers otherwise destined to be thrown away. But because the removal kills the embryos, Bush on Aug. 9, 2001, restricted government funding to research using only the embryonic stem cell lines then in existence, groups of stem cells kept alive and propagating in lab dishes.

© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.