Fwd: ACTION ALERT: Call or e-mail your House Representative ASAP

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Mon, 9 Jun 2003 13:47:01 -0700

 

News Update from The Campaign

ACTION ALERT: Call or e-mail your House Representative ASAP

 

News Update From The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

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Dear News Update Subscribers,

 

We have received a request from Representative Dennis Kucinich to have

people immediately call or e-mail their House Representative to oppose a

Resolution that will be brought up in front of the House of

Representatives on Tuesday.

 

Here is a link to send an e-mail:

http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-house.php

 

The resolution is H. Res. 252 - " Expressing the sense of the House of

Representatives supporting the United States in its efforts within the

World Trade Organization (WTO) to end the European Union's protectionist

and discriminatory trade practices of the past five years regarding

agriculture biotechnology. "

 

As you are probably aware, the United States has brought a WTO case

against the European Union over their moratorium on genetically

engineered foods. Representative Kucinich and The Campaign oppose the

WTO case and oppose this resolution in support of it.

 

This is a " Suspension bill " which means there can be no amendments, 40

minutes of debate and 2/3 vote to pass. We only need 145 votes to defeat

the bill.

 

Please call or e-mail your House Representative.

 

HERE ARE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO TELEPHONE:

 

1. Call the House of Representatives switchboard at 202-224-3121.

2. Ask to speak to your Representative. If you do not know their name,

the switchboard operator will look it up for you from your zip code.

Note: Sometimes there are more than one Representative in a zip code

area. In that case you will need to look it up yourself on the Internet

at: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

3. When connected to the receptionist, say something like this: " I am

calling because I want to leave a message for Representative

_____________. I am requesting that he/she oppose House Resolution 252

that will be voted on this Tuesday.

4. The receptionist may ask what the Resolution is about. Just say

something like: " It deals with the WTO case the U.S. has brought against

the European Union over their moratorium on genetically engineered

foods. I don't think we should be forcing genetically engineered foods

on the Europeans. And I also think we should have these biotech foods

labeled in the United States. "

 

It is that simple. These receptionists receive a lot of telephone calls.

They are usually quite friendly. Sometimes you will be asked what city

you live in so they can determine if you are from the Representative's

district. Sometimes they may even want to know your name, address, and

telephone number. But usually they will just record your request.

 

IF YOU WISH TO E-MAIL, HERE IS A LINK TO OUR ACTION ALERT:

http://www.thecampaign.org/alert-house.php

 

If you want, you can both telephone and e-mail to make sure your message

is received.

 

Thanks for letting your voice be heard. A copy of the full Resolution is

posted below.

 

Craig Winters

Executive Director

The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods

 

The Campaign

PO Box 55699

Seattle, WA 98155

Tel: 425-771-4049

Fax: 603-825-5841

E-mail: label

Web Site: http://www.thecampaign.org

 

Mission Statement: " To create a national grassroots consumer campaign

for the purpose of lobbying Congress and the President to pass

legislation that will require the labeling of genetically engineered

foods in the United States. "

 

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Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the

United States in its efforts within the World Trade Organization (WTO)

to end the European Union's protectionist... (Introduced in House)

 

HRES 252 IH

 

 

108th CONGRESS

 

1st Session

 

H. RES. 252

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the

United States in its efforts within the World Trade Organization (WTO)

to end the European Union's protectionist and discriminatory trade

practices of the past five years regarding agriculture biotechnology.

 

 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

May 22, 2003

Mr. BLUNT (for himself, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. DELAY, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr.

GOODLATTE, Mr. STENHOLM, and Mr. CARDOZA) submitted the following

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

 

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RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the

United States in its efforts within the World Trade Organization (WTO)

to end the European Union's protectionist and discriminatory trade

practices of the past five years regarding agriculture biotechnology.

 

Whereas agriculture biotechnology has been subject to the strictest

testing, based on sound science, by the United States Department of

Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental

Protection Agency prior to commercialization or human consumption;

 

Whereas Americans have been consuming genetically-modified corn and

soybean products, which are subject to a rigorous Federal review

process, for years with no documentation of any adverse health

consequences;

 

Whereas, according to recent studies, biotechnology has made substantial

contributions to the protection of the environment by reducing the

application of pesticides, reducing soil erosion and creating an

environment more hospitable to wildlife;

 

Whereas agriculture biotechnology holds tremendous promise for helping

solve food security and human health crises in the developing world;

 

Whereas there is objective and experience-based agreement in the

scientific community, including the National Academies of Science, the

American Medical Association, the Royal Society of the United Kingdom,

the French Academy of Medicine, the French Academy of Sciences, the

joint report of the national science academies of the United Kingdom,

the United States, Brazil, China, India and Mexico, twenty Nobel Prize

winners, leading plant science and biology organizations in the United

States and thousands of individual scientists, that biotech foods are

safe and valuable;

 

Whereas European Union decisions on agriculture and food biotechnology

are being driven by policies that have no scientific justification, do

not take into account its capacity for solving problems facing mankind,

and are critical of the leading role of the United States in scientific

advancement;

 

Whereas since the late 1990s, the European Union has opposed the use of

agriculture biotechnology and pursued policies which result in slowing

the development and support of genetically-engineered products around

the world;

 

Whereas the five-year moratorium on the approval of new agriculture

biotechnology products entering the European market has no scientific

basis, effectively prohibits most United States corn exports to Europe,

violates European Union law, and clearly breaches World Trade

Organization (WTO) rules;

 

Whereas since its implementation in October 1998, the moratorium has

blocked more than $300,000,000 annually in United States corn exports to

countries in the European Union;

 

Whereas the European Union's unjustified moratorium on agriculture

biotech approvals has ramifications far beyond the United States and

Europe, forcing a slowdown in the adoption and acceptance of beneficial

biotechnology to the detriment of starving people around the world; and

 

Whereas in the fall of 2002 it was reported that famine-stricken African

countries rejected humanitarian food aid from the United States because

of ill-informed health and environmental concerns and fear that future

exports to the European Union would be jeopardized: Now, therefore, be

it

 

 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports and applauds the

efforts of the Administration on behalf of the Nation's farmers and

sound science by challenging the long-standing, unwarranted moratorium

imposed in the European Union on agriculture and food biotech products

and encourages the President to continue to press this issue at the G-8

Summit in June 2003.

 

 

 

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