Do the write thing!

[Guest guest]

Tammy and others,

 

Currently I am working on alerting everyone I know about phone calls that need

to be made to senators and reps regarding amendments to the Farm Bill. I've

included all the info people need below and encourage people to pass the email

on so we can flood the offices with phone calls.

 

Also, to follow up on your idea of writing letters, I think it's great. I

actually have a letter regarding the " Suarez Six " -- the six polar bears in

Puerto Rico that are forced to perform pathetic " tricks " (while being beaten) in

temperatures upwards to 113 degrees. Recent video taken shows the bears filthy,

panting, lethargic, and underweight. We need to send FAXES right away to the

Fish and Wildlife Service so that the Suarez Bros. Circus cannot export them out

of jurisdiction and to encourage Fish and Game to confiscate the bears and

transferred to sanctuary.

 

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN THIS LETTER THAT SIMPLY NEEDS TO BE FAXED -- PLEASE

EMAIL ME RIGHT AWAY. I didn't want to send attachments here.

 

FARM BILL:

 

(PLEASE read this message if you are interested in spending 5 or 10 minutes

today calling some senators/representatives to urge them to support 4 amendments

and oppose 1 amendment to the Farm Bill, which is currently in conference

committee. These amendments would have a HUGE impact on animals. Whether or not

you consider yourself an " animal advocate, " PLEASE consider making a few calls.

These amendments are no-brainers.)

**NOTE**: The conference is going on as you read this, so PLEASE call this week!

(And, yes! Pass On This Email! If we flood D.C. with calls, we can really make a

HUGE difference for these animals who are suffering tremendously!)

 

_______________________

 

The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives have each passed their own

version of the Farm Bill (S.1731 and H.R. 2646). Now, conferees from the Senate

and House Agriculture Committees are meeting to iron out differences between the

two bills before presenting it to the President for his signature. Those who

profit from animal exploitation are working hard to ensure that the animal

protection amendments are weakened or removed, and that any amendments harming

animals remain intact. It is vital that the animal protection community speak

out on the following amendments.

 

Please contact the Senators and Representatives below (as many as you can) to

express your views about the following amendments. See below for a sample script

you can use:

 

-SUPPORT the Animal Fighting amendments to the Farm Bill. Language has been

attached to the farm bill that would ban interstate shipment of birds raised for

cockfighting, ban foreign export of animals raised for fighting purposes, and

increase the penalties for those convicted of violating federal animal fighting

laws.

 

-SUPPORT the Puppy Protection amendment to the Farm Bill. This legislation

strengthens the regulation of " Puppy Mills, " dog-breeding facilities notorious

for their inhumane conditions, relentless over-breeding, and lack of

socialization of dogs.

 

-SUPPORT the Bear Protection Act amendment to the Farm Bill that bans interstate

shipment of bear parts such as gall bladders and other viscera (internal

organs). There is a growing trade in bear viscera that has led to an increase in

poaching, threatening bear populations.

 

-SUPPORT the Downed Animal provision to the Farm Bill that mandates humane

euthanasia of animals too weak from sickness or injury to stand or walk at

stockyards, auctions, and other intermediate livestock markets.

 

-OPPOSE the amendment introduced by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) to bar the USDA from

including mice, rats, and birds under the Animal Welfare Act, reversing a recent

federal court settlement compelling the agency to begin the rulemaking process

regarding their inclusion under the umbrella of AWA protections. Birds, rats,

and mice comprise 95% of all animals used in research!

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

 

1) Please, IMMEDIATELY call the following Senators and Representatives on the

Farm Bill Conference Committee to express your views. (See above for a " script "

you can follow):

 

Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) 202-224-2035

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) 202-224-2035

Rep. Larry Combest (R-TX) 202-225-2171

Rep. Charles Stenholm (D-TX) 202-225-0317

 

2) If you are able to make additional calls, the following legislators are also

on the Farm Bill conference committee which will decide these issues.

Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) 202-224-2321

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) 202-224-4242

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) 202-224-2043

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) 202-224-6342

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) 202-224-5054

Rep. John A. Boehner (R-OH) 202-225-6205

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) 202-225-5431

Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) 202-225-1947

Rep. Terry Everett (R-AL) 202-225-2901

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) 202-225-5565

Rep. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) 202-225-6531

Rep. Jerry Moran (R-KS) 202-225-2715

Rep. Gary Condit (D-CA) 202-225-6131

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) 202-225-2165

Rep. Calvin Dooley (D-CA) 202-225-3341

Rep. Eva M. Clayton (D-NC) 202-225-3101

Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA) 202-225-5546

 

SAMPLE SCRIPT: " Hi I'm calling Senator _____/Representative ______ to express my

views about some amendments to the Farm Bill. Although I am not a constituent of

his/hers, this is an urgent situation since it is currently in conference.

PLEASE URGE Senator_____/Representative ______ to.... " (and fill in the

following lines in bold. For instance " Please urge Senator Lugar to support the

Animal Fighting amendments, to support the puppy protection amendment, to .... "

 

The staffer that takes the call will most likely ask you your name and state,

and that's it. It takes about 1 minute per call! And remember, it's Eastern

Standard Time.

 

(Thank you everyone! I made this email as simple to follow as possible. Please

let me know if you have any questions!)

 

Colleen