There I was. Innocently checking my e-mail. Suddenly I was assaulted by the following hysterical/moronic e-mail from Christopher Chatto of the State Public Interest Groups (PIRG).REGULATORY REFORM THREATENS PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT!
Senators Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Carl Levin (D-MI) are pushing an extreme so-called "regulatory reform" bill (S. 981) in the Senate that, if passed, would open the door to rolling back decades of critical health and environmental protections.
This special interest bill is supported by the Business Roundtable, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, Citizens for a Sound Economy, and others - who have formed a new group called Alliance USA that is working hard to pass this bill that will effectively get government regulation off their backs. Meanwhile, public interest, environmental, public health, labor, and consumer groups, including the PIRGs, universally oppose S. 981.
Last week, the Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Thompson, held a stacked-deck hearing where industry representatives in favor of the bill outnumbered public interest witnesses who opposed the bill by four to one. In addition, Nancy Donely, an Illinois mother and activist whose child was killed by E-Coli bacteria in tainted meat, was denied an opportunity to speak to the Committee about her opposition to S. 981.
Senators Levin and Thompson have promised to push for a mark-up and floor vote on S. 981 BEFORE Congress adjourns in late October. NOW is the time to (1) make sure every U.S.
Senator knows that this is NOT a moderate bill, but a controversial health and safety rollback bill and (2) push for additional hearings on the bill in order to slow down the process and make our voices heard.
FOR MORE INFORMATION * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
http://www.ombwatch.org/www/ombw/regs/regnews.html
The Citizens For Sensible Safeguards website, at OMB Watch
U.S. PIRG Environmental Advocate Todd Robins (202) 546-9707, <trobins@pirg.org>
WHAT YOU CAN DO * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PLEASE take a moment to write letters or emails to your Senators expressing your outrage about S. 981. Use your own words, but follow the sample letter below.
Write them at:
The Honorable (First Last)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
or look up their email at:
http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html
Please send copies of your letters and emails to <pirg@pirg.org>
SAMPLE LETTER * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Honorable (First Last)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator (Last):
I am writing to express, in the strongest possible terms, my opposition to the so-called "regulatory reform" bill, S. 981, introduced recently by Senators Thompson and Levin. The sponsors of S. 981 claim their bill is more moderate. I disagree.
(1) S. 981 would give special interests special access to
weaken, delay, and roll back a generation of popular and
successful public health, worker safety, and environmental
protection programs.
(2) S. 981 would require the government to put regulations
through lopsided tests that overvalue industry's cost
concerns and undervalue the human health and environmental
benefits of protective standards.
(3) S. 981 would create mountains of new red tape, further
delaying important public health programs at taxpayers'
expense.
I understand that Senator Thompson's committee held a hearing on S. 981 recently where representatives of industry outnumbered those of the public interest by four to one and where a mother whose son had been killed by contaminated meat was denied the opportunity to testify against the bill.
Industry has spoken and now it is the public's turn. I strongly urge you to vigorously oppose S. 981, and to push for additional hearings on this dangerous legislation before the Senate votes on it. Thank you for your help, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[your name]
[your address]
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Christopher Chatto, Internet Organizer e-mail: pirg@pirg.org
The State Public Interest Research Groups http://www.pirg.org
1129 State St #10, Santa Barbara CA 93101 805(p)9630949(f)9658939
Material presented on this home page constitutes opinion of the author.
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