A-CHAMP PRAISES SENATOR HAGEL FOR SPONSORING BILL TO BAN THIMEROSAL FROM VACCINES

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Reposted from July 20, 2005

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A-CHAMP Action  Alert    

A-CHAMP praises Senator Chuck Hagel for

Introducing Bill to Ban Mercury from Vaccines

Senator Chuck Hagel from Nebraska, today told members of the national

parents advocacy group, A-CHAMP, that he has introduced legislation to

ban Thimerosal, a mercury containing preservative, from use in

vaccines. The Senate Bill, S. 1422, is a companion to H.R. 881,

introduced earlier this year in the House of Representatives by Rep.

Dave Weldon, Congressman from Florida.

The Senate Bill was introduced at a time when there is mounting

pressure on many state legislatures by parents groups for a ban on

mercury in vaccines, similar to the Federal bills. Three states,

California, Iowa and Missouri have passed legislation similar to the

newly introduced Senate bill. Three more state legislatures have passed

such legislation; Illinois, New York and Delaware await the signature

of their governors. More than twenty states have bills pending.

Parents have aggressively pushed for removal of mercury in vaccines on

the ground that caution should be exercised in injecting children with

substances of unknown toxicity, such as Thimerosal, especially in light

of the fact that the vaccine additive is almost 50% ethylmercury, a

proven neurotoxin. Earlier this year a group of Senators proposed

legislation that would preempt the state bans, provoking surprise and

protest among parents of neurodevelopmentally injured children who have

been injured by Thimerosal.

Lujene , a member of A-CHAMP and an advocate for banning

Thimerosal praised Senator Hagel’s action. “We’ve been waiting for a

Senator who would step up on behalf of America’s children and Senator

Hagel has risen to the challenge. “  Bobbie Manning, Vice-President of

A-CHAMP said, “This long overdue legislation, if passed, will help

restore parents’ confidence in our nation’s vaccine program-- that

reason enactment of this legislation cannot come too soon.” Nebraska

native, Weinmaster, a parent of an autistic child. praised

Senator Hagel. “We are so proud that our Senator, Chuck Hagel, has

taken this step for us. We are hopeful that Congress will now act

quickly to protect American’s children.”

A-CHAMP (Advocates for Children’s Health Affected by Mercury

Poisoning) has been working with a number of parents groups to bring to

the attention of America’s elected officials the growing body of

evidence that shows the dangers of mercury in vaccines.  A-CHAMP

believes that excessive childhood exposure to Thimerosal is among the

principal contributors to the epidemic of autism and other

neurodevelopmental disorders. Autism, a rare disorder occurring in

approximately 2 or 3 children per 10,000 two decades ago, now affects

60 in 10,000 children, according to many estimates, including data

published by the Centers for Disease Control.  Contrary to denials by

many public health officials, A-CHAMP’s parents point to strong

evidence environmental factors have contributed to the increase,

especially the mercury to which many children were exposed by the

tripling of infant’s exposure to Thimerosal when the number of

mandatory vaccines was increased in the 1990’s.

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