Subject: Vaccine legislation update from National Autism Assoc.

[Guest guest]

Subject: Vaccine legislation update from National Autism Assoc.

Dear Parents and Guardians;

They Think We're Getting Tired.

With your help, parents and caregivers in the autism community have

successfully stopped numerous attempts by Senator Frist to change

vaccine legislation in favor of the drug companies.

Once again, Frist and Senator Judd Gregg have introduced a bill

containing vaccine language. Senate Bill S3 was introduced in the

Senate Finance Committee. S3, " Protecting America in the War on

Terror Act of 2005, is being called a bill " to strengthen and

protect America in the war on terror. "

A press release from Sen. Gregg's office on 1/24/05, stated the

bill

dealt with Vaccine Compensation. The bill is now available on the

database of the Library of Congress at http://thomas.loc.gov/

In a section entitled " Vaccine Injury Compensation and Litigation

Reform, " the S3 bill states,

(a) FINDINGS- Congress finds that--

(1) there are shortcomings in the Vaccine Injury Compensation

Program and loopholes in that program that have been exploited in a

manner that has contributed to a decline in the availability of

vaccines generally in the United States and a decline in the number

of manufacturers able to supply vaccines; and

(2) the condition described in paragraph (1) presents a barrier to

the development of vaccines needed for bioterror countermeasures.

( RECOMMENDATIONS- After considering recent changes in the

litigation environment with respect to vaccines as well as recent

scientific evidence and reports by the Institute of Medicine and

others with respect to the safety of vaccines and their components

and ingredients, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the

Attorney General shall, not later than 6 months after the date of

enactment of this Act, jointly submit recommendations to the

appropriate committees of Congress concerning necessary

modifications to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and Federal

rules regarding litigation involving vaccines.

The bill is currently in the Finance Committee but the HELP

Committee has traditionally dealt with these issues. The Chairman of

the HELP Committee, Senator Enzi, has stated this past week that the

HELP Committee will be dealing with this very issue soon. So, while

your fax and phone calls are imperative to the Finance Committee

right now, the HELP Committee should also be made aware of your

concerns should any bill regarding the justice of your child be

introduced there.

We need to tell Senators on both the HELP and Finance Committees

that we are watching and will fight for our children's rights.

PLEASE PHONE AND FAX IMMEDIATELY!

(see below for contact info)

Tell these Senators that your child is mercury poisoned.

Tell them that he/she received exposure to mercury far in excess of

EPA Federal Safety Guidelines from his/her early infant

immunizations and now suffers permanent neurological damage.

Tell the Senators that they need to look into the problems of VICA

(Vaccine Injury Compensation Act) in fair public hearings where

experts on the program can be consulted in order to make the best

VICA possible. Not dictated by the Attorney General and the

Secretary of the HHS to Congress without public input.

VICA should be created by the people and for the people. Not a

program that is created behind closed doors by a handful of

politicians aimed at protecting the pharmaceutical industry.

We must insist that our vaccine-injured children receive equal

protection under the law. Without this, justice will be denied to

our children—the most vulnerable in society.

Click here to get the latest press release and send it along with

your letter.

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/press012805.php

There is a sample letter below. Cut and paste anything you think

will be helpful for your letter.

Thank you for all of your efforts! We will keep you updated on this

important issue as we find out more information about the bill,

whether or not it is going to committee for a vote, etc. Please feel

free to update us on what you find out.

The NAA Team

--------------------------------------------

Dear Senator ___________,

This is regarding S.3, the latest attempt to take away my child's

rights to receive just compensation for injuries sustained through

vaccines. The current threat, once again disguised as legislation

that will help families such as mine, is called the Protecting

America in the War on Terror Act of 2005. It appears the bill only

benefits the pharmaceutical industry—the very companies that

caused

grave harm to my child.

Perhaps because similar legislation has gone nowhere in the past,

this time the Institute of Medicine has been referenced as a

reliable source of information regarding thimerosal. Legislators

should not underestimate the many parents who understand the IOM's

choice to ignore sound science from renowned independent researchers

confirming the thimerosal/autism link at the February, 2004

Immunization Safety Committee meeting.

Policy-makers considering this legislation need to know that

families seeking restitution for vaccine-injured children are not

engaged in " frivolous " lawsuits. We are only seeking what is fair

for our children whose lives were thrown needlessly into turmoil

simply because we adhered to the mandated vaccine schedule.

My child was born completely healthy, meeting all developmental

milestones. After receiving many thimerosal-containing vaccines,

each of which exposed my child to amounts of mercury greatly in

excess of federal safety guidelines, my child regressed. The

physical and behavioral symptoms of the diagnosis my child received,

autism, are completely consistent with mercury toxicity.

Furthermore, lab tests indicate high levels of mercury. Mercury

exposure through vaccines has left my child with many cognitive and

emotional deficits. While my child has improved through various

interventions and therapies, this comes at a tremendous cost to our

family at approximately _______ per month. I cannot place a dollar

figure on the grief it has caused my child and our family.

The parents of the one in six children now requiring special

services in public schools are becoming increasingly aware of the

science supporting the role mercury in vaccines played in their

children's disabilities.

I am one of the hundreds of thousands of parents across this country

who will be watching how this bill is handled very carefully. I ask

that you stand up for my child and countless other vaccine-injured

children by opposing this legislation.

Sincerely,

___________________

Here are the Senator's names, phone numbers and faxes.

We have included both the Finance and HELP Committee's contact

information.

Again, S3 has been introduced into the Finance Committee but we

fully expect other bills to be introduced into the HELP Committee

dealing with this same issue.

If you only have a small amount of time, just phone and fax the

Finance Committee.

If you have more time to alert the Senators on the HELP Committee of

the autism community concerns, please phone and fax them as well.

Congressmen Weldon and Burton are also listed at the end of the

list. Let them know you want them to look out for your child's

rights in the House as well.

Finance Committee

Republicans on Finance Committee

Grassley R- IA

135 Hart Senate Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510-1501

http://grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Hatch Orrin R- UT

104 Hart Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Tel:

Fax:

http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Offices.Contact

Lott Trent R- MS

487 Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://lott.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Snowe, Olympia R-ME

154 Senate Office Buildg.

Washington DC 20510-1903

Ph

Fax

olympia@s...

Kyl Jon R- AZ

730 Hart Senate Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

, Craig R- WY

United States Senate

307 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://www.senate.gov/%7Ethomas/html/contact.html

Santorum Rick R- PA

511 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510-3804

Phone:

TTYD Number:

Fax:

http://santorum.senate.gov

Frist Bill R- TN

Office of Senator Bill Frist

509 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(fax)

http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?

FuseAction=AboutSenatorFrist.ContactForm

Gordon R- OR

404 Building

Washington, DC 20510-3704

Phone: (202)224-3753

Fax:(202)228-3997

http://gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm

Bunning Jim R- KY

1717 Dixie Highway Suite 180

Fort KY, 41011

Phone

Fax:

Jim@b...

Crapo, Mike R- ID

239 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone

FAX

TDD

http://www.crapoforsenate.com/contact_us.asp

Democrats on Finance Committee

Baucus Max D- MT

511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, D.C. 20510

(Fax)

(from MT)

(TDD)

http://www.senate.gov/~baucus/emailmax.html

Rockefeller, IV, D. D- WV

531 Hart Senate Office Bldg

Washington, DC 20510

Ph:

DC Fax:

Email Address: senator@r...

Conrad, Kent D-ND

530 Hart Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, DC 20510-3403

Fax:

Online: http://conrad.senate.gov

E-mail: http://conrad.senate.gov/webform.html

Jeffords, (I - VT)

728 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax

http://jeffords.senate.gov/contact-form.html

Bingaman, Jeff D- NM

413 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

(202) 224-

5521

TDD:

http://www.senate.gov/~jeffords/contact-form.html

Kerry, F D-MA

304 Bldg.

Third Floor

Washington D.C. 20510

- Phone

- Fax

http://kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/contact/email.html

Lincoln Blanche L. D- AR

355 Dirksen Senate Building

Washington, DC 20510-0404

Phone: (202)224-4843

Fax: (202)228-1371

http://lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html

Wyden Ron D- OR

230 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510-3703

fax ()

http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Schumer D- NY

313 Hart Senate Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

TDD:

http://www.senate.gov/%7Eschumer/webform.html

HELP Committee – Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Republicans on HELP Committee

, Lamar (R-TN)

SH-302 / Washington, DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://alexander.senate.gov/contact/

Bond, (R - MO)

274 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax

E-mail: kit_bond@b...

Burr (R-NC)

1526 Longworth House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515-3305

Phone:

Fax:

E-mail: richard.burrnc05@m...

DeWine, Mike (R - OH)

140 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax

http://dewine.senate.gov/

Ensign, (R -NV)

364 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax

http://ensign.senate.gov/forms/email_form.cfm

Enzi, Mike (R - WY)

379 Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://enzi.senate.gov/email.htm

Frist Bill R- TN [[[**ON BOTH COMMITTEES]]

Office of Senator Bill Frist

509 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(fax)

http://frist.senate.gov/index.cfm?

FuseAction=AboutSenatorFrist.ContactForm

Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC)

290 Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contactform

Gregg Judd (R-NH)

393 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

E-mail: mailbox@g...

Isakson ny R- GA

P.O. Box 71955

Marietta, GA 30007

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email ???

Staffer: stephanie@i...

, Pat (R -KS)

302 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax

http://roberts.senate.gov/

Sessions, Jeff (R-AL)

493 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone

Fax

E-mail: senator@s...

Warner, (R - VA)

225 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm

Democrats on HELP Committee

Clinton, Hillary Rodham D-NY

476 Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

http://clinton.senate.gov/email_form.html

Dodd, D- CT

448 Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Tel.

Fax.

Web Form: dodd.senate.gov/webmail/

Harkin, Tom (D - IA)

731 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington DC 20510

Phone

Fax

E-mail: tomharkin@h...

Kennedy, Ted D- MA

317 Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

202/224-4543

Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/contact.html

FAX: 202/224-2417

Mikulski, Barbara (D - MD)

709 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax (202)224-8858

E-mail: senator@m...

Murray, Patty (D - WA)

173 Senate Office Bldg

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

E-mail: senator_murray@m...

, Jack (D - RI)

320 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington DC 20510

Fax

E-mail: jack@r...

Bingaman, Jeff D- NM [[[**ON BOTH COMMITTEES]]

413 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

(202) 224-

5521

TDD:

http://www.senate.gov/~jeffords/contact-form.html

Jeffords, (I - VT) [[[**ON BOTH COMMITTEES]]

728 Hart Senate Office Bldg.

Washington DC 20510

Phone:

Fax

http://jeffords.senate.gov/contact-form.html

Others to Fax and Call Who are Important to Us

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) [[Minority Leader of the Senate]]

528 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone:

Fax:

Senator (R-MA)

172 Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone:

Fax

Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)

141A Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone:

Fax:

Senator McCain (R-AZ)

241 Senate Office Building

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone

Fax

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

702 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Fax

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)

332 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.

Washington, DC 20510

Fax

Congressman Dave Weldon (R-FL)

2347 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Fax:

Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN)

2185 Rayburn HOB

Washington, DC 20515

FAX: