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Home>Get Involved>Action Alert>16 JAN 2006

NAIS and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Bill

WESTON A. PRICE FOUNDATION
ACTION ALERT
June 12, 2006

NAIS ALERT: PLEASE CALL THE SENATORS LISTED BELOW

The Agriculture Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5384) that passed the House on May 23 is expected to be considered by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture sometime during the week of June 12. It is important that the members of this subcommittee know that a significant number of people want all funding for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) to be removed from this Bill.

Members of this subcommittee are:

Robert Bennett (R-UT): phone - (202) 224-5444,
e-mail: http://bennett.senate.gov/contact/email_form.html

Thad Cochran (R-MS): phone - 202-224-5054
e-mail: http://cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm

Arlan Spector (R-PA): phone - 202-224-4254
e-mail: http://specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home

Christopher Bond (R-MO): phone - (202) 224-5721
e-mail: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/mailapp/

Mitch McConnell (R-KY): phone - (202) 224-2541
e-mail: http://mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Conrad Burns (R-MT): phone – 202-224-2644
e-mail: http://burns.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.EmailMe

Larry Craig (R-ID): phone - 202/224-2752
e-mail: http://craig.senate.gov/fp.htm?/autoemail.htm

Sam Brownback (R-KS): phone - (202) 224-6521
e-mail: http://brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm

Herbert Kohl (D-WI): phone - (202) 224-5653
e-mail: http://kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html

Tom Harkin (D-IA): phone - (202) 224-3254
e-mail: http://harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Byron Dorgan (D-ND): phone - 202-224-2551
e-mail: senator@dorgan.senate.gov (ND residents only)

Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): phone - (202) 224-3841
e-mail: http://feinstein.senate.gov/email.html

Richard Durbin (D-IL): phone - (202) 224-2152
e-mail: http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm#contact

Tim Johnson (D-SD): phone - (202) 224-5842
e-mail: http://johnson.senate.gov/emailform.cfm

Mary Landrieu (D-LA): phone - (202)224-5824
e-mail: http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

If you live in any of these states, or have friends or relatives who live in these states, please generate all the calls and emails possible to these targeted Senators early and often during the week of June 12.

Phone is still the best way to make contact, other than personal meeting; e-mail is near the bottom of effectiveness. Most Senators prefer that you fill out a web-based "e-mail" form as listed above to send your message, rather than providing an e-mail address.

The Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 225-3121. If you need further contact information, you can find email addresses for your Senators by going to http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home and entering your zip code in the box on the left-hand side of the page.

TALKING POINTS
Below are talking points that may be helpful in explaining why you oppose funding for NAIS. Keep your message clear: You oppose any funding for NAIS in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill.

Sample Talking Points:

A. The program has had no Congressional hearings or debate, nor has there been sufficient input in the rule-making process.

B. The program, as now designed, will be too costly and burdensome for farmers and ranchers.

C. The program invades the privacy of every American who owns even one livestock animal, whether a horse, pet pot-bellied pig, or chicken.

D. NAIS will not protect us against disease or bioterrorism because:
1. it does not address the causes of disease;
2. it does not address how diseases are transmitted;
3. we already have sufficient means of tracking diseases and quarantining; and
4. the recommended technology can be easily reprogrammed, so that it is ineffective against intentional (or even many unintentional) introductions of disease.

E. NAIS will expand the government bureaucracy, at the cost of individuals' rights and the free market.

F. NAIS will raise the cost of food, while not providing any additional food safety.

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear Seantor________:

I am taking this opportunity to request that all funding for USDA's National Animal Identification System (NAIS) be removed from H.R. 5384, the Agriculture Appropriations bill. NAIS has had no Congressional hearings or debate, nor has there been sufficient input in the rule-making process on this program. I firmly believe NAIS, as now designed, will be too costly and burdensome for farmers and ranchers. In addition, the program invades the privacy of every American who owns even one livestock animal, whether a horse, pet pot-bellied pig, or chicken.

NAIS will not protect us against disease or bioterrorism because:
1. it does not address the causes of disease;
2. it does not address how diseases are transmitted;
3. we already have sufficient means of tracking diseases and quarantining; and
4. the recommended technology can be easily reprogrammed, so that it is ineffective against intentional (or even many unintentional) introductions of disease.

NAIS will expand the government bureaucracy, at the cost of individuals' rights and the free market. And, importantly, NAIS will raise the cost of food, while not providing any additional food safety.

For these reasons, I ask that you ensure that funding for the National Animal Identification System be totally removed from the Agriculture Appropriations bill, H.R. 5384.

Thank you for your good work.

Sincerely yours,

[your name, address, phone number and e-mail address]

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