For bill text go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search H.R.
5710.
Please call your Senators today and ask them to remove Sections 304, 1714, 1715, 1716,
and 871 from the Senate version of the Homeland Defense bill.
-- Sections 1714, 1715, 1716 are provisions added protect pharmaceutical companies from
litigation stemming from faulty vaccines.
-- Section 304 grants the HHS secretary extraordinary powers to declare a health emergency
simply based on a POTENTIAL threat. This means that a hypothetical threat analysis from
intelligence agencies that failed to warn of Sept 11th could be used as a reason to suspend civil
liberties and start mandatory smallpox vaccinations.
-- Section 871 of the bill allows the Homeland Security Dept to form advisory committees exempt
from sunshine provisions in federal law that allow citizens to find out what occurred in advisory
committees meetings. This provision is meant to undermine the law violated by VP Cheney's
energy policy advisory committee.
These provisions have already been passed in the House, and have nothing to do with
reorganizing the government to better fight terrorism. For more information, see the Washington
Post and Baltimore Sun articles below:
Homeland Bill Rider Aids Drugmakers --
Measure Would Block Suits Over Vaccines, Washington Post, 15 Nov 2002
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56918-2002Nov14.html
Homeland Insecurity, Baltimore Sun, 15 Nov 2002
http://www.sunspot.net/news/opinion/bal-ed.homeland15nov15,0,2999878.story?coll=bal%2Dopi
nion%2Dheadlines
To find your senator's number:
www.senate.gov
or call United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121
White House Phone Numbers
COMMENTS: 202-456-1111
SWITCHBOARD: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
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