I received an email from diana degette regarding a petition she and rep. mike castle have co-authored to fund stem cell research. this legislation is under threat of veto by bush. rep. degette has asked for our help in signing a petition to demand that this research be funded and supported...
more below the fold...
Reps. lois capps and jim langevin have both made impassioned please to fund this research, as well.
in an excerpt from her email, rep. degette says
The vast majority of Americans who support stem cell research are anxiously waiting for the Senate and the President to do the right thing and expand the federal policy now.
We are working with our Democratic and Republican allies in the Senate to pass this proposal. But President George Bush, the very man who has crowed about "obstructionism" whenever Democrats refused to rubber stamp his agenda, continues to stall the process with his unconscionable veto threat.
That President Bush would use his first veto in five years to squash the hopes of millions is virtually unimaginable. That is why I am asking you today to join me in petitioning him to stop obstructing the clear will of the people:
http://www.democraticaction.org/petitions/stemcell.shtml
The House has already debated this issue. You have already heard arguments for stem cell research put forth eloquently by Lois Capps and Jim Langevin. This is about saving people's lives, not about partisan politics.
Now I want to share with you just one of the stirring stories the DCCC members shared with us:
"I will fight for SCR expansion for many reasons, but for my step dad, Marty, in particular. He is perfectly healthy, thank goodness ... because he spends his two days off caring for his Alzheimer's stricken mother and for his recently paralyzed son. Both are severe cases that necessitate home care. His son is only 24 years-old, and became a quadriplegic after breaking his neck in a motorcycle accident. It will be a year in July since he's been home. My step brother cannot hug his little daughter, and it is heartbreaking. To think that he could die from something like a bed sore, I just cannot understand how people justify fighting against SCR. To the opposition, I say come look at my step dad's mother, who has to be monitored constantly so she doesn't wander off, who can't remember who she is. Look into the eyes of a woman who cries because she wants to go home to her mother, who's been dead for 50 years. Look at my step brother, a once strapping young man who is now withered, who has to fight to breathe on his own. Look into the eyes of his three year-old little girl, who has to visit "Daddy" because he can't come home to play with her. Look at my step father, who deserves some good news, or at the very least ... some relief from the worry that he could lose either of them at any moment. Look into his eyes and tell him there is no hope, because I cannot. This is for Marty."
-- Tanya Bennitt, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
If that does not persuade you, nothing I can say will either. There are millions of these stories, from every town and city in America. Tell President Bush to remove the "roadblock" and withdraw his veto threat - stem cell research must be funded:
ok, kossacks - time to get your emails on the ready... here is the link to sign the petition. the congress needs our help - we need them to know we are listening to them, as well!
and, we need to email reps. degette, castle, capps, langevin and more to join us in the "power of the people" to get these petitions signed!
please recommend so that this petition effort will stay up during tomorrow daylight hours (or, start another diary with the same request!)
thanks.