As we all know, discrimination can take many forms. There have been plenty of times when it was/is legal to discriminate on all sorts of differences--of course the obvious physical human features of skin color and gender, but also on less visible ones as well: religious practices, cultural group ancestry, and so on.
Coming soon to a planet near you: genetic discrimination.
With the completion of the Human Genome Project's major sequencing efforts, we now can look at the details of humanity's DNA in remarkable detail--that we could never do before. This will have tremendous benefits for curing disease and understaning each other on entirely new levels.
For example, here is the BRCA1 gene if you want to have a look at a part of the human genome. My mother and my sister both had breast cancer. But, I don't know if this gene was the culprit. Because I'm afraid to be tested.
What if the test comes back that I do have a mutation in this gene that causes this cancer? Will I ever get insurance? Will employers shun me? Could I possibly miss out on clinical trials that might help save my life?
It could happen.
And it isn't just breast cancer. It is heart disease. Got autism in the family? And maybe there is alcoholism in your family. Or maybe there is that gay gene in your family.
Someday soon your genome could be available for all the insurers to see. And the goverment. And...well, who knows where this data could end up....
The Genetic Alliance (a coalition of many groups whose families are directly affected by genetic diseases), and NCHPEG (the National Coalition for Health Professional Education in Genetics) are begging for help. If you live in one of these districts, could you please call your Republican representative and ask them to sign on to this. I'm sorry to have to ask you to call Republicans, but at least we can get something good out them.
I will reproduce the text of the urgent email below, and please take advantage of the script provided in the link if you could make this call.
Do it for your kids. Do it for yourself. Do it for all of us. Please?
Thank you.
A bill to prevent genetic information discrimination (losing your employment or insurance because of your genetic make-up), HR 1227, is in need of your help right now. It was introduced by a Republican (Judy Biggert - IL), it passed the senate unanimously, the President has said in writing (SAP, February 2005) and in a radio address that he will sign it.
We have found that if a constituent asks a Republican representative to sign on, they usually do! So this is simple - if you live in the district of any of these representatives, please call and ask him or her to sign on to HR 1227 [93 Democrats and 73 Republicans are cosponsors currently]. Here is a call script you can use: http://www.geneticfairness.org/...
Once you reach them, email us <ealfano@geneticalliance.org> and tell us that you asked them. We will follow up with a call to remind them of your request.
Republicans who have not yet signed on to HR 1227 (see one from your district? Call!):
St. Dist. Title First Name Last Name Phone (DC) Email or Contact Form Website
AK AL Rep. Don Young 202.225.5765 Don.Young.@mail.house.gov house.gov/donyoung/
AL 1 Rep. Jo Bonner 202.225.4931 Contact Form bonner.house.gov/
AL 2 Rep. Terry Everett 202.225.2901 Contact Form wwwc.house.gov/everett/
AL 3 Rep. Mike Rogers 202.225.3261 Contact Form house.gov/mike-rogers/
AL 4 Rep. Robert Aderholt 202.225.4876 aderholt.house.gov/IQ_email.shtml aderholt.house.gov/
AR 3 Rep. John Boozman 202.225.4301 Contact Form www.boozman.house.gov/
AZ 1 Rep. Rick Renzi 202.225.2315 Contact Form house.gov/renzi/
AZ 2 Rep. Trent Franks 202.225.4576 Trent.Franks@mail.house.gov house.gov/franks/
AZ 3 Rep. John Shadegg 202.225.3361 Contact Form johnshadegg.house.gov/
AZ 5 Rep. J. D. Hayworth 202.225.2190 jdhayworth@mail.house.gov house.gov/hayworth/
AZ 6 Rep. Jeff Flake 202.225.2635 jeff.flake@mail.house.gov house.gov/flake/
CA 2 Rep. Wally Herger 202.225.3076 Contact Form house.gov/herger/
CA 3 Rep. Dan Lungren 202.225.5716 Contact Form house.gov/lungren/
CA 4 Rep. John Doolittle 202.225.2511 doolittle@mail.house.gov house.gov/doolittle/
CA 19 Rep. George Radanovich 202.225.4540 Contact Form www.radanovich.house.gov/
CA 21 Rep. Devin Nunes 202.225.2523 Contact Form www.nunes.house.gov/
CA 22 Rep. William Thomas 202.225.2915 Website billthomas.house.gov/
CA 25 Rep. Howard McKeon 202.225.1956 Contact Form mckeon.house.gov/
CA 26 Rep. David Dreier 202.225.2305 Contact Form dreier.house.gov/
CA 40 Rep. Edward Royce 202.225.4111 Contact Form www.royce.house.gov/
CA 41 Rep. Jerry Lewis 202.225.5861 Contact Form house.gov/jerrylewis/
CA 42 Rep. Gary Miller 202.225.3201 gary.miller@mail.house.gov house.gov/garymiller/
CA 46 Rep. Dana Rohrabacher 202.225.2415 Dana@mail.house.gov house.gov/rohrabacher/
CA 48 Rep. John Campbell 202.225.5611 Contact Form house.gov/campbell/
CA 49 Rep. Darrell Issa 202.225.3906 Contact Form www.issa.house.gov/
CA 50 Rep. [Vacant Seat]
CA 52 Rep. Duncan Hunter 202.225.5672 Contact Form house.gov/hunter/
CO 4 Rep. Marilyn Musgrave 202.225.4676 Contact Form wwwc.house.gov/musgrave/
CO 6 Rep. Thomas Tancredo 202.225.7882 tom.tancredo@mail.house.gov house.gov/tancredo/
CO 7 Rep. Bob Beauprez 202.225.2645 Contact Form house.gov/beauprez/
CT 2 Rep. Rob Simmons* 202.225.2076 Contact Form house.gov/simmons/
DE AL Rep. Michael Castle 202.225.4165 Contact Form house.gov/castle/
FL 1 Rep. Jeff Miller 202.225.4136 Contact Form jeffmiller.house.gov/
FL 4 Rep. Ander Crenshaw 202.225.2501 Contact Form crenshaw.house.gov/
FL 6 Rep. Clifford Stearns 202.225.5744 Contact Form house.gov/stearns/
FL 8 Rep. Ric Keller 202.225.2176 Contact Form keller.house.gov/
FL 9 Rep. Michael Bilirakis 202.225.5755 Contact Form house.gov/bilirakis/
FL 10 Rep. C. W. Bill Young 202.225.5961 Bill.Young@mail.house.gov house.gov/young/
FL 12 Rep. Adam Putnam 202.225.1252 Contact Form adamputnam.house.gov/
FL 13 Rep. Katherine Harris 202.225.5015 katherine.harris@mail.house.gov harris.house.gov/
FL 14 Rep. Connie Mack 202.225.2536 Contact Form house.gov/mack/
FL 15 Rep. Dave Weldon 202.225.3671 Contact Form house.gov/weldon/
FL 21 Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart 202.225.4211 Contact Form house.gov/diaz-balart/
FL 22 Rep. E. Clay Shaw 202.225.3026 Contact Form house.gov/shaw/
FL 24 Rep. Tom Feeney 202.225.2706 Contact Form house.gov/feeney/
FL 25 Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart 202.225.2778 Contact Form house.gov/mariodiaz-balart/
GA 1 Rep. Jack Kingston 202.225.5831 jack.kingston@mail.house.gov house.gov/kingston/
GA 6 Rep. Tom Price 202.225.4501 Contact Form house.gov/tomprice/
GA 7 Rep. John Linder 202.225.4272 Contact Form linder.house.gov/
GA 8 Rep. Lynn Westmoreland 202.225.5901 Contact Form house.gov/westmoreland/
GA 10 Rep. Nathan Deal 202.225.5211 Contact Form house.gov/deal/
GA 11 Rep. Phil Gingrey 202.225.2931 gingrey.ga@mail.house.gov house.gov/gingrey/
IA 1 Rep. Jim Nussle 202.225.2911 nussleia@mail.house.gov nussle.house.gov/
IA 5 Rep. Steve King 202.225.4426 Contact Form house.gov/steveking/
ID 1 Rep. C. L. Otter 202.225.6611 Contact Form house.gov/otter/
IL 11 Rep. Jerry Weller 202.225.3635 Contact Form weller.house.gov/
IL 14 Rep. Dennis J. Hastert 202.225.2976 Contact Form house.gov/hastert/
IL 16 Rep. Donald Manzullo 202.225.5676 Contact Form manzullo.house.gov/
IL 19 Rep. John Shimkus 202.225.5271 Contact Form house.gov/shimkus/
IN 2 Rep. Chris Chocola 202.225.3915 Contact Form house.gov/chocola/
IN 3 Rep. Mark Souder 202.225.4436 souder@mail.house.gov souder.house.gov/
IN 4 Rep. Steve Buyer 202.225.5037 Contact Form stevebuyer.house.gov/
IN 6 Rep. Mike Pence 202.225.3021 Contact Form mikepence.house.gov
IN 8 Rep. John Hostettler 202.225.4636 John.Hostettler@mail.house.gov house.gov/hostettler/
IN 9 Rep. Mike Sodrel 202.225.5315 Contact Form house.gov/sodrel/
KS 1 Rep. Jerry Moran 202.225.2715 jerry.moran@mail.house.gov house.gov/moranks01/
KS 2 Rep. Jim Ryun* 202.225.6601 Contact Form www.ryun.house.gov/
KS 4 Rep. Todd Tiahrt 202.225.6216 Contact Form house.gov/tiahrt/
KY 5 Rep. Harold Rogers 202.225.4601 Talk2Hal@mail.house.gov house.gov/rogers/
LA 1 Rep. Bobby Jindal 202.225.3015 Contact Form house.gov/jindal/
LA 4 Rep. Jim McCrery 202.225.2777 Contact Form mccrery.house.gov/
LA 7 Rep. Charles Boustany 202.225.2031 Contact Form house.gov/boustany/
MI 2 Rep. Peter Hoekstra 202.225.4401 Contact Form house.gov/hoekstra/
MI 4 Rep. Dave Camp 202.225.3561 Contact Form wwwc.house.gov/camp/
MI 6 Rep. Fred Upton 202.225.3761 Contact Form house.gov/upton/
MI 8 Rep. Mike Rogers 202.225.4872 mike.rogers@mail.house.gov house.gov/mikerogers/
MI 9 Rep. Joe Knollenberg 202.225.5802 Rep.Knollenberg@mail.house.gov house.gov/knollenberg/
MI 10 Rep. Candice Miller 202.225.2106 Contact Form candicemiller.house.gov/
MN 1 Rep. Gil Gutknecht 202.225.2472 gil@mail.house.gov www.gil.house.gov/
MN 2 Rep. John Kline 202.225.2271 Contact Form house.gov/kline/
MN 6 Rep. Mark Kennedy 202.225.2331 mark.kennedy@mail.house.gov markkennedy.house.gov/
MO 2 Rep. Todd Akin 202.225.2561 Contact Form house.gov/akin/
MO 6 Rep. Sam Graves 202.225.7041 sam.graves@mail.house.gov house.gov/graves/
MO 7 Rep. Roy Blunt 202.225.6536 Contact Form www.blunt.house.gov/
MO 9 Rep. Kenny Hulshof 202.225.2956 Contact Form house.gov/hulshof/
MS 3 Rep. Charles Pickering 202.225.5031 Contact Form house.gov/pickering/
MT AL Rep. Dennis Rehberg 202.225.3211 Contact Form house.gov/rehberg/
NC 5 Rep. Virginia Foxx 202.225.2071 Contact Form house.gov/foxx/
NC 6 Rep. Howard Coble 202.225.3065 howard.coble@mail.house.gov house.gov/coble/
NC 8 Rep. Robin Hayes 202.225.3715 Contact Form www.hayes.house.gov/
NC 10 Rep. Patrick McHenry 202.225.2576 Contact Form house.gov/mchenry/
NC 11 Rep. Charles Taylor 202.225.6401 Contact Form house.gov/charlestaylor/
NE 1 Rep. Jeff Fortenberry 202.225.4806 Contact Form house.gov/fortenberry/
NE 2 Rep. Lee Terry 202.225.4155 Talk2Lee@mail.house.gov leeterry.house.gov/
NE 3 Rep. Tom Osborne 202.225.6435 Contact Form house.gov/osborne/
NJ 4 Rep. Christopher Smith 202.225.3765 Contact Form house.gov/chrissmith/
NJ 5 Rep. Scott Garrett 202.225.4465 Contact Form house.gov/garrett/
NM 1 Rep. Heather Wilson 202.225.6316 Contact Form wilson.house.gov/
NV 3 Rep. Jon Porter 202.225.3252 Contact Form house.gov/porter/
NY 13 Rep. Vito Fossella 202.225.3371 vito.fossella@mail.house.gov house.gov/fossella/
NY 26 Rep. Thomas Reynolds 202.225.5265 Contact Form house.gov/reynolds/
OH 1 Rep. Steve Chabot 202.225.2216 Contact Form house.gov/chabot/
OH 2 Rep. Jean Schmidt 202.225.3164 Contact Form house.gov/schmidt/
OH 3 Rep. Mike Turner 202.225.6465 Contact Form house.gov/miketurner/
OH 4 Rep. Michael Oxley 202.225.2676 Contact Form oxley.house.gov/
OH 7 Rep. David Hobson 202.225.4324 Contact Form house.gov/hobson/
OH 8 Rep. John Boehner 202.225.6205 john.boehner@mail.house.gov johnboehner.house.gov/
OH 12 Rep. Pat Tiberi 202.225.5355 Contact Form house.gov/tiberi/
OH 15 Rep. Deborah Pryce 202.225.2015 Contact Form house.gov/pryce/
OK 1 Rep. John Sullivan 202.225.2211 ok01.sullivan@mail.house.gov sullivan.house.gov/
OK 3 Rep. Frank Lucas* 202.225.5565 Contact Form house.gov/lucas/
OK 4 Rep. Tom Cole 202.225.6165 Contact Form house.gov/cole/
OK 5 Rep. Ernest Istook 202.225.2132 istook@mail.house.gov house.gov/istook/
OR 2 Rep. Greg Walden 202.225.6730 Contact Form walden.house.gov/
PA 4 Rep. Melissa Hart 202.225.2565 Contact Form hart.house.gov/
PA 5 Rep. John Peterson 202.225.5121 john.peterson@mail.house.gov house.gov/johnpeterson/
PA 6 Rep. Jim Gerlach 202.225.4315 Contact Form house.gov/gerlach/
PA 8 Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick 202.225.4276 Contact Form house.gov/fitzpatrick/
PA 9 Rep. Bill Shuster 202.225.2431 Contact Form house.gov/shuster/
PA 10 Rep. Don Sherwood 202.225.3731 Contact Form house.gov/sherwood/
PA 15 Rep. Charlie Dent 202.225.6411 Contact Form house.gov/dent/
PA 16 Rep. Joseph Pitts 202.225.2411 Contact Form house.gov/pitts/
PA 18 Rep. Tim Murphy 202.225.2301 Contact Form murphy.house.gov/
PR AL Rep. Luis Fortuno 202.225.2615 Contact Form house.gov/fortuno/
SC 3 Rep. J. Gresham Barrett 202.225.5301 Contact Form house.gov/barrett/
TN 1 Rep. William Jenkins 202.225.6356 Contact Form house.gov/jenkins/
TN 7 Rep. Marsha Blackburn 202.225.2811 Contact Form house.gov/blackburn/
TX 1 Rep. Louie Gohmert 202.225.3035 Contact Form house.gov/gohmert/
TX 2 Rep. Ted Poe 202.225.6565 Contact Form house.gov/poe/
TX 3 Rep. Sam Johnson 202.225.4201 Contact Form www.samjohnson.house.gov/
TX 4 Rep. Ralph Hall 202.225.6673 rmhall@mail.house.gov house.gov/ralphhall/
TX 5 Rep. Jeb Hensarling 202.225.3484 Contact Form house.gov/hensarling/
TX 6 Rep. Joe Barton 202.225.2002 Contact Form joebarton.house.gov/
TX 7 Rep. John Culberson 202.225.2571 Contact Form www.culberson.house.gov/
TX 8 Rep. Kevin Brady 202.225.4901 rep.brady@mail.house.gov house.gov/brady/
TX 10 Rep. Mike McCaul 202.225.2401 Contact Form house.gov/mccaul/
TX 11 Rep. Mike Conaway 202.225.3605 Contact Form house.gov/conaway/
TX 13 Rep. Mac Thornberry 202.225.3706 Contact Form house.gov/thornberry/
TX 14 Rep. Ron Paul 202.225.2831 Contact Form house.gov/paul/
TX 19 Rep. Randy Neugebauer 202.225.4005 Contact Form randy.house.gov/
TX 21 Rep. Lamar Smith 202.225.4236 Contact Form lamarsmith.house.gov/
TX 22 Rep. Tom DeLay 202.225.5951 Contact Form tomdelay.house.gov/
TX 23 Rep. Henry Bonilla 202.225.4511 Contact Form house.gov/bonilla/
TX 24 Rep. Kenny Marchant 202.225.6605 Contact Form house.gov/marchant/
TX 26 Rep. Michael Burgess 202.225.7772 Contact Form burgess.house.gov/
TX 31 Rep. John Carter 202.225.3864 Contact Form house.gov/carter/
UT 1 Rep. Rob Bishop 202.225.0453 Contact Form house.gov/robbishop/
UT 3 Rep. Chris Cannon 202.225.7751 cannon.ut03@mail.house.gov chriscannon.house.gov/
VA 2 Rep. Thelma Drake 202.225.4215 Contact Form house.gov/drake/
VA 4 Rep. J. Randy Forbes 202.225.6365 Contact Form house.gov/forbes/
VA 5 Rep. Virgil Goode 202.225.4711 Contact Form house.gov/goode/
VA 6 Rep. Bob Goodlatte 202.225.5431 Contact Form house.gov/goodlatte/
VA 7 Rep. Eric Cantor 202.225.2815 Contact Form cantor.house.gov/
WA 4 Rep. Doc Hastings 202.225.5816 Contact Form house.gov/hastings/
WA 5 Rep. Cathy McMorris 202.225.2006 Contact Form www.mcmorris.house.gov/
WA 8 Rep. Dave Reichert 202.225.7761 Contact Form house.gov/reichert/
WI 1 Rep. Paul Ryan 202.225.3031 Contact Form house.gov/ryan/
WI 5 Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner 202.225.5101 sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov house.gov/sensenbrenner/
WI 6 Rep. Thomas Petri 202.225.2476 Contact Form house.gov/petri/
WI 8 Rep. Mark Green 202.225.5665 mark.green@mail.house.gov house.gov/markgreen/
WY AL Rep. Barbara Cubin 202.225.2311 Contact Form house.gov/cubin