OT URGENT FW: Outrageous Conduct in the House of Representatives

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Report on the Debate in Congress:

Perhaps the biggest corruption of the legislative process in American

history is about to take place this morning in the House of Representatives.

It is 1.30 a.m. and the debate was just now joined in the House on the

Defense Appropriations bill.

The Bill about to be passed by Congress, HR 2815-the DOD Appropriations

bill- will preempt state legislation, including for example, state

legislation banning Thimerosal, for a vaccine that is declared to be a

pandemic countermeasure by the Secy of HHS.

The Democrats are speaking out against abuse of process and Rules by the

Republican leadership, for example Rep. Obey, Rep. Kucinich, Rep Slaughter,

Rep. Markey, Rep. Moran, Rep. Nita Lowey, Rep. Barney , and others.

They are focusing mostly on the provision in this bill allowing drilling in

Anwar Alaska oil fields--in Markey's words, " the #1 environmental issue of

the decade. "

Rep. Obey called the process a " corruption of the legislative process. "

Rep. Lowey derided the administrations attempt to hide controversial

legislation behind provisions necessary for the support of our troops. She

also criticized the overly broad liability provisions and inadequate

compensation provisions in the bill.

Rep. Obey objected to language slipped into the bill giving immunity to

pharmaceutical companies. He said that members of house were told that the

immunity language would not be included. Under the provision injured

persons will lose their right to sue but there is no meaningful compensation

mechanism provided in the bill. Obey said he and other Members were told in

writing that this provision would not be in the bill, but then Senator Frist

walked across to the House, with a couple of " musclemen' who corrupted the

legislative process by forcing inclusion of the language in the conference

report.

Obey speaks for the people. Senator Frist uses muscle to force a

liability giveaway to pharma.

Rep Tom Cole for the Leadership stated that injured parties would still be

able to sue for " wrongful action " That is a joke--the standard is the

highest in civil law-- " wilful misconduct " , which is a virtually

insurmountable standard.

Rep. Dan Burton stood up to object to the pharmaceutical immunity provisions

in the bill, explaining that the bill will provide liability to protection

to pharmaceutical companies even if there is wilful misconduct, and pointed

out that this situation is similar to the smallpox legislation of several

years ago, which caused first responders to refuse vaccination. Burton said

he favors liability protection but that there should be a provision for just

compensation. Rep. Slaughter agreed with Rep. Burton and pointed out that

the bill would cover drugs as well as vaccines.

The process taking place in Congress is shameful. It is an insult to all

Americans and a special insult to all parents and families of children with

vaccine injuries--not just because of the substance of the immunity

protection being granted to drug companies but because of the corrupt

process used to enact the legislation.

Will our community please now stand up. We made some noise but we need to

make more. We must not allow this to stand.

To send a message objecting to this outrage:

http://capwiz.com/a-champ/issues/alert/?alertid=8308931&type=ML

Thank you on behalf of the

A-CHAMP legislative action team.

www.a-champ.org

Note: A-CHAMP is politically nonpartisan but we are zealous partisans for

our children.

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