The Homeland Security Bill, recently passed in the Senate and signed by President Bush, includes a provision that protects manufacturers of vaccine additive thimerosal -- an additive that may cause autism -- from liability in vaccine-related lawsuits. According to supporters of the provision, lawsuits could ruin vaccine-producing companies in a time when vaccines are essential to protect the country against a looming biochemical attack.
About 150 individual autism lawsuits, with thousands more being prepared, are aimed at Eli Lilly and Co., the inventors of the additive that has been used in common children’s vaccines until recently and whose chairman is on the White House Advisory Council on Homeland Security. Critics of the liability provision say that it did not go through the usual committee process and call it a "gift to politically influential drug companies." Although vaccine manufacturers have been protected from liability since 1988, the provision will extend protection given to vaccines to include vaccine additives
The provision was taken out of a stalled vaccine bill and added to the Homeland Security Bill as it was nearing approval. Since January 2001, Republicans have received $14 million from the pharmaceutical industry, compared with Democrats’ $5.2 million, leading Democrats to say that the provision is a payback to the industry from Republicans.
Countering this, Republicans say that lawyers who opposed the provision have given $45 million to Democrats and $17.5 million to Republicans since January 2001.
The number of autism, a developmental disability, cases has tripled over the last 10 years, and many people have blamed mercury-containing thimerosal for the increase. In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration said that infants who received recommended vaccinations were exposed to excessive levels of mercury and asked vaccine manufacturers to remove the substance from vaccines. Although no evidence has been found to prove or disprove the link between thimerosal and autism, some say that vaccine manufacturers were aware of thimerosal’s risks in the 1970s but continued to use the additive despite scientists warnings.
News Day November 24, 2002
Some powerful people who wanted to protect vaccine manufacturers slipped this "special provision" into the Homeland Security Bill at the last minute. Through this newsletter and other efforts, many people contacted their Senators to oppose the bill, but while this initiated some awareness in the general media, the bill still passed. However, the Senators promised to revisit and potentially alter this and other special provisions in the bill in early 2003.
So what can you do? Remind your Senators to stick to their word and make sure this special provision that lets drug companies off the hook is indeed revisited -- and eliminated.
The evidence is quite clear that the mercury in the vaccines is damaging children. These companies would have been successfully sued for their negligence that resulted in damaging tens of thousands of infants, but if this special provision in the Homeland Security Bill is not seriously altered or eliminated, they will get off scot-free
And if that occurs -- an obvious act of a few powerful people doing a few other powerful people a favor at the expense of all the rest of us -- that will be a very sad commentary on the state of our nation. That children have been damaged as a result of mercury in their vaccinations is already sad enough.
So contact both of your state Senators, multiple times if you so choose, and remind them how important it is that they keep their word and eliminate this provision in early 2003!
But by all means, contact your Senators and tell them to keep their promise!
This contact list for U.S. Senators provides phone, mail and email addresses, or you can use the recent Senator phone list below:
U.S. Senators:
Murkowski, Frank - (R - AK) (202) 224-6665 Stevens, Ted - (R - AK) (202) 224-3004 Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL) (202) 224-4124 Shelby, Richard - (R - AL) (202) 224-5744 Hutchinson, Tim - (R - AR) (202) 224-2353 Lincoln, Blanche - (D - AR) (202) 224-4843 Kyl, Jon - (R - AZ) (202) 224-4521 Sen. McCain (R-AZ) 202-224-2235 Boxer, Barbara - (D - CA) (202) 224-3553 Feinstein, Dianne - (D - CA) (202) 224-3841 Allard, Wayne - (R - CO) (202) 224-5941 Sen. Campbell (R-CO) 202-224-5852 Dodd, Christopher - (D - CT) (202) 224-2823 Lieberman, Joseph - (D - CT) (202) 224-4041 Biden, Joseph - (D - DE) (202) 224-5042 Carper, Thomas - (D - DE) (202) 224-2441 Graham, Bob - (D - FL) (202) 224-3041 Nelson, Bill - (D - FL) (202) 224-5274 Cleland, Max - (D - GA) (202) 224-3521 Sen. Miller (D-GA) 202-224-3643 Akaka, Daniel - (D - HI) (202) 224-6361 Inouye, Daniel - (D - HI) (202) 224-3934 Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA) (202) 224-3744 Harkin, Tom - (D - IA) (202) 224-3254 Craig, Larry - (R - ID) (202) 224-2752 Crapo, Michael - (R - ID) (202) 224-6142 Durbin, Richard - (D - IL) (202) 224-2152 Sen. Fitzgerald (R-IL) 202-224-2854 Lugar, Richard - (R - IN) (202) 224-4814 Sen. Bayh (D-IN) 202-224-5623 Brownback, Sam - (R - KS) (202) 224-6521 Roberts, Pat - (R - KS) (202) 224-4774 Bunning, Jim - (R - KY) (202) 224-4343 McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY) (202) 224-2541 Landrieu, Mary - (D - LA) (202) 224-5824 Sen. Breaux (D-LA) 202-224-4623 Kennedy, Edward - (D - MA) (202) 224-4543 Kerry, John - (D - MA) (202) 224-2742 Mikulski, Barbara - (D - MD) (202) 224-4654 Sarbanes, Paul - (D - MD) (202) 224-4524 Levin, Carl - (D - MI) (202) 224-6221 Stabenow, Debbie - (D - MI) (202) 224-4822 Dayton, Mark - (D - MN) (202) 224-3244 Sen. Barkley (I-MN) 202-224-9430 Bond, Christopher - (R - MO) (202) 224-5721 Carnahan, Jean - (D - MO) (202) 224-6154 Cochran, Thad - (R - MS) (202) 224-5054 Lott, Trent - (R - MS) (202) 224-6253 Sen. Collins (R-ME) 202-224-2523 Sen. Snowe (R-PA) 202-224-5344 Baucus, Max - (D - MT) (202) 224-2651 Burns, Conrad - (R - MT) (202) 224-2644 Edwards, John - (D - NC) (202) 224-3154 Helms, Jesse - (R - NC) (202) 224-6342 Conrad, Kent - (D - ND) (202) 224-2043 Dorgan, Byron - (D - ND)(202) 224-2551 Hagel, Chuck - (R - NE) (202) 224-4224 Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) 202-224-6551 Gregg, Judd - (R - NH) (202) 224-3324 Sen. Smith (R-NH) 202-2242841 Corzine, Jon - (D - NJ) (202) 224-4744 Torricelli, Robert - (D - NJ) (202) 224-3224 Bingaman, Jeff - (D - NM) (202) 224-5521 Domenici, Pete - (R - NM) (202) 224-6621 Ensign, John - (R - NV) (202) 224-6244 Reid, Harry - (D - NV) (202) 224-3542 Clinton, Hillary - (D - NY) (202) 224-4451 Schumer, Charles - (D - NY) (202) 224-6542 DeWine, Mike - (R - OH) (202) 224-2315 Sen. Voinovich (R-OH) 202-224-3353 Inhofe, James - (R - OK) (202) 224-4721 Nickles, Don - (R - OK) (202) 224-5754 Smith, Gordon - (R - OR) (202) 224-3753 Wyden, Ron - (D - OR) (202) 224-5244 Sen. Santorum (R-PA) 202-224-6324 Sen. Specter (R-PA) 202-224-4254 Reed, Jack - (D - RI) (202) 224-4642 Sen. Chafee (R-RI) 202-224-2921 Hollings, Ernest - (D - SC) (202) 224-6121 Thurmond, Strom - (R - SC) (202) 224-5972 Daschle, Thomas - (D - SD) (202) 224-2321 Johnson, Tim - (D - SD) (202) 224-5842 Frist, Bill - (R - TN) (202) 224-3344 Sen. Thompson (R-TN) 202-224-4944 Gramm, Phil - (R - TX) (202) 224-2934 Hutchison, Kay - (R - TX) (202) 224-5922 Bennett, Robert - (R - UT) (202) 224-5444 Hatch, Orrin - (R - UT) (202) 224-5251 Allen, George - (R - VA) (202) 224-4024 Warner, John - (R - VA) (202) 224-2023 Leahy, Patrick - (D - VT) (202) 224-4242 Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) 202-224-5141 Cantwell, Maria - (D - WA) (202) 224-3441 Murray, Patty - (D - WA) (202) 224-2621 Feingold, Russell - (D - WI) (202) 224-5323 Kohl, Herb - (D - WI) (202) 224-5653 Byrd, Robert - (D - WV) (202) 224-3954 Rockefeller, John - (D - WV) (202) 224-6472 Enzi, Michael - (R - WY) (202) 224-3424 Thomas, Craig - (R - WY) (202) 224-6441
Murkowski, Frank - (R - AK) (202) 224-6665 Stevens, Ted - (R - AK) (202) 224-3004
Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL) (202) 224-4124 Shelby, Richard - (R - AL) (202) 224-5744
Hutchinson, Tim - (R - AR) (202) 224-2353 Lincoln, Blanche - (D - AR) (202) 224-4843
Kyl, Jon - (R - AZ) (202) 224-4521 Sen. McCain (R-AZ) 202-224-2235
Boxer, Barbara - (D - CA) (202) 224-3553 Feinstein, Dianne - (D - CA) (202) 224-3841
Allard, Wayne - (R - CO) (202) 224-5941 Sen. Campbell (R-CO) 202-224-5852
Dodd, Christopher - (D - CT) (202) 224-2823 Lieberman, Joseph - (D - CT) (202) 224-4041
Biden, Joseph - (D - DE) (202) 224-5042 Carper, Thomas - (D - DE) (202) 224-2441
Graham, Bob - (D - FL) (202) 224-3041 Nelson, Bill - (D - FL) (202) 224-5274
Cleland, Max - (D - GA) (202) 224-3521 Sen. Miller (D-GA) 202-224-3643
Akaka, Daniel - (D - HI) (202) 224-6361 Inouye, Daniel - (D - HI) (202) 224-3934
Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA) (202) 224-3744 Harkin, Tom - (D - IA) (202) 224-3254
Craig, Larry - (R - ID) (202) 224-2752 Crapo, Michael - (R - ID) (202) 224-6142
Durbin, Richard - (D - IL) (202) 224-2152 Sen. Fitzgerald (R-IL) 202-224-2854
Lugar, Richard - (R - IN) (202) 224-4814 Sen. Bayh (D-IN) 202-224-5623
Brownback, Sam - (R - KS) (202) 224-6521 Roberts, Pat - (R - KS) (202) 224-4774
Bunning, Jim - (R - KY) (202) 224-4343 McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY) (202) 224-2541
Landrieu, Mary - (D - LA) (202) 224-5824 Sen. Breaux (D-LA) 202-224-4623
Kennedy, Edward - (D - MA) (202) 224-4543 Kerry, John - (D - MA) (202) 224-2742
Mikulski, Barbara - (D - MD) (202) 224-4654 Sarbanes, Paul - (D - MD) (202) 224-4524
Levin, Carl - (D - MI) (202) 224-6221 Stabenow, Debbie - (D - MI) (202) 224-4822
Dayton, Mark - (D - MN) (202) 224-3244 Sen. Barkley (I-MN) 202-224-9430
Bond, Christopher - (R - MO) (202) 224-5721 Carnahan, Jean - (D - MO) (202) 224-6154
Cochran, Thad - (R - MS) (202) 224-5054 Lott, Trent - (R - MS) (202) 224-6253
Sen. Collins (R-ME) 202-224-2523 Sen. Snowe (R-PA) 202-224-5344
Baucus, Max - (D - MT) (202) 224-2651 Burns, Conrad - (R - MT) (202) 224-2644
Edwards, John - (D - NC) (202) 224-3154 Helms, Jesse - (R - NC) (202) 224-6342
Conrad, Kent - (D - ND) (202) 224-2043 Dorgan, Byron - (D - ND)(202) 224-2551
Hagel, Chuck - (R - NE) (202) 224-4224 Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) 202-224-6551
Gregg, Judd - (R - NH) (202) 224-3324 Sen. Smith (R-NH) 202-2242841
Corzine, Jon - (D - NJ) (202) 224-4744 Torricelli, Robert - (D - NJ) (202) 224-3224
Bingaman, Jeff - (D - NM) (202) 224-5521 Domenici, Pete - (R - NM) (202) 224-6621
Ensign, John - (R - NV) (202) 224-6244 Reid, Harry - (D - NV) (202) 224-3542
Clinton, Hillary - (D - NY) (202) 224-4451 Schumer, Charles - (D - NY) (202) 224-6542
DeWine, Mike - (R - OH) (202) 224-2315 Sen. Voinovich (R-OH) 202-224-3353
Inhofe, James - (R - OK) (202) 224-4721 Nickles, Don - (R - OK) (202) 224-5754
Smith, Gordon - (R - OR) (202) 224-3753 Wyden, Ron - (D - OR) (202) 224-5244
Sen. Santorum (R-PA) 202-224-6324 Sen. Specter (R-PA) 202-224-4254
Reed, Jack - (D - RI) (202) 224-4642 Sen. Chafee (R-RI) 202-224-2921
Hollings, Ernest - (D - SC) (202) 224-6121 Thurmond, Strom - (R - SC) (202) 224-5972
Daschle, Thomas - (D - SD) (202) 224-2321 Johnson, Tim - (D - SD) (202) 224-5842
Frist, Bill - (R - TN) (202) 224-3344 Sen. Thompson (R-TN) 202-224-4944
Gramm, Phil - (R - TX) (202) 224-2934 Hutchison, Kay - (R - TX) (202) 224-5922
Bennett, Robert - (R - UT) (202) 224-5444 Hatch, Orrin - (R - UT) (202) 224-5251
Allen, George - (R - VA) (202) 224-4024 Warner, John - (R - VA) (202) 224-2023
Leahy, Patrick - (D - VT) (202) 224-4242 Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) 202-224-5141
Cantwell, Maria - (D - WA) (202) 224-3441 Murray, Patty - (D - WA) (202) 224-2621
Feingold, Russell - (D - WI) (202) 224-5323 Kohl, Herb - (D - WI) (202) 224-5653
Byrd, Robert - (D - WV) (202) 224-3954 Rockefeller, John - (D - WV) (202) 224-6472
Enzi, Michael - (R - WY) (202) 224-3424 Thomas, Craig - (R - WY) (202) 224-6441