Congressional Vaccine-Autism Briefing - Call your Congressman!

If you don't see all your representatives on the list, call them first thing in the AM and ask them to attend.

If you do see your representatives on the list, call them and thank them for going and let them know how important this is to you.

FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE: September 23, 2008

CONTACT: Carlos Jimeno, 718-230-4250;
David Kirby 718-208-6883

VACCINE-AUTISM BRIEFING ON CAPITOL HILL TO DRAW MEMBERS OR STAFF FROM
125 HOUSE AND SENATE OFFICES
--Updates on Science, Policy, and Politics on the Agenda--

WASHINGTON, DC Rep. Carolyn Maloney (R-NY) will sponsor a special briefing on the vaccine-autism debate on Wednesday, September 24 at 2:00 PM in Room 210 of the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC.
David Kirby, investigative journalist and author of The New York Times bestseller “Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic A Medical Controversy,” will inform Members and their staff about developments in this debate from science, public policy, politics and law.Kirby will be joined Mark Blaxill, Director of the Coalition for SAFE MINDS.
Among the issues to be discussed are:
● A recent Vaccine Court case in which the federal government conceded that vaccines induced autism in one girl with an underlying mitochondrial dysfunction.
● Possible links between mitochondrial dysfunction and autistic regression, and information on several ASD children with mitochondrial issues;
● State-of-the-art research underway at top universities on the connection between environmental toxins, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, glutathione depletion, neuro-inflammation and autistic encephalopathy;
● Research agendas from the CDC and NIH that include investigations into links between vaccines and neuro-immune disorders
● The scope and implications of the autism epidemic. How scientific politics is preventing policy from catching up to the problem.
● Ongoing research into connections between mercury exposure and autism. Why most of what is reported is inaccurate.
● Reframing concerns over the vaccine program: It’s not a question of being pro or con vaccines, but rather a question of safety management.
David Kirby and Mark Blaxill are available for interviews. More information is at www.evidenceofharm.com and www.safeminds.com

THERE ARE NOW 126 CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES CONFIRMED:

HOUSE

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)*
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Autism Caucus Co-Chair (“He read EOH cover to cover”)*
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA)
Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN)*
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)
Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA) (Will attend in person)*
Rep. Carney’s Health Care Legislative Aide
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Rep. Paul Brown (D-GA) (Will try to attend in person)
Rep. Michael McNulty (D-NY) (“Likely)*
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY)*
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN)*
Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI)*
Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH)
Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-OH)*
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) (Will attend in person)*
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)*
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)*
Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA)*
Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN)*
Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) (Will try to attend in person)*
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)*
Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA)*
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)*
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)*
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX)*
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)*
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)*
Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)*
Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)*
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) ("They really want to be a part of this.")*
Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL)*
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)*
Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI)*
Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME)*
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Rep. Phil English (R-PA)*
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) (Most likely)*
Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) (Either in person or will send staff)*
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) (Very likely)*
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (D-MI)*
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)*
Rep. Steven Lynch (D-MA)*
Rep. Louie Gohmert (D-TX)
Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) (“Will try”)
Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT)*
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) (In person or a staffer will be there)*
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY)*
Rep. John McHugh (R-CA)*
Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA)*
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) (“Will make every attempt possible”)*
Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC)*
Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL)
Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Rep. Rush Holt (NJ) (“Will try to attend in person, or else send staff rep”)*
Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA)*
Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) (“Will attend in person, pending events that day”)
Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-MA) (“Will try to send someone”)*
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) (“Staffer will most likely attend”)*
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)*
Rep Van Hollen (D-MD)
Rep.Jim Moran (D-VA) (“We are ALL very interested in this issue.”)*
Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS) (“Congressman Pickering is passionate about this issue.”)*
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) (“Staffer will most likely be there.”)*
Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) (“Staffer will probably be present.”)*
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)*
Rep. John Peterson (R-PA)*
Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA)*
Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA)*
Rep. David Price (D-NC)*
Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL)*
Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA)
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)*
Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) “Staffer will probably be present”*
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)*
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI)*
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) (“Will do their best to get a staffer there”)*
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX)*
Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) (“Will try their best to have someone there”)*
Rep. Tom Bishop (D-NY) (“It’s on his schedule”)
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV)*
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)*
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS)*
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) (“Will do their best”)*
Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) (“Will do their best”)*
Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) (“Will be there in person along with his health staffer”)*
Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) (“Will try to attend”)
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY)*
Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL) (“Will try to be there in person, if not a staffer go”)*
Rep. David Wu (D-OR)*
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
Rep. Virginia Brown-Waite (R-FL)
Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-MA)
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) (“Will attend in person or send a staff person”)*

SENATE

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) (“Likely”)
Sen. John Isakson (R-GA)*
Sen. Thad Cochrane (R-MI) (“Will try”)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)*
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)*
Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN)
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) (“Will try to send someone”)*
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) (“Health staffer will try”)
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC)
Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) (“Staff person will try to attend”)
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)*
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) (“Will try to have health staffer attend”)*
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Sen Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) (“Will try”)
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)

HOUSE: 96
SENATE: 30
DEM: 76
GOP: 50

ALSO ATTENDING:

Kate Mevis - FDA

* Denotes a member of the 2007 2008 Coalition for Autism Research and Education (Autism Caucus) of the 110th Congress.