One might add that stuffing already gigantic bills with favors for corporate benefactors is an abuse of constitutional powers. Example: the Monsanto Protection Act (officially referred to as the Farmers Assurance Provision, a law that gives biotech firms immunity from federal prosecution for illegally growing GMO crops), passed by the House on Friday in its version of the Continuing Resolution (H.J.RES.59), a bill to keep the government running through December 15. If that arouses your ire, please call your Senators today and ask them to pass a clean version of the Continuing Resolution, one that doesn’t extend the Monsanto Protection Act. You can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected with your Senator. You can say: “I’m calling to ask the Senator to oppose the Farmers Assurance Provision, sometimes referred to as the Monsanto Protection Act, and to vote NO on any bill, including the Continuing Resolution, which includes the provision.” If you want to go into more detail, you can add: “New GMOs aren’t regulated enough as it is. Even the American Medical Association complains that the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t safety test new GMOs for human health risks before allowing them on the market for human consumption. The AMA last year recommended that GMOs undergo mandatory premarket safety testing. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture does conduct a mandatory review of new GMOs, but not for human health risks. “The USDA is notorious for ignoring the impact new GMOs will have on organic and non-GMO farmers who experience serious economic losses when their crops are contaminated. “In recent years, the courts have had to step in and stop the planting of new GMOs. The courts did this by requiring that the USDA complete a thorough Environmental Impact Statement before approving a controversial crop. The Monsanto Protection Act strips the court of its constitutional power to review executive branch decisions, which means the courts can no longer intervene in order to protect the public. Now, the USDA can rubber-stamp new GMOs and, even if serious harm could result, the court can’t stop them from being planted. “I hope the Senator will work to stop the Monsanto Protection Act from being extended past September 30 and vote against any bill that includes it.”
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 16:36:03 +0000
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