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PLEASE REMOVE THIS
HEADER BEFORE FORWARDING:
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Dear BAA Member:
CREATE-21 IS AT A
CRITICAL JUNCTURE! We need YOUR help BEFORE April
6!
The Action Alert that follows
can be used to activate your internal and external networks in support
of CREATE-21.
We know that each state and/or
institution is different in organizing outreach efforts and that many
institutions have strict guidelines governing contact with congressional
offices. Therefore, you should redistribute this "Call to Action" in
accordance with your own institution's procedures.
Please use this note or other
messages/mechanisms to garner congressional
contacts from scientists, educators, students, and stakeholders.
Congress must hear our voices if we are to be successful. Inaction will
result in the status quo.
Whether you use the text below
or your own words, we urge you to keep the message simple. While our
deliberations within the system resulted in a significant amount of
detail, we have been told repeatedly that our external message must be
focused and succinct.
Thank you for your support and
assistance.
Sincerely, The CREATE-21 Co-Chairs:
Jeffrey D. Armstrong
armstroj@anr.msu.edu
Robert D. Steele
rsteele@psu.edu
L. Washington Lyons llyons849@msn.com
PS: We plan to send this
message to various email distribution lists within 24 hours.
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ACTION ALERT!!
CREATE-21 IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE! We
need YOUR help BEFORE April
6!
Dear Friend,
As you may know, the land-grant system and its
partners have coalesced behind a proposal to improve, update, and expand
the food, agriculture, and natural resource research, education, and
extension programs managed by and funded through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
This proposal, CREATE-21, has two essential
elements:
1. It will greatly improve the efficiency of
USDA's research, teaching, and outreach programs by integrating four
USDA units -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Cooperative State
Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), Economic Research
Service (ERS), and Forest Service R&D -- into a SINGLE, COHESIVE,
organization.
2. It will DOUBLE the budget over a seven-year
period (from $2.7 billion per year to $5.4 billion per year), thus
helping the whole system: ARS, ERS, Forest Service R&D, Experiment
Stations, Cooperative Extension, Academic Programs, International,
1890s, 1994s, small 1862s, Insular Area Land-Grants, AASCARR, etc.
IF YOU SUPPORT CREATE-21, THEN YOU MUST
ACT, AND YOU MUST ACT NOW!
WE NEED YOU TO DO TWO THINGS:
FIRST, your U.S. senators and
representatives MUST hear from you! Call, write, fax, or email their
offices! Tell them that you support CREATE-21 and ask them to support it
too! (See the sample script, below.)
SECOND, we need you to contact
others within your organization/institution and get them to contact
their senators and representatives on our behalf. (NOTE:
We are well aware that some institutions have strict guidelines
governing contact with congressional offices and you should redistribute
this message WITHIN those guidelines.)
If you agree that the status quo is neither
sustainable nor acceptable, then you must act:
SPEAK UP! HELP US HELP YOU!
Sincerely,
The CREATE-21 Co-Chairs: Jeffrey D. Armstrong Robert D. Steele L. Washington Lyons
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SAMPLE SCRIPT:
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* My name is ________, I am
one of your constituents, and I am affiliated with _______.
* I want Sen. (or
Rep.) ______ to support CREATE-21.
* CREATE-21 will greatly
improve the integration and efficiency of USDA's science programs.
* CREATE-21 will dramatically
increase funding for university-based research, education, and
extension activities and USDA's in-house research facilities and
programs.
* This increase is critically
needed to address pressing national issues such as __________ (fill in
the blank with something you're passionate about) ___________!
* CREATE-21 will benefit our
state (district) because _______, and must become part of the 2007
Farm Bill.
* Thanks for your
consideration.
* If you have questions or
want to contact us:
www.create-21.org
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GUIDANCE AND ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES
DEADLINE: We are trying to complete the initial outreach to House and Senate offices by Friday, April 6.
MESSAGE DELIVERY:
Telephone calls and letters faxed to offices are preferred. Email and regular letters are less effective due to email overload and regular mail delivery delays.
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE
INFORMATION:
House and Senate telephone and fax numbers are available here: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
CUSTOMIZATION OF
MESSAGES:
Identically worded messages are less effective than customized messages. Nonetheless, generally follow the script we have provided.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
* Seven Reasons to Support CREATE-21 (attached): www.create-21.org/documents/PDF/Print/Reasons_to_Support_C21.pdf
* CREATE-21 (A two page
explanation):
www.create-21.org/documents/PDF/Print/CREATE-21.pdf
* What our proposal will and
will not do:
www.create-21.org/documents/PDF/Print/Will_And_Will_Not_Do.pdf
* Myths and Facts (about
CREATE-21):
www.create-21.org/documents/PDF/Myths-Facts.pdf
* CREATE-21 Compared to Other
Proposals:
www.create-21.org/documents/PDF/Comparison.pdf
* CREATE-21 website:
www.create-21.org
* House of Representatives website: www.house.gov * U.S. Senate website: www.senate.gov |