Act4chemistry.org

act4chemistry.org

Do You Know This Website?

Here is a great opportunity to have your voice heard in Washington. The ACS Office of Public Policy and Communications maintains a website which will give you timely information on legislation important to the science community. It is your gateway to the LAN (Legislative Action Network), a free ACS advocacy program. As a LAN member you easily can contact your Members of Congress as relative legislation on topics like science education and R&D funding are proposed. About eight times a year you will receive email from the ACS asking you to log onto the website to send letters on pending bills. The website makes this easy and has information on how you can join many of your North Jersey colleagues as a LAN participant. Keep up to date and log into act4chemistry.org.

Maureen Chan, North Jersey Government Affairs Committee

The above article will be posted in the Indicator.

I signed on to this web site as I was a member of the previous site LAN. I send out the letters to my members of congress when I get the action alert e-mails. It is really very easy as the letter has already been written for you. You can personalize the letter if you want or just send it as it is. This is the easiest way to contact your congress person and or senators about items of interest to you. They may or may not read the letter but someone on their staff will read it and I have gotten responses from them commenting on my letter.

Recently the action items have been about the stimulus plan:

"Invest in Science for our Country's Future

Dear Jeannette:

Please link to act4chemistry.org and contact your representative and senators to urge them to support the proposed investments in science research and education within the comprehensive 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. The stimulus debate may be completed this week, so it is important that you act today.

As Congress debates the final details of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, it is imperative that you urge your members of Congress to support strong, consistent funding for scientific research and education. This is essential to sustaining our nation's economic and scientific competitiveness in these trying times.

We need to make the case that federal investment in scientific agencies in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help meet our nation’s long-term objectives while providing jobs in the immediate term."

In addition to the letters to congress members may visit their congress person to talk about science. I made such a trip when I was in Washington DC with a member of the ACS LAN staff. It was a lot of fun. The staff member briefed me about the ACS position and when I met my congress man I spoke about the ACS position in my own words. At the time my congressman was in a committee meeting but he left the committee to speak to me.

The members of the North Jersey Government Affairs Committee are planning a trip to visit Congressman Lance in the near future. Also a staff member of Congressman Freylinghausen is trying to set up a meeting about science here in New Jersey. Stay tuned and we will tell you the details when we know them. I once went to such a meeting that Rush Holtz had in another section. You don't have to be in the congress person's district to go to these meetings, but it helps.

So the bottom line is that you can make a difference with legislation so become active in LAN.