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Action Alert
Tell the Senate to take action on GINA NOW!

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA, (S.358) is on the verge of passing after 12 long years! The House bill (H.R.493) passed 420-3 on April 25 and the Senate bill has been reported out of committee. We just need the full Senate to vote on the bill to get it to the President’s desk!

Tell your senators to push for GINA to come to the floor for a vote! A list of senators and their contact information is below. Please take a few minutes to tailor the sample letter below on your letterhead and fax it to the Senate. Feel free to insert personal reasons for your support of the bill into the text.

There is power in numbers! Tell your friends, family, coworkers, and other members of your organization to take action now. We must make a big impact on this issue, and if every senator is contacted multiple times, we can make it happen! [Coalition for Genetic Fairness can also hand deliver a big pile of letters if you want to also fax us a copy: 202.966.8553]

Sample Letter

Dear Senator ____,

I support the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, or GINA, (S.358). I am writing to ask for your support for this legislation to come to the floor and pass.

It is astounding that this bill, which the Senate has passed unanimously in the 108th and 109th Congresses, has not passed in the 110th yet. The House passed it 420-3 on April 25, 2007. This bill protects all Americans from the misuse of genetic information in employment and health insurance decisions. With these protections in place, Americans will be able to use genetics in medicine without fear of misuse of their genetic information.

More than 140 national patient groups, academic institutions, research centers, companies, women’s organizations, labor organizations, and the millions of Americans endorse this legislation. We represent every sector of society in this nation, and we urge passage of GINA.

Thank you for your time.

Best,

The Coalition for Genetic Fairness
Sharon F. Terry, Chair,
Genetic Alliance

Robert Wells,
Affymetrix

Cynthia Pellegrini,
American Academy of Pediatrics

Joann Boughman,
American Society of Human Genetics

Timothy Leshan,
Brown University

Marla Gilson,
Hadassah

Barbara Harrison,
National Society of Genetic Counselors

Jeremy Gruber,
National Workrights Institute

Sharon F. Terry, MA | President and CEO
Genetic Alliance | 4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW | Suite 404 | Washington, DC 20008 | Phone: 202.966.5557 x201 | Fax: 202.966.8553
sterry@geneticalliance.org | www.geneticalliance.org

The Year of the Advocate
Save the Dates: July 25th – 29th, 2007
Genetics Day on the Hill, Gala Celebration, Annual Conference
www.geneticalliance.org