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| In our email of November 1, Mike Farris urged you to call your lawmakers to support the proposed Parental Rights Amendment. Based on the emails and phone calls we have received since, it seems some clarification is in order on a number of things. First, even if your lawmaker is marked as a 2010 Cosponsor on our webpage, that does not mean he/she is a cosponsor now. It does mean you will probably find their office receptive to your call because they have supported us in the past. But as long as the name is listed in black letters and not in blue letters, your lawmaker is not yet a cosponsor and needs to hear from you. (A color key has been added to the right column of your state page to help you remember in the future.) Second, we are urging congressmen and senators to sign on as original cosponsors – meaning there is no bill number yet. We seem to have confused even some congressional staffers with this one. So when you call, emphasize that you seek an original cosponsor – one whose name will be on the resolution when it is introduced – and that for that reason we do not yet have a bill number. Third, although there was a bill number and there were cosponsors in the last Congress, none of that carries over. This is a re-introduction, and the Amendment starts from scratch. Right now we have one cosponsor in each chamber (lead sponsor Trent Franks in the House, lead sponsor Jim DeMint in the Senate) and no bill numbers. Don’t let our efforts from the last Congress confuse you. Finally, even if your lawmaker was a sponsor in the past and you know he or she will be again, they need to hear from you. Those who are friendly to the Amendment may not know to contact Rep. Franks or Sen. DeMint to sign on – they won’t know it’s time – unless you call and tell them! Now that we’ve cleared that up, we really need you to call your lawmakers today. Below is a sample script, followed by a point you might add if they hesitate. (To Your Congressman:) Hello. My name is ____, and I am a constituent of Congressman ____. I am calling to urge my Representative to support the Parental Rights Amendment as an original cosponsor. Please contact Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona and ask to be included on the Amendment when he introduces it in the House in the next few days. (To Your Senator:) Hello. My name is ____, and I live in (your state). I am calling to urge Senator ____ to support the Parental Rights Amendment as an original cosponsor. Please contact Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina and ask to be included on the Amendment when he introduces it in the Senate in the next few days. If they seem hesitant, you might also include: The issue of parental rights polled extremely well last year. According to Zogby, 92.4% of Democratic voters, 97.5% of Republicans, and 90.8% of Independents support the traditional view of parental rights that this Amendment would preserve. Thank you so much for taking the time to call! Only by hearing from you will your Congressman and Senators come to understand that the Parental Rights Amendment is a vital issue that they need to support. Please call before you close this email. (You can find contact numbers by clicking on your state at ParentalRights.Org/States.) Gratefully, Michael Ramey Director of Communications & Research    |
| P.O. Box 1090 Purcellville, VA 20134 * (540)-751-1200 * info@parentalrights.org |
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