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	activism alerts february 2005

• Senator Harkin Receives Accolades; Help His Efforts
• Tell Your Elected Representatives To Protect Kids, Not Big Business
• Target Misses The Mark With New Maternity Tee
• SENATE BILL S. 3 NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
• Support Congressional Act to Protect the Most Vulnerable

Senator Harkin Receives Accolades; Help His Efforts

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) has awarded Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) with their first annual Fred Rogers Integrity Award. The award, named in honor of the beloved host of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, will be given each year by CCFC to the public figure whose efforts to protect children from harmful marketing best embody Mr. Rogers' long-standing commitment to nurturing the health and well-being of America's children.

In the past year, Senator Harkin risked the ire of corporate America by introducing the HeLP America Act, a bill that includes several provisions to protect children from commercial exploitation. If passed, the act will also help protect children from tobacco advertising, and limit the marketing of unhealthy food in schools. In addition, Senator Harkin's amendment to the Child Nutrition Act will help schools address junk food consumption and obesity through the mandated creation of wellness policies.

Mothering Magazine has also recognized Senator Harkin and his career-spanning advocacy efforts, by selecting him as our latest Living Treasure. See page 88 of the March/April issue for the full scoop.

To support the HeLP America Act, click here.

Sources:
www.commercialfreechildhood.org
www.freepress.net

Tell Your Elected Representatives To Protect Kids, Not Big Business

Major food companies, such as Kraft, Kellogg's and General Mills, have joined with the advertising industry to form the Alliance for American Advertising, a lobbying group "to defend the right to advertise to children."

In response, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) has drafted a Statement on the Rights of Children, Families, and Food Marketers. The statement has already been endorsed by leading experts in child development, nutrition, and public health, as well as more than 40 organizations that advocate for children.

Please take a moment to add your name to the statement. Click here and join the growing alliance of those who value children more than the bottom line. The statement will be sent your representatives.

Source:
www.commercialexploitation.org

Target Misses The Mark With New Maternity Tee

Attempting to score a marketing bull's-eye, mega-retailer Target has aimed a new maternity shirt at pregnant women. The t-shirt is emblazoned with the text "An epidural is in my near future", in the motif of a fortune cookie message. According to Target's online store, the "cheeky tee" is "packaged for gifting in a Chinese takeout box". Many within the natural birth community find the shirt's message not only inappropriate, but irresponsible and unsafe. According to the Birth Alliance of Central California, "We're concerned about how the advertising of a serious medical intervention (that comes with medical side effects, affects birth outcomes, and can be an obstacle to the initiation of breastfeeding) as a benign occurrence in maternity care... demonstrates a complete disregard and lack of responsibility to the consumer."

If you are opposed to a t-shirt that promotes epidurals as normal, join like-minded birth advocates/ professionals and childbearing families and take action!

Click here to email your comments and concerns to Target.

Click here to email your comments and concerns to Fortune Tee, the company that creates and sells the shirt to Target.

Source:
The Birth Alliance of Central California

SENATE BILL S. 3 NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

The pharmaceutical industry gave almost $45 million in campaign contributions for Presidential and Congressional elections since 2002. Now, in a political game of "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" it seems they are poised to benefit from their investment. A new bill had been introduced in the US Senate, and according to various watchdog groups it is a direct "gift" to the pharmaceutical companies. Among other things, bill S.3 would limit the liability of drug and vaccine manufacturers, as well as override state legislation to ban thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines.

Under the guise of "Protecting America in the War on Terror" US Senators Gregg, Frist, Sessions, DeWine, Allen, Santorum, McConnell, and DeMint have introduced S. 3 which calls for many sweeping changes in pharmaceutical product liability, vaccine regulation, policy, research and The Vaccine Injury Compensation Act.

Furthermore, Sec. 761 (a)(1) would preempt state authority and legislation dealing with vaccines or vaccines components, such as thimerosal (mercury). New laws banning thimerosal in Iowa and California, as well as similar pending legislation in Missouri, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, would be threatened.

This bill also places severe restrictions on Freedom Of Information Act requests and will impact the ability to disclose information to the public about drug/vaccine safety, regulation and policy. Ultimately, this would give government the ability to hold more "closed" meetings without accountability to the media/public.

This bill is being "fast-tracked" and is already on the agenda at the National Vaccine Advisory Committee meeting, scheduled for February 8, 2005 at 10:45 am: http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/agenda.html

To voice your opposition to this pending legislation, click here.

Support Congressional Act to Protect the Most Vulnerable

A new online initiative from Save the Children (STC) makes it easy for Americans to support efforts to improve and expand protections for young tsunami victims and children in other emergencies and conflict zones all around the world.

STC is calling on the public to support its efforts to pass new federal legislation that will make protection of children a top priority in the first phase of every US emergency response.

"By sending a free email to their members of Congress, the public can help millions of children who are caught in the crossfire of war or struggling to survive a natural disaster," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of STC

"The American public has already shown its concern for the children of Asia through its generosity," said MacCormack. "Contacting your member of Congress is another way to take action to help millions of children in crisis."

The Women and Children in Crisis and Conflict Protection Act would support initiatives to prevent, detect and respond to violence and exploitation against children in emergency and armed conflict situations and set aside additional resources to ensure that children are protected during the initial stages of a humanitarian response. The legislation is set to be introduced in the House by Representatives Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Nita Lowey (D-NY).

"For years the United States has provided food, medical care and shelter to civilians impacted by emergencies," said MacCormack. "But the United States has not done enough to coordinate efforts to ensure that children are protected and are kept safe in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. New legislation is needed to make child protection a much higher priority," he said.

"While the world’s attention is riveted on Asia, there are dozens of forgotten emergencies and armed conflicts around the world that are taking a devastating toll on millions of children," he said.

For more information about the legislation and the opportunity to take action, click here

Source: Save the Children, http://www.savethechildren.org