PLEASE REMOVE THIS HEADER BEFORE FORWARDING:

 

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Dear BAA Member:

 

CREATE-21 LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN SENATE - CONGRESSIONAL CONTACTS STILL NEEDED.

 

The Action Alert that follows can be used to keep your internal and external networks informed about 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

Robert D. Steele    

L. Washington Lyons  

 

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ACTION ALERT!!

 

CREATE-21 LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN SENATE - CONGRESSIONAL CONTACTS STILL NEEDED.

 

Dear Friend,

 

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, WE NEED YOU TO DO TWO THINGS:

 

FIRST, call, write, fax, or email your U.S. senators and representatives. Tell them that you support CREATE-21 and ask them to support it too. (Ask your senators to cosponsor S. 1094, the CREATE-21 bill.)

 

SECOND, contact others within your organization/institution and get them to write/call 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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GUIDANCE AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

ADVOCACY CENTER:
All of the information and tools that you will need to assist in this effort have been posted on the CREATE-21 Web site:
https://create-21.org/advocacy.htm

DEADLINE:
We are trying to complete the second round of outreach to House and Senate offices by Monday, April 30.

 

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.