Action Alert
March 5, 2007
HB 461 Gaining Momentum!
It was a big week in Texas! Last Tuesday, the House Committee on Agriculture heard testimony on HB 461. Chairman Miller introduced a committee substitute version that would stop the TAHC from making the NAIS mandatory and prevent any misleading or coercive methods from being used. HB 461 now has 48 co-authors on it!!! There are only 150 members in the Texas House, so we've got almost 1/3 of the House co-authoring the bill!!!
You can follow the bill and see all the co-authors at:
www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB461
The language of the committee substitute is not yet online, but it is
identical to HB 637, which you can find at:
www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB637
The committee substitute of HB 461 is not perfect, but it's a major step forward from the current law, which would allow TAHC to make NAIS mandatory at any time. As always, you should tell your legislators any other provisions or protections you'd like to see.
Don't Tag Texas Rally a Success!
The rally to protest NAIS and the Trans-Texas Corridor on Texas Independence Day (March 2, 2007) was a huge success! THANK YOU to every single person who came!!! The march itself stretched for 8 city blocks, with tractors, horses, chickens, and LOTS of people. We estimate that there were 2,000 people present at the high point, with many more coming in and out at various times.
We got press coverage on TV Channels and newspapers across the state. Judith McGeary was even interviewed for NPR's All Things Considered, although not in time to make that show - but we got the attention of their DC office, so contact them and tell them you want coverage of NAIS! Please keep the momentum up by contacting NPR, writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper, and asking your local radio and TV stations to cover the issue. Links to the press stories are at the bottom of this page. If you have links to other stories, please email them to judith@farmandranchfreedom.org, so we can add them!
We had a wonderful group of speakers talking about both NAIS and the Trans-Texas Corridor. Hank Gilbert kicked it off, Judith McGeary spoke about NAIS, and then Jimmie Vaughan got everyone in the right mood with his fantastic song about tags and government control. John Dromgoole, Penny Langford-Freeman, and Liz McIntyre gave great talks about the problems with NAIS, our government, and corporate control. Due to some last-minute juggling of the schedule, the other NAIS speakers spoke late in the rally, so some folks missed hearing them. Despite the lateness of the day, Michael Badnarik, Pam Cantwell, and Dr. Don McLeod gave fantastic talks about NAIS. Gina Parker, Alex Jones, David Van Os, Linda and David Stall, Chris King, and Linda Curtis gave wonderful talks about TTC and the issues related to it. Several legislators also spoke, including Representatives Kolkhorst and Macias, who have co-authored both HB 461 and 637. Many thanks to ALL of our wonderful speakers!!
And many more thanks to all of the people who worked so hard to make this happen. Hank Gilbert developed the joint rally theme and drew a lot of people and organizations together. Judith McGeary and Jeremiah Griffin, FARFA, organized the logistics, including parking, the police escort, and the sound system. Lots of people stepped up to help with the last-minute needs, like putting signs together and manning the tables at the Capitol to hand out materials (special thanks to Mary Beth Westcott and Tatum Evans). Corridor Watch, Chris King and others arranged for buses to bring people in, and many people and organizations (including San Antonio Toll Party, Independent Texans, Citizens for a Better Waller County, and Eagle Forum) worked hard to spread the word about the rally.
Thanks also to the businesses who helped us out with very big discounts and a lot of flexibility! The rally would not have been the same without Liberty Stickers (lapel stickers), Classified Parking, and Real Estate Super Center (the anti-NAIS signs).
The only downside of the rally were the expense. FARFA spent over $2,300 for parking, signs, the sound system, and publicizing the rally. We collected about $200 in pre-rally donations and another $300 yesterday. We could really use your help to defray these costs!
As we saw so clearly this week, there is strength in numbers. Join
us and make your voice heard! Go to
farmandranchfreedom.org/content/join-farfa to join or donate.
Our voices ARE being heard! Keep it up!
Links to press coverage
Austin American Statesman - (an excellent article, with an interview
with Chairman Miller about NAIS)
www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/03/03/3rally.html
Dallas Morning News - pictures and video at
www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/photography/2007/farmprotest/
Fort Worth Weekly - www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=4653
Palestine Herald - www.palestineherald.com/homepage/local_story_062011057.html?keyword=leadpicturestory
San Antonio Express News - (this article missed the point, so email the author at gscharrer@express-news.net and politely explain NAIS to him) - www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA030307.07A.Anti-toll_rally.365def9.html
KWTX News - www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/6281137.html
KXAN News - www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=6170042&nav=0s3d
KVUE News - www.kvue.com/sharedcontent/VideoPlayer/videoPlayer.php?vidId=125530
You Tube - Jimmie Vaughan's performance at the rally - www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQZFR0J5McI
NPR interviewed Judith McGeary for the "Don't Tag Texas" rally,
but the story wasn't edited in time to be aired on "All Things
Considered." Please contact them, and ask them to do a story on NAIS!
Go to www.npr.org/contact/. Click on "Recipient: NPR Program"
and then choose "All Things Considered"