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RTK.NET Mail 150625 May 14 13:55:54 1996 Is anyone out there from South Dakota? Part of our Maryland contingent stoppe d by and talked with Congressman Tim Johnson's leg. dir., and he said Johnson intended to cosponsor, and if he wasn't on the list already, it was an oversight. A call from a constituent might help him get moving on it. His number in D.C. is (202) 225-2801. Ask him to call Represnetative Waxman's office today to sign on as a cosponsor of H.R. 1462, the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research and Education Act. I was also joyfully surprised to finally see MD Senator Sarbanes' name on the list of new cosponsors. Many have written his office, and he has always responded with a statement that he supports medical research and will keep our views in mind if the bill comes before the full Senate. The Maryland contingent at the forum (Margaret Monty, Ed Blazek, Ida Raitano, Mary Rosveld, and myself) dropped by his office without an appointment and talked with a legislative assistant in the office lobby for about all of five minutes. We made it clear that we needed cosponsors now, not just indications of general supportiveness regarding the bill's aims. The letter I wrote in response to his response to my first letters (say that three times fast!) made the same point but didn't get a commitment to cosponsor. This shows how important a personal meeting with someone, even very limited contact, can be. If your legislators aren't yet cosponsors, call now to make an appointment for the Memorial break. Sherri [log in to unmask]