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The
responses below are listed in reverse chronological order. For an
alphabetical listing by state, please see our
Site Map page.

Oregon Rep. John
Lim (R)
Gresham,
50th
House District
Website:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/lim/
Email:
Lim.Rep@state.or.us
The
following letter from Oregon Rep.
John Lim was forwarded to us by Ms. Trisha Darner in
Medford, Oregon:
Dear Mrs. Darner,
Thank you for your e-mail regarding
issues of circumcision. These issues are new and educational for me,
and I will look forward to researching them here in the near future.
At this time, I have yet to hear of any bills involving matters of
circumcision, but would enjoy studying any additional information
concerning this issue. I firmly believe that any minors having a
circumcision must have written parental approval and will seriously
consider your e-mail when a bill of this matter reaches the floor. I
have heard of and read many horror stories of this issue and will
stand firmly against doctors whom practice in this manner. Please do
not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions or
concerns. Your time and thoughts are greatly appreciated. I look
forward to hearing more from you in the near future.
God Bless,
Representative John Lim
District 50
MGMbill.org Response
We welcome Rep. Lim's
willingness to research the health and human rights consequences of
forced circumcision. Perhaps after doing so, he will realize that
parents should not be allowed to legally approve circumcision for their
sons any more than they can legally approve circumcision for their
daughters.


U.S. Senator
John Warner (R)
Virginia
Website:
http://warner.senate.gov/
Email:
http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
The
following letter from Senator
John Warner was forwarded to us by Ms. Kari Kilgore in St. Paul,
Virginia:
February 4, 2008
Dear Ms. Kilgore:
Thank
you for sending me a copy of a proposed bill
regarding male genital mutilation. I appreciate
you making this effort and offering me the
opportunity to write to you.
As you
know, to date, there has been no legislation
related to male genital mutilation introduced in
the 110th Congress. Though I am not a
member of the Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions (HELP) Committee, which would have
jurisdiction over this matter, please be assured
that I will be certain to monitor any committee
hearings or reports, and will keep your thoughts
in mind should related legislation come before
the full Senate.
In a
related matter, you may be interested to know
that on January 5, 2007, Congresswoman
Jackson-Lee (D-TX) introduced H.RES.32, a
resolution denouncing the practices of female
genital mutilation, domestic violence, “honor”
killings, acid burnings, dowry deaths, and other
gender-based persecutions. This resolution was
agreed to by a vote of 378-0. To date, no
similar legislation has been introduced in the
U.S. Senate.
Again,
thank you for contacting me.
With
kind regards, I am
Sincerely,
John
Warner
United States Senator
MGMbill.org Response
We appreciate Senator
Warner's response and consideration of our proposed bill. We also wish
that Rep.
Jackson-Lee and Congress had included male genital mutilation in
H. RES.32 as a way to draw attention to the
13 million male genital
mutilations that occur annually around the world - a number roughly
six times greater than the
2 million female genital mutilations that occur each year.


Oregon Rep. Tina
Kotek (D)
North/NE Portland,
44th
House District
Chair,
Health Care Subcommittee on
Health Policy
Website:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/kotek/
Email:
rep.tinakotek@state.or.us
The
following letter from
Oregon Rep. Tina Kotek's office was forwarded to us by Ms. Trisha Darner in
Medford, Oregon:
Dear Ms.
Darner,
Thank you for
writing Rep. Kotek to voice your concerns about male infant
circumcision. Your email is well-argued and well-researched and it
is clear that you are very passionate about this issue. I will be
sure that Rep. Kotek sees your information. Rep. Kotek's office
will look into issue of male infant circumcision for the 2009
session, however, your advocacy would be most effective if you
worked closely with your state legislators, Sen.Alan Bates and Rep.
Sal Esquivel.
Thank you for
your advocacy.
Best regards,
Nellie
Nellie McAdams, Legislative Assistant
State
Representative Tina Kotek
North/NE Portland,
House District 44
(503)
286-0558
900 Court Street
H-285
Salem, OR 97301
rep.tinakotek@state.or.us
MGMbill.org Response
As Chair of the Health Care
Subcommittee on Health Policy, Rep. Kotek could play a key role in
helping to pass the Oregon MGM Bill. We
look forward to working with her in 2009.


Oregon Senator
Alan Bates (D)
Ashland, 3rd
Senate District
Website:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/bates/
Email:
sen.alanbates@state.or.us
The
following letter from
the Chief of Staff for Oregon Senator Alan Bates was forwarded to us by Ms. Trisha Darner in
Medford, Oregon:
Ms. Darner -
Thank you for writing our office about your concerns. Male circumcision
is not an easy issue, as there are historical, cultural, religious, and
personal issues involved. While Senator Bates certainly respects your
position and recognizes the risks of any medical procedure (he is a
family physician), he would not support a bill that outlaws male
circumcision. It is true that we are not gender-neutral in our laws
regarding circumcision, but Senator Bates does not believe that female
and male circumcision are comparable from a cultural or medical
standpoint. Female circumcision has no medical indication and its
cultural practice is used primarily to subjugate women. Although there
is not consensus about it, there is evidence that circumcision can be
medically advantageous and it's cultural practice is not intended to be
abusive or a means of subjugation.
Again, thank you for bringing this issue to our attention and I
appreciate having this discussion. Unfortunately, as a family physician,
this is not a position that Senator Bates can support, both from a
medical and a cultural perspective.
Erin Fair
Chief of Staff
Senator Alan Bates
503-986-1703
MGMbill.org Response
Female and male circumcision
are far more alike
than they are
different.
Female circumcision also has
potential medical benefits, and physicians introduced male
circumcision in America to
suppress masturbation.
While MGMbill.org respects each person's right to alter his or her
own genitals, we believe that laws must be enacted to protect
children from forced circumcision.


Oregon Rep. Ron
Maurer
Berger (R)
Grants Pass, 3rd
House District
Website:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/maurer/
Email:
Maurer.Rep@state.or.us
The
following letter from
Oregon Rep. Ron Maurer's office was forwarded to us by Ms. Trisha Darner in
Medford, Oregon:
Ms. Darner:
Thank you for contacting our office. It is
most effective if you work with the Representative in the district where
you live. Your Representative is Sal Esquivel and your Senator is Alan
Bates. Rep. Maurer respects your views on this issue but is not
interested in sponsoring this legislation as this is in direct conflict
with the freedom of religion of the Jewish faith.
Best Regards,
Allison Mac Mullin
Legislative Assistant
Ron Maurer
State Representative
District 3
Josephine County
MGMbill.org Response
Freedom of religion in this
country refers to the right of each person to choose his or her own
religion. It does not mean that parents may alter the genitals of their
children for religious reasons. The Supreme Court ruled long ago in
Prince v. Massachusetts that "Parents may be free to become martyrs
themselves. But it does not follow they are free, in identical
circumstances, to make martyrs of their children before they have
reached the age of full and legal discretion when they can make that
choice for themselves." Rep. Maurer would serve his constituents well by
familiarizing himself with this fundamental legal tenet.


Virginia
Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marilyn B. Tavenner
on
behalf of Governor Tim Kaine (D)
Website:
http://www.hhr.virginia.gov
Email (via Judith
Ahern, HHR Constituent Services):
Judith.Ahern@governor.virginia.gov
The
following letter from
Virginia Health and Human Resources Secretary Marilyn B. Tavenner was
forwarded to us by Ms. Kari Kilgore in St. Paul, Virginia:
January
17, 2008
Ms. Kari
Kilgore
Thank you
for your email to Governor Kaine regarding your concerns
about unnecessary circumcisions. Since the regulation of
health care is within the work of my office, he has
forwarded your email to me for response.
I
appreciate that you have become quite knowledgeable on
the subject and have a global perspective on situations
in other cultures as well as in this country. We are not
aware of any Virginia law that requires male infants to
be circumcised; it is entirely a voluntary decision made
by parents based on their own particular views and
beliefs. As you are aware, in the Judaic tradition, male
infants are to be circumcised on the 8th day after
birth; in the wider community, it is a matter of
parental choice.
Circumcision is a carefully controlled surgical
procedure and should not be equated with the genital
mutilation that does occur in some parts of the world.
The discussion and opinion about whether it is medically
advisable varies from time to time, but no family is
compelled or required to circumcise their son.
Again, we
thank you for taking the time to write with your
concerns.
Marilyn B.
Tavenner
Secretary
of Health and Human Resources
1111 East
Broad Street
Richmond,
Virginia 23219
MGMbill.org Response
Medically unnecessary
circumcision is not voluntary unless the patient gives his
consent. The particular views and beliefs of parents are legally
irrelevant if they attempt to modify a girl's genitalia, so why is an
exception made for boys? Ripping the foreskin away from a child's tiny,
undeveloped penis and then amputating it with a scalpel can hardly be
called a "carefully controlled surgical procedure", as the victims of
both normal and
botched circumcisions will
readily attest.
And the Jewish tradition of circumcision
is no longer
routine, as Jews
continue to turn away from the practice. Unfortunately, more than
one million unlucky baby boys are still being
mutilated each
year in the USA, which is why we need to enact the MGM Bill.


Oregon Rep. Vicki
Berger (R)
Salem, 20th
House District
Website:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/berger/
Email:
rep.vickiberger@state.or.us
The
following letter from
Oregon Rep. Vicki Berger was forwarded to us by Ms. Trisha Darner in
Medford, Oregon:
November 9, 2007
Dear
Trisha,
I respect the
rights of individual parents to make these kinds of
decisions. I would like the government to stay out of this
dispute.
This is my
sincere point of view.
Regards,
Rep. Vicki
Berger
MGMbill.org Response
While we understand Rep.
Berger's respect for parental rights, some decisions cross the line. We
believe that a child's legal right to body integrity supersedes a parent's
wish to perform a medically unnecessary circumcision on an unconsenting
minor.


Oregon Rep. Peter
Buckley (D)
Ashland, 5th
House District
Assistant Majority Leader
Website:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/buckley/
Email:
rep.peterbuckley@state.or.us
The
following letter from
Oregon Rep. Peter Buckley was forwarded to us by Ms. Trisha Darner in
Medford, Oregon:
August 27, 2007
Dear
Trisha
Darner:
Thank you for your letter
addressing your concerns about infant circumcision. I
certainly appreciate your efforts to bring this issue to
the public's attention, and my office will look into the
matter as per your request. However, in the 2009 session
my main health care focus will be on securing health
benefits and rights to children with Autism and their
families.
If you have any other questions or
concerns, don't hesitate to contact my office.
Representative Peter Buckley
MGMbill.org Response
We welcome Rep. Buckley's
willingness to research the issue of infant circumcision. Perhaps when
his staff members uncover just how much pain and suffering circumcision
inflicts on baby boys, he will find the time to focus on two
important children's issues instead of just one.


Massachusetts Senator
Michael Morrissey (D)
Norfolk and Plymouth District
Website:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/mwm0.htm
Email:
Michael.W.Morrissey@state.ma.us
The
following letter from
Massachusetts Senator Michael Morrissey was forwarded to us by Mr.
Charles A. Antonelli in Quincy, Massachusetts:
April 9, 2007
Dear Mr. Antonelli,
I am writing today regarding your
legislation dealing with genital mutilation in the Commonwealth. The
legislation's bill number is Senate Bill No. 966 and has been referred
to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.
You can also track legislative histories on
the internet at the General Court website at
http://www.mass.gov/legis. In
addition, I have enclosed a copy of the contact information for the
House and Senate Chairpersons of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary
for your reference. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Michael W. Morrissey
State Senator
MGMbill.org Response
Congratulations to Senator Morrissey on his courageous and historic
decision to introduce our Massachusetts
MGM Bill to the 185th General Court! We look forward to working
closely with the members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary in the
coming weeks as they prepare to debate Senate Bill No. 966.


Florida Division
of Family Health Services Director Annette Phelps
on
behalf of former Governor Jeb Bush (R)
Website:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/fhdescription.html
Email:
FamilyHealthServices@doh.state.fl.us
The
following letter from
Florida Division of Family Health Services Director Annette Phelps was forwarded to us by Ms.
Nicole Blythe in Stuart, Florida:
February 27, 2007
Dear Ms. Blythe:
Thank you for your January 8 letter to
former Governor Jeb Bush expressing your position regarding male
circumcision. I have been asked to respond on behalf of the Department
of Health.
Male circumcision is a clinical practice issue and parent decision,
most practice issues are governed by the clinical practice guidelines of
care for medicine. In the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),
Circumcision Policy Statement it is stated, "Existing scientific
evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn
circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend
routine neonatal circumcision. In circumstances in which there are
potential benefits and risks, yet the procedure is not essential to the
child's current well-being, parents should determine what is in the best
interest of the child. To make an informed choice, parents of all male
infants should be given accurate and unbiased information and be
provided the opportunity to discuss this decision. If a decision for
circumcision is made, procedural analgesia should be provided."
Therefore, the AAP recommends physicians
discuss the potential harms and benefits of circumcision with all
parents or legal guardians considering this procedure for their newborn
son.
Thank you again for your thoughts regarding
male circumcision.
Sincerely,
Annette Phelps, A.R.N.P, M.S.N.
Director
Division of Family Health Services
MGMbill.org Response
Director
Phelps's reply illustrates how the current AAP
Circumcision Policy Statement interferes with a man's right to control
his own body. Even though the AAP policy does not recommend
circumcision, it still allows parents to cut their son's genitals for
any reason. No such allowance is made for female genital cutting.
The AAP
is now in the process of updating their Circumcision Policy Statement,
and public input is encouraged by sending comments to
Ed Zimmerman
(Co-Director, Department of Practice) and
Alison Baker (Staffperson, Committee
on Bioethics).


Florida Office of
Family Safety Director Patricia Badland
on
behalf of Governor Charlie Crist (R)
Website:
http://www.myflorida.com/cf_web/
Email:
Pat_Badland@dcf.state.fl.us
The
following letter from
Florida Office of Family Safety Director Patricia Badland was forwarded to us by Ms.
Nicole Blythe in Stuart, Florida:
February 21, 2007
Dear Ms. Blythe:
Thank you for your recent letter to the
Governor's Office about your proposal of the Florida Prohibition of
Human Mutilation Act. Governor Charlie Crist asked me to respond to you
on his behalf.
Florida appreciates your concern for wanting
to ensure all children are protected from child abuse. You raised some
interesting points in your letter about circumcision of male infants.
Circumcision is a common procedure typically done with newborn males
once they are medically stable after birth. Debate exists whether there
are no medical benefits or if there are some slight medical benefits.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has considered this issue for years.
Currently, the Academy neither recommends for or against this procedure.
Unlike female circumcision done in unsafe
circumstances elsewhere in the world, male circumcision is a carefully
done hospital procedure, usually involves pain control, and does not
cause appreciable loss of sexual sensation or pain in adulthood.
A difference of opinion exists on the merit
of this procedure. However, the Academy and others have never considered
this to be physical abuse. An interpretation that is child abuse would
be unique, be at variance with mainstream medical opinion, and result in
an assertion that most parent of boys are participating in child abuse.
Thank you again for writing to Governor
Crist and for your concern for the safety and well-being of Florida's
children.
Sincerely,
Patricia Badland
Director
Office of Family Safety
MGMbill.org Response
Director
Badland's letter has many inaccuracies. As of this writing, the AAP
does not recommend
circumcision, stating that "data are not sufficient to recommend
routine neonatal circumcision". And although most circumcisions in
the USA are carried out in a hospital environment, female
circumcisions in other countries are often performed in hospitals, too - particularly in
Egypt.
Furthermore, many circumcisions are still performed
without anesthesia, and
circumcised men do in fact report an
appreciable loss of sexual sensation in adulthood.
Circumcision is a form of
institutionalized violence, which makes it harder to recognize as
child abuse.
Most parents who have their daughters circumcised
don't see it as
child abuse, either, but the rest of the world
increasingly
classifies it as such.


Illinois Rep. Tom
Cross (R)
Plainfield, 84th House District
House
Republican Leader
Website:
http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?GA=95&MemberID=1145
The
following letter from
Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross was forwarded to us by Mr.
Ron Low in Northbrook, Illinois:
February 7, 2007
Dear
Mr. Low:
Thank you for contacting me regarding
legislation concerning genital mutilation.
Your views are very important to me and I
appreciate your taking the time to write. I always welcome and consider
the opinions I receive when making decisions in Springfield.
Thank you again for your letter. Please do
not hesitate to contact me in the future.
Sincerely,
Tom Cross
House Republican Leader
State Representative, 84th District
MGMbill.org Response
As the
primary sponsor of the 2007 Illinois
Criminal Aggravated Domestic Assault Bill, Rep. Cross is well aware
of the painful consequences of domestic violence. Unfortunately, his
bill makes no reference to the most common form of domestic violence in
the Unites States today: circumcision of male infants.
This
month
another new study published in BJU International has confirmed that
circumcision removes the most sensitive parts of the penis. Shouldn't
cutting off part of a child's genitals by force be included as a form of
assault in Rep. Cross's bill? We believe that it should.


Minnesota Senator
Mike Jungbauer (R)
East Bethel,
48th Senate District
Website:
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?district=48&status=active
Email:
sen.mike.jungbauer@senate.mn
The
following letter from
Minnesota Senator Mike Jungbauer was forwarded to us by Ms. Brianna
Johnson in Waseca, Minnesota:
February 2, 2007
Dear Brianna,
Thanks for your email regarding the MGM
Bill.
Unfortunately, I cannot support or sponsor
this bill. As an Ordained Minister, I have strong feelings about certain
social issues like abortion and gay marriage. However, in this case I do
believe that the decision of circumcision should be made by the parents.
Until that child is 18 years of age, he/she does not have the same
rights as an adult. We allow the parents to make decisions concerning
the well being of their children in many other areas and to pass this
bill would only open up a proverbial can of worms.
Respectfully,
Mike
Minnesota State Senator Mike Jungbauer
115 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
MGMbill.org Response
It is
very concerning to hear an elected government official say that children do not have the same human rights as adults.
Infants are the most vulnerable members of our society, and government
has a responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
Children may not be able to vote,
Senator Jungbauer, but they do have human rights. The most basic human
right of all is the right to be free from physical harm. Forced
circumcision violates that right in a most painful and unnecessary way.


Florida Rep.
Gayle Harrell (R)
Port St. Lucie,
81st House District
Chair,
Health Care General Committee
Member,
Health & Families Council
Website:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov...MemberId=4211&SessionId=42
Email:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov...emailrepresentative.aspx?MemberId=4211&SessionId=42
The
following letter from
Florida Rep. Gayle Harrell was forwarded to us by Ms. Nicole Blythe in
Stuart, Florida:
January 26, 2007
Dear Nicole,
Thank you for taking the time to write and
express your concerns regarding the Florida Prohibition of Human Genital
Mutilation Act and providing me with a copy of the wording submitted to
the Florida State Legislature on January 8, 2007.
Suggestions, ideas and perspectives are
always welcomed in our office.
Sincerely,
Gayle Harrell
House Representative
District 81
MGMbill.org Response
As Chair
of the Health Care General Committee and a member of the Health &
Families Council, Rep. Harrell is well positioned to work with other
state lawmakers on the issue of circumcision. We hope
that she uses her influence to help protect Florida children from forced
genital cutting.


U.S. Senator
Bill Nelson (D)
Florida
Website:
http://billnelson.senate.gov/
Email:
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
The
following letter from Senator
Bill Nelson was forwarded to us by Ms. Nicole Blythe in Stuart,
Florida:
January 24, 2007
Dear Ms. Blythe:
Thank you for contacting me regarding male
genital mutilation.
As you are probably aware, the 109th
Congress adjourned on December 9, 2006. Any legislation still pending
before the House and the Senate must be reintroduced in the 110th
Congress, which convened in early January.
I am aware of your interest in this issue
and will be sure to keep your views in mind should the Senate consider
similar legislation. I appreciate your taking the time to be active and
involved in the political process. Your communication helps me serve you
better in the Senate.
Sincerely,
Bill Nelson
MGMbill.org Response
As we responded to his
counterpart, Mel Martinez, simply keeping our
views in mind won't protect boys from forced circumcision. What's needed
now is action, and Senator Nelson can begin the process by introducing
the MGM Bill to
the U.S. Senate.


Maryland Delegate
Wendell R. Beitzel (R)
Garrett &
Allegany Counties,
House District 1A
Website:
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa14614.html
Email:
Wendell.Beitzel@house.state.md.us
The
following letter from
Maryland Delegate Wendell Beitzel was forwarded to us by Mr. James Pinkley
in Bel Air, Maryland:
January 22, 2007
Dear Mr. Pinkley,
This is a subject that I am inclined not to
seek legislative change nor will I support any efforts to do so. These
type of decisions are best left to the parents of children and their
religious and moral convictions.
Sincerely,
Delegate Wendell R. Beitzel
6 Bladen Street Room 320
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-3435
MGMbill.org Response
Freedom of religion does not
mean that parents have the right to forcefully cut off part of a boy's body for
medically unnecessary reasons, and court decisions are beginning to
address this.
In an October 2006 ruling, a Cook
County, Illinois, circuit court judge presiding over a parental dispute
ordered that a 9-year old boy not be circumcised, writing that "the
injury to the child as a result of an unnecessary circumcision would be
irreversible."
By misconstruing the meaning
of our constitutional guarantee to freedom of religion, Delegate Beitzel is
closing his ears to the cries of innocent Maryland boys who need his
help.


U.S. Senator
Mel Martinez (R)
Florida
Website:
http://martinez.senate.gov
Email:
http://martinez.senate....ContactForm
The
following letter from Senator
Mel Martinez was forwarded to us by Ms. Nicole Blythe in Stuart,
Florida:
January 19, 2007
Dear Ms. Blythe:
Thank you for contacting me. I appreciate
hearing from you and would like to respond to your concerns.
I am proud and humbled to serve as Florida's
thirty-third United States Senator. Through your
correspondence, I am informed of the issues that are important to you
and am better able to serve your interests in the Senate. I understand
your concerns regarding circumcision.
Like you, I realize that our current
decisions have ramifications that reach far into the future. While there
is currently no legislation that has been introduced relating to your
concerns, rest assured that I will keep your concerns in mind as we
proceed in the 109th Congress.
Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. If you
have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to let
me know. In addition, for more information about issues and activities
important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at
http://martinez.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Mel Martinez
United States Senator
MGMbill.org Response
We appreciate this response
from Senator Martinez. Instead of just keeping our concerns in mind,
though, Senator Martinez can make a real difference in the lives of male
children by introducing the MGM Bill himself.
Because for every day that he waits, another
3,300 American boys are sexually mutilated
through forced circumcision.


Texas Speaker of
the House Tom Craddick (R)
Midland, 82nd House District
Website:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/speaker/
Email:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/email.php?dist=82&rep=tom.craddick
The
following letter from
Texas Speaker of the House Tom Craddick was forwarded to us by Ms.
Michelle Richardson in Fort Worth, Texas:
January 17, 2007
Dear
Ms. Richardson:
Thank you for your letter regarding issues
with male circumcision. I understand your point of view on this matter.
At this time, no committee assignments have
been made in the House. I recommend that you contact members of the
House Public Health Committee. You may identify those through the House
website,
http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees
Thank you again for your communication and
involvement in the process of our state government.
Sincerely,
TOM CRADDICK
Speaker
MGMbill.org Response
We
welcome Speaker Craddick's reply and advice. As he suggests, our Texas
state office will stay in contact with members of the
Public Health
House Committee to make them aware of the need to introduce and
enact the Texas MGM Bill.


California
Assemblymember Mark DeSaulnier (D)
Martinez, 11th House District
Website:
http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/members/a11/
Email:
http://legplcms01.lc.ca.gov/...district=AD11&
The
following letter from
California Assemblymember Mark DeSaulnier was received by Matthew Hess,
President of MGMbill.org:
January 12, 2007
Dear
Mr. Hess:
Thank you for your recent letter expressing
your concerns on male circumcision and your inclusion of a legislative
proposal to address it. I am sure you will agree that this issue is one
that reaches across many spectrums - health, religious and cultural
among them, as you have noted.
Judging by your address, I see that you are
represented in the San Diego area by Assemblymember Lori Saldana as well
as Senator Christine Kehoe. I encourage you to work through your local
legislative delegation as I will look to them for leadership on this
issue.
Should any proposal related to this issue
come before the legislature, I will certainly take your concerns and
comments into consideration.
Again, thank you for contacting me.
Sincerely,
Mark DeSaulnier
MGMbill.org Response
We
appreciate Assemblymember DeSaulnier's reply, and we have already
contacted Lori Saldaña and
Christine Kehoe on multiple
occasions.
What we really want to know is what Mark DeSaulnier thinks about
forced circumcision of male infants. Surely he must have an opinion of
his own - why not share it with us?


Maryland Delegate
David Rudolph (D)
Cecil County,
House District 34B
Website:
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa12302.html
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