TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

It is highly likely that actions taken in the next few weeks will determine whether the anti-Mars language will end up on the final budget. Although we have done an amazing job thus far - more than 1,000 faxes sent, numerous Congressional meetings organized, innumerable phone calls made, and 200 letters signed at the Mars Society Convention in Los Angeles - we need to intensify our efforts for the next few weeks. Once again, we need members of the Mars Society and all other supporters to send faxes and call your members of Congress (see script for phone calls below).

Even if you have already sent a fax - Do it again!

Even if you have called your members of Congress - Do it again!

It is vital that we remind both houses of Congress that the American people support human missions to Mars. If you have called your members of Congress or plan to, please let us know by dropping us an email at politics@marssociety.org.

WE'LL HELP YOU SEND A FAX!

To make the process easier for you, The Mars Society is now offering a program in which you can write a fax online and it will automatically be sent your members of Congress (this program also allows you to fax presidential candidates). How can you access fax program?

1. Go to http://fax.marssociety.org.
2. Fill in your name and address and then write your letter. The fax generator will automatically send faxes to the candidates or your United States Senators and Representative. It will also provide the proper heading to the fax. You do not need to add a heading.
3. If you have any problems getting the fax generator to work, contact Alex Kirk at alex@marssociety.org.
4. See a sample letter at the bottom of this email.

SAVE MARS HOME DISTRICT BLITZ

Even though the Congressional recess is over, you can still set up meetings with the local district offices of your Representatives and Senators. Several Mars Society chapters have already had positive meetings with their members of Congress. However, this effort will not be successful without more participation. If you have interest in setting up a meeting or participating in a meeting with your members of Congress (or their staff), please let us know. You can get information on this program on the newly revamped Mars Society Political Task Force Site.

SCRIPT FOR CALLING CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES

If you wish to call your Senators and Representatives, the following script may be helpful. If you're nervous about calling your Congressperson (and you shouldn't be - they love hearing from constituents), you can even call after hours and leave a voice mail.

Hello, (I'm calling for/I'd like to leave a message for) Senator/Representative _________.

My name is __________, and I'm from __________.

I'm calling about the language placed in the fiscal year 2008 budget by the House of Representatives that would prevent NASA from spending any funds on projects exclusively focused on human missions to Mars.

This crippling language would be extremely harmful to NASA and to our nation as a whole since sending humans to mars is crucial to our country's standing as an economic and technological world leader.

Fortunately, the current Senate version of the budget does not contain this language; however, it may get through should Congress not oppose this wording.

Please ask Senator/Representative _________ to oppose this anti-Mars language. Thank you.

NOTE: When speaking to campaign or congressional staffers, be polite - even if they hold a different view from your own. At the end of your conversation, thank them for taking the time to speak with you. If you are writing a letter or sending a fax, keep the note short and to the point. If you don't know who your United States Senators and Representative is, you can find that information at www.senate.gov and www.house.gov. If you have any problems with the process, feel free to contact me at politics@marssociety.org.

LETTER THAT WAS SIGNED BY PARTICIPANTS OF THE MARS SOCIETY CONVENTION IN LA

United States Senate Washington, DC 20515

Dear Senator:

In 2004, our nation began a new chapter in the exploration of space -- one that will return us to the Moon and then send humans to Mars. This destination focused program sets goals that are worthy of our nation's heritage of exploration and the risks taken by our astronauts.

However, the program is now under attack. The United States House of Representatives has placed language in the FY08 budget that would prevent NASA from spending any money on projects that are exclusively focused on human missions to Mars. This language must be removed from the budget. If this text is allowed to remain in the budget, it could degrade our future human exploration plans into a Moon-only dead-end exercise.

Why is it important that we explore Mars? From a scientific standpoint, Mars is the key goal for our human exploration program, because it once had a warm-wet environment suitable for the development of life. This fact makes Mars the Rosetta-Stone for determining the validity of the theory that life evolves from chemistry wherever the right physical conditions exist. By exploring Mars we will find out the truth about the prevalence and potential diversity of life in the universe - a question that has puzzled thinking men and women for millennia. Of the worlds outside our own, Mars also uniquely holds the natural resources necessary to human life and civilization. Thus for the sake of both science and the future, we cannot give up Mars as our central goal. While it has been said that we don't have the technology to reach for Mars now, if the House language blocking Mars technology research is allowed to remain in place, we never will.

The American people want and deserve a space program that achieves great things. They will not get it if the crippling House language remains in place. Instead we will continue to waste billions repeating accomplishments of decades past, while shirking the challenges that would bring us new knowledge, inspire millions of young people to learn science, and truly open a new frontier for the human future.

Thankfully, the current United States Senate version of the budget does not contain the anti-Mars language, but it is entirely possible that it will end up in the final budget if members Senate do not actively oppose it. We hope that you will act forcefully to prevent this program-crippling clause from becoming a part of the final FY08 budget.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Constituent Name

For more information on political outreach, please go to the newly revamped Mars Society Political Task Force page.