Chemistry Advocacy Day Issue Scripts

Below is a suggested script for each topic if you wish to call your Senators and Representatives. Remember, you can find their office's numbers by using the ACS Find your Legislator tool.

1. Ask the Senate to confirm science nominees for key positions & consider a chemist for the Chemical Safety Board

Hello, My name is [NAME] and I live in [HOMETOWN, STATE].

I am a member of the American Chemical Society who values the important scientific work done at the Departments of Energy and Commerce – key agencies leading U.S.  research programs, grants, and innovations. I have four requests for the Senator.

  1. I would like the Senator to vote to confirm Dr. Geri Richmond as Under Secretary for Science and Energy at the Department of Energy 
  2. I would like the Senator to vote to confirm Dr. Asmeret Berhe as Director of the Office of Science at the Department of Energy.
  3. I would like the Senator to vote to confirm Dr. Laurie Locascio as Director of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce.
  4. I would like the Senator to encourage nomination of a chemist to the remaining vacancy within the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. 

As the United States aims to continue its efforts to remain the leading global innovator , it is important to have experience scientists at the helm of key government bodies.

Thank you for your time!

2. Ask Congress to include STEM priorities in wider U.S. innovation legislation package

Hello, My name is [NAME] and I live in [HOMETOWN, STATE].

I am a member of the American Chemical Society who understands the value of STEM education from kindergarten to higher education as key to maintaining and improving the U.S. workforce pipeline. 

However, I believe we could do better by providing funding for historically underrepresented students in STEM, increasing support for minority serving institutions through grants, increasing funding and infrastructure support for rural communities, and researching and combating sexual harassment at federal agencies and across the research community.

I therefore ask the [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE] to support the inclusion of the following bills in the wider U.S. Innovation package. 

  • H.R. 204/ S. 2224, The STEM Opportunities Act
  • H.R. 2027, The MSI STEM Achievement Act 
  • H.R. 210, The Rural STEM Education Research Act
  • H.R. 2695/S. 1379, The Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act

STEM education not only provides the future employees of the U.S. economy, but it also ensures the creation of innovative and entrepreneurial individuals that have given us incredible technological and scientific findings and companies.

Thank you for your time! 

3. Ask Congress to include sustainable chemistry and helium priorities in wider U.S. innovation legislation package

Hello, My name is [NAME] and I live in [HOMETOWN, STATE].

I am a member of the American Chemical Society who understands the value of sustainability and good resource management practices in order to ensure a greener and undisrupted research in the STEM fields. 

I specifically ask the [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE] to support the inclusion of the following issues in the wider U.S. Innovation package. 

  • Sustainable chemistry: this inclusion encourages NSF and DOE Office of Science to develop sustainable and green chemistry programs and promote sustainable chemistry in its other programs. Sustainable chemistry seeks to promote chemistry which is safe for human health and the environment, economically competitive, and designed to be benign.

  • Helium conservation program: this inclusion allows the NSF to fund efforts to conserve helium, a non-renewable critical material for research. Directs the NSF to collect information on the uses and supply of helium in the research community.

 These measures will help protect critical resources and protect the environment while ensuring a continuation of critical research that had made the United States the leader in science and technology.  

Thank you for your time!