Introducing the Back to the Moon in Congress:
                          The Next Step
                          
        The next key hurdle for the Lunar Resources Data Purchase 
Act is introduction of the Act in Congress. At this point,  many
congresspersons have been approached about the bill. However,
for a successful effort to pass the bill, we need the best
possible congressperson to introduce the bill. Due to his
position as Chair of the House Committee on Space and Science,
Congressman George Brown is the logical choice. He has a long
record of support and interest in space development, and helped
pass the Launch Services Purchase Act and the Space Settlements
Act.                      
        There is a small group of activists in southern California 
who have assisted George Brown in his recent re-election campaigns.
We are mobilizing this group to have them tell Congressman Brown
about the Back to the Moon bill. We are also asking pro-space
constituents to let him know that they care about getting
America back to the Moon.
        Finally, there is a good chance that a nationwide alert 
for space activists to call or write George Brown to have him
introduce the Back to the Moon bill may be staged during late
spring, 1993.
        All this should produce a positive reaction from Brown's
office. As more is known, it will be passed on.
        However, even if we are successful in getting him to support
the bill,  this alone will not ensure passage of the bill. For
any bill to become law, one of three conditions must exist:
either the bill must reflect widespread national support for an
issue (such as extension of unemployment insurance benefits); be
propelled by high-priced lobbyists (we're out of luck there); or
have widespread support within Congress, due to small, but
widespread, constituent support. The latter is the path that we,
by necessity, must choose.                    
        This means that the introduction of the Lunar Resources 
Data Purchase Act must be immediately accompanied by a large number
of congresspersons' sponsorship of the bill.  To accomplish
this, we need activists to ask their congressperson to support
the Lunar Resources Data Purchase Act - now. To wait until the
bill is introduced is simply too late - it takes time to have a
congressperson's staff review a bill.
        If your congressperson mentions that the bill is not yet
introduced, please elicit their opinion of the bill as currently
written. We appreciate all comments on the bill from activists
and politicians.
        If you have yet to see the Back to the Moon bill, please
request a copy by Email (please include your U.S. postal service
address), or contact your local chapter of the National Space
Society).