Short Takes

Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) have introduced bipartisan legislation that would increase federal advisory committee transparency and accountability. The Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments (S. 1220), would require committees to provide more public information about their proceedings, and would expand the Federal Advisory Committee Act to include panels currently exempt from the legislation. According to Senator Portman, the bill intends to promote "evidence-based" rather than "interest-based" decision-making and "strengthen the independence of federal advisory committees and close loopholes that permit agencies to skirt existing transparency requirements." A companion measure was passed by the House last month. Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, namely Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Tom Carper (D-DE) have announced that they will launch the Environmental Justice Caucus, the first caucus focused on environmental justice issues. The group will draw attention to the public health issues arising from pollution that "disproportionately impact low income communities and communities of color." The new caucus will coordinate its efforts with the House United for Climate and Environmental Justice Task Force. Freshman lawmakers in the House have sent a letter to the leaders of the House Appropriations Committee calling for "robust funding for our nation's climate change research programs....
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news