“It is glaring that for an agenda that talks about a ‘better way to grow our economy’, it says not one word about investing in the R&D that spurs innovation. Perhaps this is not surprising in light of the fact that this year, the Republican budget plan would cut non-defense discretionary programs to irresponsibly low levels; this account includes funding for basic research, energy technology innovation, aeronautics and space exploration, manufacturing, climate science, and any of the other important elements of our nation’s R&D and innovation enterprise. The facts are clear. Research and education lead to innovation. Innovation leads to economic development and good paying jobs and the revenue to pay for more research. This agenda is not the way to create an America that is confident in its future wellbeing and competitiveness.
“Of course, the majority of this ‘economic agenda’ calls for making it harder for the federal government to issue and enforce the very regulations that are designed to protect the health of the American people and the environment. This agenda actually says that ‘methane emissions from those [oil and gas] wells have been kept under control’ while we’re still trying to come to terms with just how bad the Aliso Canyon methane leak, the largest methane leak in U.S. history, was. It calls for weakening the federal government’s role in implementing clean water regulations, though we’re still reeling from the lead contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan. And, it calls for the repeal of regulations that deal with climate change, including the Clean Power Plan, while the U.S. and rest of the world works to honor the commitment recently made to address our most serious environmental challenge.
“As an aside, I was surprised to see the Harvard Six Cities Study dredged up again in this report. It’s emblematic of the Republican war on science that they continue to question one of the most world renowned health studies conducted by distinguished scientists at one of our Nation’s premier scientific institutions. In their bizarre attempt to question whether air pollution is unhealthy, the Republicans on our Committee tried to acquire the personal health information of thousands of American citizens who participated in this, and other, health studies. Disappointed that doctors wouldn’t turn over the confidential medical files of more than 8,000 adults and 14,000 children in six U.S. cities to politicians for no legitimate scientific reason, the Republicans decided to try through their ‘Secret Science Reform Act’ to ban EPA from using these crucial studies.
“As I said when we considered the secret science bill in the House earlier this year, this is a bill that would force a public health agency to ignore science. Legislation like the Secret Science bill makes me fear that what we now have is a Majority party which ignores science, ignores public health, and ignores environmental damage—all for the sake of the polluting industries who have endorsed the Majority’s actions. Now I don’t begrudge these companies for supporting legislation that helps their bottom lines. It’s to be expected. What concerns me is that this Congress no longer looks at industry’s requests with a critical eye. We simply rubber stamp them, without any regard for our nation’s scientific experts, health experts, or environmental experts and their concerns.
“There is nothing new and certainly nothing better in this ‘Better Way’ economic agenda. It is simply more of the same tired Republican talking points – anti-regulation, anti-science, pro-pollution at the expense of public health.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ranking Member, House Committee On Science Space & Technology
