----------------------- [...] The bill is being framed as a play for transparency: Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, argued that the board’s current structure is problematic because it “excludes industry experts, but not officials for environmental advocacy groups.” The inclusion of industry experts, he said, would right this injustice. [...] In what might be the most ridiculous aspect of the whole thing, the bill forbids scientific experts from participating in “advisory activities” that either directly or indirectly involve their own work. In case that wasn’t clear: experts would be forbidden from sharing their expertise in their own research — the bizarre assumption, apparently, being that having conducted peer-reviewed studies on a topic would constitute a conflict of interest. “In other words,” wrote Union of Concerned Scientists director Andrew A. Rosenberg in an editorial for RollCall, “academic scientists who know the most about a subject can’t weigh in, but experts paid by corporations who want to block regulations can.” ---------------------- Michael Burgess contributors (according to Greenhouse) Health Professionals $362,089 Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $125,800 Health Services/HMOs $84,250 Oil & Gas $62,150 Insurance $38,500 Electric Utilities $35,500 Lawyers/Law Firms $32,700 Lobbyists $24,425 Hospitals/Nursing Homes $20,050 TV/Movies/Music $20,000
Posted on: Wed, 19 Nov 2014 23:20:28 +0000
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