Chronology of Committee Work

FDA Announcement: Nicotine Lollipops Unhealthy and Illegal

One week after Rep. Waxman called on the Department of Health and Human Services to halt the sale of nicotine lollipops, the FDA announced its finding that these products are illegal and directed sellers to move to discontinue sales within 15 days.

Historians on the Importance of Access to Presidential Records

In a full Committee oversight hearing on the Presidential Records Act, four prominent historians criticized efforts by the Bush Administration to restrict access to presidential records. According to Dr. Stanley Kutler, "If his action stands, Bush will substantially shut down historical research of recent presidents."

GAO Asks for Expedited Ruling in Lawsuit Against Vice President

GAO files a motion in U.S. District Court for summary judgment in its energy task force records lawsuit against Vice President Cheney.

GAO Files Motion for Expedited Decision

GAO filed a motion seeking an expedited decision from the judge hearing its lawsuit against the Vice President. GAO's motion for summary judgment argued that, since there are no factual disagreements, the suit should be decided on its legal merits in favor of GAO.

Letter to JPMorgan Chase on Enron Transactions

Rep. Waxman asks JPMorgan Chase to explain transactions it entered into with Enron involving special-purpose entities named Sequoia, Choctaw, Cherokee, Zephyrus, and Enron Finance Partners.

HHS Posts Complete Information on Nursing Home Violations

A report released in February by Rep. Waxman and Sen. Charles E. Grassley found that the federal website 'Nursing Home Compare' was incomplete because it did not include tens of thousands of recent violations of federal health standards. Rep. Waxman and Sen. Grassley wrote to HHS Administrator Tom Scully to urge that the information be added to the site, and asked the minority staff to create a temporary searchable database of these complaint violations. In May 2002, HHS began posting the information on their website 'Nursing Home Compare'.

HHS Report Shows Nine of Ten U.S. Nursing Homes Understaffed

The Department of Health and Human Services recently released a comprehensive study that shows “strong and compelling” evidence that nine out of ten U.S. nursing homes are understaffed. Although officially released, Report has not been easily accessible to the public. On April 17, Rep. Waxman and Sen. Grassley sent a letter to CMS Administrator Tom Scully requesting that Report be posted on the HHS website.

Members Request Release of EPA Power Plant Emissions Data

Eighteen committee members request that the Environmental Protection Agency release modeling data on power plant emissions.

'Seven Member Rule' Request for EPA Power Plant Emissions Data

Pursuant to the 'Seven Member Rule,' eighteen Committee members requested that the Environmental Protection Agency release modeling data on power plant emissions. The 'Seven Member Rule' is a statute that states "an Executive agency, on request of the Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives, or of any seven members thereof . . . shall submit any information requested of it relating to any matter within the jurisdiction of the committee."

GAO Report Shows Criminals Easily Fake Gun Licenses and Buy Firearms

A GAO report reveals significant problems with the regulation of gun dealers and demonstrates the surprising ease with which criminals can use fake gun dealer licenses to bypass background checks and obtain large numbers of firearms. Rep. Waxman has written Treasury Secretary O'Neill to urge him to take action to prevent these abuses.

FDA Reverses Decision on Pediatric Rule

The FDA announced a reversal of its decision to suspend the pediatric rule, but stated that the rule "needs to be updated."

Judge Enters Scheduling Order

The U.S. District Court judge hearing the GAO suit sets the schedule for briefs and oral argument.

Letter to Jeff Skilling on Responding to Questions

Reps. Waxman and John Dingell wrote to former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling asking him to respond to questions originally posed to him by Rep. Waxman on March 1.

Questions for Administration Officials on Denial of Oxygenate Requirements Waiver

Rep. Waxman writes to Vice President Cheney, Energy Secretary Abraham, EPA Administrator Whitman, and OMB Director Daniels to inquire about the role of Enron and the MTBE industry in the denial of the California's request for a waiver from the federal oxygenate requirement. The denial of this waiver could result in higher gasoline prices and worse air quality for Californians.

Rep. Waxman Gives Statement on H.R. 4187, The Presidential Records Act

In a hearing on The Presidential Records Act, Rep. Waxman stated, "The Bush executive order, which changes the management of the Presidential Records Act, is seriously flawed. The order takes a law that was designed to make documents readily available to the public and establishes procedures that are designed to block access."

Rep. Waxman Introduces Nursing Home Staffing Improvement Act of 2002

Rep. Waxman and other members introduced the Nursing Home Staffing Improvement Act (H.R. 4715) to establish minimum staffing levels for nursing homes. This bill implements staffing levels identified by the Department of Health and Human Services and would require that all nursing home residents receive at least four hours of nursing care each day.

Chairman Burton Asked to Drop Threats to Subpoena Patient Information from Vaccine Database

In a letter to Committee Chairman Dan Burton, Rep. Waxman asks that he drop his threats to subpoena patient information from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) project, a national database for monitoring vaccine safety. According to the CDC, a subpoena could lead to the collapse of the VSD database and jeopardize the medical privacy of millions of Americans.

EPA E-mail: Energy Report Tried 'Desperately' to Avoid California

Rep. Waxman asks Vice President Cheney, Energy Secretary Abraham, and EPA Administrator Whitman to explain an e-mail produced by EPA which indicates that the report released by the Vice President’s task force tried “desperately” to avoid mentioning California, the state with the most pressing energy crisis facing the country at the time.

HHS Letter: CDC to Guide Lead Screening Policy

In response to an April 17 letter from Rep. Waxman and other members, HHS Secretary Thompson has promised to be guided by the experts at CDC in determining policies for testing children for lead poisoning, rejecting an ill-advised proposal to end universal screening under Medicaid for lead poisoning.

Energy Report Draft Shows Task Force Considered California

Rep. Waxman has obtained a draft table of contents for the National Energy Plan dated Feb. 21, 2001 which makes specific reference to addressing the California energy crisis. Rep. Waxman asks Vice President Cheney to explain why the task force apparently considered and abandoned plans to address California's energy problems.

Administration Asks Judge to Dismiss Lawsuit

The White House files a motion in court asking the judge to dismiss GAO's lawsuit.

GAO Report on Challenges in Postal Irradiation

Rep. Waxman writes Postmaster General Potter and details a new GAO Report that examines the technological premises and logistical hurdles to mail irradiation in the U.S. Postal System.

Letter to Senator Lieberman on White House Enron Contacts

Rep. Waxman wrote Senator Joseph Lieberman, Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee investigating Enron, to detail the inaccuracies and omissions in the information that the White House has provided on Administration contacts with the company.

Bush Administration Contacts with Enron

Rep. Waxman released a report which identifies 112 contacts between Administration officials and Enron in 200, based on documents and other information disclosed by the Administration, press stories, and Enron’s 2001 lobbying disclosure reports.

Letter to JPMorgan Chase on Enron Transactions

Rep. Waxman again writes JPMorgan Chase to ask for more information on the company's transactions with Enron involving a special-purpose entity named Sequoia.

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