Press Releases :: March 28, 2007
(Washington, DC) - Members of the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations today questioned industry efforts and attempts within science agencies to control which federal scientists get access to the media and how media campaigns are mounted to confuse the public. Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Brad Miller (D-NC) led today’s hearing which used climate change science as a case study to relate how the deception works. From the public’s perspective, climate change news stories often become little more than two “experts” staking out opposite positions. The fact that one “expert” may be articulating a consensus scientific position that represents the work of thousands of active researchers, and the other “expert” is paid to be a professional skeptic is not obvious to the average citizen. "Industry often promotes made-for-television 'experts' who are supported by financial contributors that can be traced back primarily to the oil and gas industry,” said Chairman Miller. “Few of these experts do any original research, many are not even trained in the fields in which they claim expertise, most are readily available for the press and specialize in attacking as 'junk science' careful, legitimate research that has been published in learned journals and tested by rigorous peer review.” The subcommittee heard testimony from the following witnesses today: Chairman Miller reiterated that a democratic government relies on honest, fact-based discussions for a consensus to emerge regarding policies that reflect the best interests of the public. "It's tough to make good policy from bad information," added full Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN). "This is a legitimate area for discussion and I think this will be the first of many hearings in this Committee seeking the best information possible." “Inaction is the goal of manufactured scientific debate,” Chairman Miller added. “With inaction comes no challenge to change business models and no need to worry about short-term profit.” ### 110.048
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