ContactsNewark Camden Washington, DC |
Scientific Integrity and Transparency at the EPA
On Tuesday, June 9, 2009, Senator Lautenberg issued the following statement at a morning hearing on scientific integrity and transparency at the EPA: "Madam Chairman, From reversing global warming, to creating clean energy and the jobs that go with it, to identifying and replacing cancer-causing chemicals, science is so critical to the work done by this Committee and the But science was under attack in the previous Administration, which did its best to ignore, censor and suppress science. For example, they let political appointees in the White House delay or stop EPA risk assessments if they did not like the outcome. We rely on those studies to tell us which chemicals may cause cancer, birth defects and other serious health problems. Administrator Lisa Jackson - our good friend from New Jersey - reversed the policy governing risk assessments and made clear that science would direct them, not politics. She issued a memo to EPA employees in May saying that, 'scientific integrity will be the backbone of [her] leadership of the Agency.' And earlier this year, the White House directed the Office of Science and Technology Policy to create a plan to increase scientific integrity across the entire federal government. I want to commend EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and the Obama Administration for defending scientists and their research. As the Chairman of the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over dangerous chemicals, I know that science is the foundation for protecting future generations. For example, there are tens of thousands of chemicals on the market. And if you tested the blood of any person in this room, you would find hundreds of industrial chemicals, including some that are known or suspected to cause cancer. Unfortunately, current law makes it difficult for the E-P-A to require testing of chemicals, and almost impossible for the EPA to regulate those chemicals, even if they are believed to be dangerous. That’s why I plan to re-introduce my Kid-Safe Chemicals Act in the coming months. My bill will require chemical companies to prove that their products are safe before they end up in our homes - and come in contact with our children. We already regulate pesticides and pharmaceuticals this way. It is just common sense that we do the same for chemicals that are used in consumer products. The new tone of openness, transparency and reliance on science is the right first step toward making our products, our homes, and our environment safe for all families. I applaud the Obama Administration and I look forward to the testimony of our witnesses." # # #
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