Blog: The Fine Print / Citizen Health & Safety
Why Non-Defense Discretionary Spending Keeps Getting Cut
May 23, 2013 by Nick Schwellenbach
The biggest difference among the three budget plans that official Washington is currently considering is spending for non-defense discretionary programs, which includes education, infrastructure, food safety, environmental protection and other essential public investments the public says it wants government to continue to make. A chart created by the Congressional Budget Office – shows the differences between President Obama and Senate Democrats’ budget plans versus the House Republican spending blueprint.
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Improving Rules on Implementing the Freedom of Information Act
May 22, 2013 by Anastasia Postnikova
Up-to-date Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) rules that support transparency are important for ensuring agencies are properly implementing the law. Last week, the Center for Effective Government submitted comments to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on its proposed FOIA implementation regulations and encouraged the agency to expand online disclosures, improve communication with requesters, clarify fees and fee waivers, and improve the process of submitting and processing administrative appeals.
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UPDATED: Three Reasons the REINS Act Must Be Stopped (Again)
May 22, 2013 by Katie Greenhaw
If passed, the REINS Act would require congressional approval of all major rules, potentially endangering the most important safeguards to our health, safety, environment, and economy.
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BLM Fracking Rule Violates New Executive Order on Open Data
May 16, 2013 by Sofia Plagakis
Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its revised proposed rule for natural gas drilling (commonly referred to as fracking) on federal and tribal lands. The much-anticipated rule violates President Obama's recently issued executive order that requires new government information to be made available to the public in open, machine-readable formats.
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Sen. Blumenthal Urges New OMB Director to Release Needed Rules and Improve Transparency
May 10, 2013 by Katie Greenhaw
On May 7, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the agency to end excessive delays in reviewing crucial health and safety protections. Echoing the concerns of public interest and safety advocates, Blumenthal wrote "that there are human costs to delay" and asked newly appointed OMB Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell to immediately complete reviews of several proposed agency actions.
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Local Citizen Group Demands Groundwater Testing Near Ammunition Plant
May 1, 2013 by Amanda Frank
Community members living near an army ammunition plant traveled to Washington, DC, on Monday to deliver petitions to their senators and representatives calling for groundwater testing near the plant. The work of local residents demonstrates the importance of citizen action and environmental data in protecting public health.
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Obama Nominates Howard Shelanski to Lead Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Apr 30, 2013 by Katie Weatherford
Last Thursday, President Obama nominated Howard Shelanski as administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). If confirmed, Shelanski would replace Cass Sunstein, who resigned from the position last August, leaving behind a record of lengthy delays.
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A Big Job, on a Tiny Budget
Apr 29, 2013 by Randy Rabinowitz
The biggest problem illustrated by the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Tex., is not that OSHA is focusing on the wrong threats, but that its hands are tied and that it does not have the resources or the support to ensure that our nation’s workplaces are safe. The explosion at the West Fertilizer Company illustrates why Congress should act swiftly to strengthen our main workplace safety law so OSHA has the authority and the resources to protect workers.
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Court Says FDA Failed to Comply with Food Safety Rule Deadlines
Apr 26, 2013 by Katie Greenhaw
This week, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California concluded that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by failing to comply with specific deadlines for food safety rules, which were set out in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). For a number of major food safety regulation areas, FDA failed to meet the dates set for completion. Although some of the rules were proposed in January, many remain under review at FDA or the White House.
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We Need Protection from Industrial Hazards in Our Communities
Apr 19, 2013 by Randy Rabinowitz
On Wednesday, a fire at the West Fertilizer Co. in West, TX, caused an explosion so powerful it registered 2.1 on the Richter scale and leveled significant parts of this rural community. As many as 15 people died and around 200 were injured, many gravely. We still do not know what caused the explosion or whether it could have been prevented with better safety practices and regulatory oversight.
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