Obama Administration Pushing Broad Food Safety Agenda

The Obama administration has announced major steps aimed at improving the safety of the nation’s food supply. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Vice President Joe Biden announced the agenda at press conference this afternoon.

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Chambliss Placing Hold on Sunstein Nomination

The Hill has identified Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) as the Senator who has placed a hold on the nomination of Cass Sunstein, President Obama’s pick to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). The Hill outlines Chambliss’s concerns.

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Defense Industry Questions Health Effects of Rocket Fuel Additive

The military-industrial complex is once again lobbying the Environmental Protection Agency in hopes of staving off regulation of a harmful chemical found in rocket fuel.

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Sunstein Nomination Delayed over Views on Animal Rights

Senate Republicans are holding up the nomination of Cass Sunstein, President Obama’s pick to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, according to Congress Daily (via govexec.com).

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Under Bush, OIRA Interfered in Chemical Studies

The White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) questioned scientific conclusions and edited language in multiple studies assessing the health effects of chemical substances, according to a report released today by the House Science and Technology Committee subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.

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More Transparency Needed in White House Review of Regulations

The Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is asking the White House to improve transparency during its review of agency regulations.

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Questions Unanswered on White House Role in EPA IRIS Process

As I blogged a couple weeks ago, the Environmental Protection Agency is attempting to streamline its process for assessing the health effects of chemicals under its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).

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Obama Backtracks on Mountaintop Mining

Coal industry lobbyists appear to have valuable access to White House officials, and they’re using it to expand mountaintop mining in the Appalachians, according to an article in The Los Angeles Times.

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EPA Regains Control over Chemical Assessments

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it would take back the reins of its program for assessing the risks of industrial chemicals after the process had become corrupted by political forces.

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Obama Issues Memo on Preemption Practices

President Obama issued a memorandum May 20 to the heads of executive departments and agencies that should limit some of the worst preemption practices used by the Bush administration.

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