Open, Accountable Government / Scientific Integrity
On Food Additive Safety, FDA Just Watches the GRAS Grow
Mar 5, 2010 by Matthew Madia
A February Government Accountability Office report released today chides the Food and Drug Administration for failing to ensure the safety of common food additives. By law, manufacturers may assign additives a "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS, designation, a process that the FDA neither monitors nor verifies in most cases, according to the GAO.
read in fullSenate Bill Threatens Greenhouse Gas Limits
Mar 4, 2010 by Matthew Madia
Congress’s push to kneecap greenhouse gas regulation got a little stronger today when Sen. John Rockefeller (D- coal WV) introduced a bill that would delay for two additional years any EPA regulation of stationary sources like power plants and oil refineries.
Recovery Act Data Shows Recipients Are Learning
Feb 25, 2010 by Sam Rosen-Amy
Earlier today, the Recovery Board released the list of Recovery Act recipients who did not file during the second reporting period. According to the Board, recipients of 1,036 Recovery Act awards failed to file during this quarter, which was from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2009. That number represents a whopping 76 percent decline from the first reporting cycle, which saw 4,359 missing award reports, and is less than one percent of all the award reports. Equally good news is that of the 1,036 missing reports, only 389 were from "repeat offenders," or recipients who failed to file in both quarters.
Bringing Sound Advice to Congress
Feb 24, 2010 by Matthew Madia
Many moons ago, Congress relied on facts, science, and other evidence to guide its thinking and make decisions. One repository for such information was the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), an arm of Congress created in 1972 to enlighten lawmakers on new technological applications and emerging issues and, if appropriate, recommend ways to harness science and technology for the public good.
Transparency Community Voices Concerns over Data.gov
Feb 4, 2010 by Roger Strother*
Yesterday, a group of organizations, including OMB Watch, submitted concerns with the high-value datasets published on Data.gov in compliance with the requirements of the Open Government Directive (OGD) issued on Dec. 8. The OGD required that agencies submit at least three high value datasets within 45 days through Data.gov. These groups outlined the major problems with the site and its implementation thus far. I have summarized these issues below.
read in fullWhat is the Obama Administration’s Record on Regulation?
Feb 4, 2010 by Matthew Madia
Today at 3 p.m., OMB Watch will be webcasting a panel discussion titled, The Obama Administration and Public Protections: A First-Year Regulatory Assessment. The panel discussion will address whether regulatory agencies are being proactive on a number of important issues, such as workplace safety, consumer protections, and the environment.
read in fullWhite House Meddling in EPA Rule on Air Pollution Monitors
Jan 28, 2010 by Matthew Madia
Update (02/17/10): "Last-Minute Changes Will Improve Air Pollution Monitoring, EPA Says."
It’s looking more and more like the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) overruled the EPA in a decision to place more air pollution monitors near major roadways.
read in fullGreenhouse Gases are Peachy Keen, 40 Senators Say
Jan 22, 2010 by Matthew Madia
Yesterday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and a whopping 39 co-sponsors introduced a resolution that would disapprove the Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding for greenhouse gas emissions.
read in fullFDA Calls BPA Risky, but Puts off Regulation
Jan 19, 2010 by Matthew Madia
On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration made its long-awaited announcement on the safety of bisphenol-A, a chemical ingredient in hard plastics, food can liners, and other common products. The verdict? “[R]ecent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. FDA also recognizes substantial uncertainties with respect to the overall interpretation of these studies and their potential implications for human health effects of BPA exposure.”
read in fullOMB Watch Suggests Improvements for Information Policy
Jan 4, 2010 by Matthew Madia
There’s no time like the holidays – when packages are wrapped up tight with paper only to be torn apart – to talk about paperwork. That’s why OMB Watch has submitted to the White House comments on improving implementation of the Paperwork Reduction Act.
