On Aug. 22, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that cantaloupes from Chamberlain Farms in Indiana are being recalled because of Salmonella contamination, which has infected 178 people in 21 states, causing 62 hospitalizations and 2 deaths.

An editorial published in The New York Times over the weekend describes the trend – a matter of serious concern in the public interest community – of public protections being put on hold, due in large part to industry interference.

I have two birthdays on my calendar circled with a big red marker this year. One is for my daughter, who just turned one, and the other is October 18^th. That’s the day one of my closest friends turns 40. And while getting over the hill is a bittersweet bon anniversaire for most, this one is special. Because this is the day when The Clean Water Act marks its 40^th anniversary. (By Alexandra Cousteau, originally posted on National Geographic's blog, Water Currents, on August 2, 2012)

The highlight of next week's legislative calendar in the House is likely to be a vote on H.R. 4078, the misleadingly named "Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act." With this vote, the House majority is set to launch yet another attack to shut down the safeguards that protect Americans against health, safety, and economic disasters.