Federal Advisory Committees

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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EPA Scientific Integrity Proposal Missing Critical Elements

Sep 7, 2011 by Gavin Baker

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft scientific integrity policy is missing critical elements needed to effectively safeguard science at the agency, OMB Watch said in comments filed yesterday. The policy must be improved if the agency is to ensure that the best science informs policy decisions that affect the health and environmental quality of all Americans.

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Administration Fumbling Toward Scientific Integrity

The Obama administration's efforts to protect scientific integrity moved forward recently with the submission of five finalized agency policies and 14 draft policies, but progress has been slow and haphazard. The administration recognizes that sound, uncensored science is critically important to protecting public health and the environment. The administration also understands that agencies should foster a culture of scientific integrity that includes effective policies and oversight to protect science from political manipulation and research misconduct. However, it has yet to undo the damage wrought by the previous administration.

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House Moves to Reform Advisory Committees

Aug 3, 2010 by Matthew Madia

We’re a little late in reporting this, but on July 26, the House passed a bill to improve the transparency and accountability of federal advisory committees.

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Obama Blocks Lobbyists from Government Panels

Jun 18, 2010 by Matthew Madia

Today, President Obama issued a memo barring registered lobbyists from serving on federal advisory committees, boards, and commissions.

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FDA Reviewing Policy for Conflicts on Advisory Panels

Apr 23, 2010 by Matthew Madia

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tweaking the way it treats advisory committee members who have financial conflicts of interest. FDA will require more detailed information on the financial interests of members who have been granted waivers to serve on committees despite a potential conflict, according to draft guidance released Wednesday.

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Groups Urge Transparency in Health Care Reform Implementation

Nov 4, 2009 by Matthew Madia

Twenty groups, including OMB Watch, have sent a letter calling on Congress to include accountability and transparency provisions in any health care reform legislation. Specifically, the groups focused on federal advisory committees – panels that will provide critical advice on health care issues if legislation is passed. The groups represent a wide variety of public interest issues.

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EPA Failing on Children's Environmental Health Issues

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) told a Senate oversight committee Sept. 16 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ignored recommendations from an advisory committee established to assist the agency in creating policies to protect children's health. For example, in developing three recent air quality standards on particulate matter, ozone, and lead, EPA either rejected the committee's recommendations or treated them as one of many public comments, according to GAO.

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Comments on FDA's Conflict of Interest Guidance for Advisory Panels

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FDA Issues New Conflict of Interest Guidelines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposal that revised its criteria for determining whether scientific advisory committee members have financial conflicts of interest. The guidance, which would be nonbinding if adopted, is in its draft form and will be open for comment upon publication in the Federal Register. The guidance simplifies FDA's process for determining financial conflicts of interest. It also details exceptions agency personnel can make to allow scientists with conflicts of interest to serve on panels. The proposal comes as FDA faces increasing scrutiny over its ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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Scientific Consultant Sparks Controversy over Conflicts of Interest

Recent findings indicate a consultant to a federal reproductive health sciences panel also has industry ties, creating a conflict of interest. The controversy raises concerns about scientific integrity in the federal regulatory process, as well as contractor transparency and responsibility.

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