{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.countable.us/bill/photo/hr1431-115/featured_epa-science-advisory-board-reform-act-of-2017-1490815999.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.countable.us/bill/photo/hr1431-115/featured_large_epa-science-advisory-board-reform-act-of-2017-1490815999.jpg","shareable":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/bills/hr1431-115.png"},"introduced_on":"2017-03-08","title_override":"Should the EPA Science Advisory Board be Reformed?","summary_override":"This bill would revise the process by which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chooses members for their Science Advisory Board (SAB) as it relates to the qualifications of members and the disclosures they're required to make. The EPA would be required to solicit nominations for membership from the public and relevant federal agencies, like the Depts. of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services. Nominees would be required to file a report disclosing their financial relationships and interests for a three year period prior to their nomination, and relevant professional activities or comments for a five year period.

Conduct guidelines would also be created for the Board that include:

Avoiding making non-scientific policy determinations or recommendations.
Communicating uncertainties in scientific findings and conclusions.
Allowing dissenting members’ views to be expressed.
Periodic reviews to ensure that the Board’s activities address the most important scientific issues affecting the EPA.

","official_title":"To amend the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to provide for Scientific Advisory Board member qualifications, public participation, and for other purposes.","short_title":"EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 27, 2017. The summary of that version is repeated here.)\n\nEPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2017\n\n (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to revise the process of selecting members of the Science Advisory Board, guidelines for participation in board advisory activities, and terms of office. The board provides scientific advice to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This bill requires the board to independently provide that advice.\n\nAmong the revisions to requirements concerning the board's membership are the following:\n\n a requirement to balance scientific and technical points of view; a set minimum level of representation from state, local, or tribal governments; allowance of affiliation with, or representation of, entities that may have a potential interest in the board's advisory activities; conflict of interest restricti...","summarized":true,"cost":500000,"cost_commentary":"The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost less than $500,000 annually.","impact":"Members of the public who want to make a public comment on environmental reviews; members of the Science Advisory Board; people nominated for SAB positions; and the EPA.","argument_for":"This bill will enhance the diversity of thought and perspective on the EPA's Science Advisory Board while also reducing conflicts of interest and expanding opportunities for public involvement.","argument_against":"Keeping scientists who have received EPA grants off of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board would dilute the pool of talent available to consult on critical environmental protection issues.","bill_type":"hr","published":true,"type":"FederalBill","id":"hr1431-115","bill_id":"hr1431-115","formal_id":"H.R. 1431","chamber":"house","congress":115,"last_action_at":"2017-03-30T00:00:00.000Z","active":true,"enacted":false,"enacted_at":null,"vetoed":false,"last_vote_at":"2017-03-30T14:41:06.000Z","debated_on":null,"congress_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th/house-bill/1431","plain_text_url":"https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-115hr1431ih/html/BILLS-115hr1431ih.htm","shareable_image_url":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/bills/hr1431-115.png","congress_full_text_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th/house-bill/1431/text","is_current_congress":false,"last_version_on":"2017-03-08","related_bill_ids":["hres233-115"],"progress":"Passed House","house_passage_result":true,"senate_passage_result":false,"position_count":1424,"committees":[{"name":"Committee on Science, Space, and Technology","chamber":"house","committee_id":"HSSY","subcommittee":false},{"name":"Committee on Environment and Public Works","chamber":"senate","committee_id":"SSEV","subcommittee":false}],"links":{"rollCalls":"/api/roll_calls?bill_id=hr1431-115","details":"/api/bills/hr1431-115/details","sharingMessage":"/api/sharing_messages/hr1431-115","positionsFor":"/api/bills/hr1431-115/positions/for","positionsAgainst":"/api/bills/hr1431-115/positions/against"},"upcoming":false,"cosponsors_count":28,"slug":"hr1431-115-epa-science-advisory-board-reform-act-of-2017","latest_chamber_votes_id":"hr1431-115","official_url":null,"target_video":true,"following":false,"vote_count":11642,"yea_vote_count":1563,"nay_vote_count":10062,"passed_house":true,"passed_senate":false,"vote_id":null,"my_position_id":null,"topic_ids":["environment"],"issue_ids":["environment"],"sponsor_id":351}],"votes":[],"issues":[{"id":"environment","name":"Environment","slug":"environment","description":"Congressional legislation related to research and regulation of the Environment, including: Air and water quality, Pollution, Climate Change, Recycling, Radioactive Waste, Hazardous Wastes and Toxic Substances. ","page_title":"Federal legislation related to environmental protections and regulation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/environment/black_environment-1429042042.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/environment/grey_environment-1429042042.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/environment/white_environment-1429042042.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false}],"users":[{"name":"Roseann ","vote_count":251,"photos":{"large":"https://countable-us.s3.amazonaws.com/user/avatar/default-2.png","small":"https://countable-us.s3.amazonaws.com/user/avatar/default-2.png","tiny":"https://countable-us.s3.amazonaws.com/user/avatar/default-2.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/LWgggNrW/following","followers":"/api/users/LWgggNrW/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":37,"is_following":null,"influence_score":0,"influence_level":0,"follower_count":0,"following_count":3,"position_count":13,"id":"LWgggNrW","partner_id":null}],"bill_position":{"flagged":false,"id":"df93379b-f15b-4f4a-b59d-e8d3123680eb","argument_for":null,"argument_against":"Buschon, have to question that medical degree if you don't trust science. Oh that's right, your pockets are lined with coal money. ","show_argument_for":false,"show_argument_against":true,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":null,"upvotes_against_count":0,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.countable.us/positions/df93379b-f15b-4f4a-b59d-e8d3123680eb"},"body":"Buschon, have to question that medical degree if you don't trust science. Oh that's right, your pockets are lined with coal money. ","stance":"nay","created_at":"2017-03-30T00:12:38.740Z","shareable_image_url":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/positions/df93379b-f15b-4f4a-b59d-e8d3123680eb.png","note_color":null,"note_text":null,"bill_id":"hr1431-115","user_id":"LWgggNrW","endorser_ids":[]}}

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Should the EPA Science Advisory Board be Reformed?