{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.countable.us/bill/photo/hr1029-114/featured_epa-science-advisory-board-reform-act-of-2015-1454547662.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.countable.us/bill/photo/hr1029-114/featured_large_epa-science-advisory-board-reform-act-of-2015-1454547662.jpg","shareable":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/bills/hr1029-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-02-24","title_override":"Reforming the EPA’s Science Advisory Board","summary_override":"This bill would revise the process by which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chooses members for their Science Advisory Board (SAB).

Through expanded disclosure requirements (among others), this bill changes the guidelines for participation in the board, and terms of office. As the CBO explains:

\"Some of the bill’s proposed changes include requiring EPA to solicit nominations from the public and from relevant federal agencies, such as the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services. Nominees also would be required to file a written report disclosing certain financial relationships and interests. Additionally, the bill would require EPA to make risk or hazard assessments available to the SAB and to publish the board’s advice, comments, and views in the Federal Register.\"

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 2015","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2015\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 restrictions; restrictions on participation in advisory activities involving review of a member's work; restrictions on appointment of registered lo...","summarized":true,"cost":2000000,"cost_commentary":"The CBO estimates that implementing the proposed changes would cost less than $500,000 annually, or about $2 million over the 2015-2020 period. This funding would primarily be used for additional personnel and related administrative expenses. ","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. Also reduces conflicts of interest and expands 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 environmental issues.","bill_type":"hr","published":true,"type":"FederalBill","id":"hr1029-114","bill_id":"hr1029-114","formal_id":"H.R. 1029","chamber":"house","congress":114,"last_action_at":"2015-03-18T00:00:00.000Z","active":true,"enacted":false,"enacted_at":null,"vetoed":false,"last_vote_at":"2015-03-17T20:08:12.000Z","debated_on":"2015-03-16T00:00:00.000Z","congress_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th/house-bill/1029","plain_text_url":"http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114hr1029rfs/html/BILLS-114hr1029rfs.htm","shareable_image_url":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/bills/hr1029-114.png","congress_full_text_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th/house-bill/1029/text","is_current_congress":false,"last_version_on":"2015-02-24","related_bill_ids":["hres138-114","s543-114"],"progress":"Passed House","house_passage_result":true,"senate_passage_result":false,"position_count":129,"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=hr1029-114","details":"/api/bills/hr1029-114/details","sharingMessage":"/api/sharing_messages/hr1029-114","positionsFor":"/api/bills/hr1029-114/positions/for","positionsAgainst":"/api/bills/hr1029-114/positions/against"},"upcoming":false,"cosponsors_count":24,"slug":"hr1029-114-epa-science-advisory-board-reform-act-of-2015","latest_chamber_votes_id":"hr1029-114","official_url":null,"target_video":true,"following":false,"vote_count":3100,"yea_vote_count":1786,"nay_vote_count":1310,"passed_house":true,"passed_senate":false,"vote_id":null,"my_position_id":null,"topic_ids":["environment","government","science-and-technology"],"issue_ids":["lobbyists","federal-agencies","environment","government","science-and-technology","epa","technology"],"sponsor_id":351}],"votes":[],"issues":[{"id":"lobbyists","name":"Lobbyists","slug":"lobbyists","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Lobbyists. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Lobbyists Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/lobbyists/black_lobbyists-1429042061.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/lobbyists/grey_lobbyists-1429042061.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/lobbyists/white_lobbyists-1429042061.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"federal-agencies","name":"Federal Agencies","slug":"federal-agencies","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Federal Agencies. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Federal Agencies Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/federal-agencies/black_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/federal-agencies/grey_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/federal-agencies/white_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"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},{"id":"government","name":"Government","slug":"government","description":"Federal legislation related to the operations of the US Federal Government. Bills can encompass government administration, regulation of political parties, the US postal service, US territories and public contracts.","page_title":"US Government - Federal legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/government/black_government-1453508811.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/government/grey_government-1453508811.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/government/white_government-1453508811.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"science-and-technology","name":"Science and Technology","slug":"science-and-technology","description":"US Congressional Legislation related scientific endeavors and technology, including: research, space-flight and exploration, the Internet, Telecom, and more. Recent legislation dealt with net neutrality, and the robotic exploration of Mars by NASA.","page_title":"Science and Technology Legislation funding research, NASA and more - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/science-and-technology/black_science-and-technology-1429042045.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/science-and-technology/grey_science-and-technology-1429042045.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/science-and-technology/white_science-and-technology-1429042045.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"epa","name":"EPA","slug":"epa","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding EPA. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about.\r\n","page_title":"EPA Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/epa/black_epa-1434998540.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/epa/grey_epa-1434998540.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/epa/white_epa-1434998540.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"technology","name":"Technology","slug":"technology","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Technology . Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. ","page_title":"Technology Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/technology/black_technology-1429042051.svg","grey":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/technology/grey_technology-1429042051.svg","white":"https://assets.countable.us/issue/icon/technology/white_technology-1429042051.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false}],"users":[{"name":"craigkeller","vote_count":263,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.countable.us/user/avatar/49NkrOOW/large_49nkroow-1478881512.jpg","small":"https://assets.countable.us/user/avatar/49NkrOOW/small_49nkroow-1478881512.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.countable.us/user/avatar/49NkrOOW/tiny_49nkroow-1478881512.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/49NkrOOW/following","followers":"/api/users/49NkrOOW/followers"},"about_me":"A Cross-Functional Human","twitter_id":"craigkeller","facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"craigkeller","issue_count":98,"is_following":null,"influence_score":240,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":3,"following_count":6,"position_count":58,"id":"49NkrOOW","partner_id":null}],"bill_position":{"flagged":false,"id":"e27b031d-f99b-4c5f-98d7-f2704823e816","argument_for":null,"argument_against":"we need as many scientists making science decisions as possible. religious folks or loud mouths with an opinion not rooted in scientific fact need to be kept out of the EPA. The earth and all of humanity depend on it.","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/e27b031d-f99b-4c5f-98d7-f2704823e816"},"body":"we need as many scientists making science decisions as possible. religious folks or loud mouths with an opinion not rooted in scientific fact need to be kept out of the EPA. The earth and all of humanity depend on it.","stance":"nay","created_at":"2016-11-14T14:59:01.055Z","shareable_image_url":"https://n.countable.us/share-images/positions/e27b031d-f99b-4c5f-98d7-f2704823e816.png","note_color":null,"note_text":null,"bill_id":"hr1029-114","user_id":"49NkrOOW","endorser_ids":[]}}

Like Countable?

craigkeller

Reforming the EPA’s Science Advisory Board