House Passes Two Bills that Will Undermine the Use of Science that Protects Public Health

“In the last 24 hours, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed two bills that threaten public health by undermining science at the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Both bills – the HONEST Act and the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act – cloak themselves in the language of transparency, while creating roadblocks to the health and environmental protections American families expect and deserve. By barring EPA from relying on the same types of research that established the dangers of cigarettes, the HONEST Act would severely undercut the agency’s ability to hold big polluters accountable. The EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act changes longstanding practice to allow people with financial conflicts of interest to serve on the board.

“While the bills passed the House, we are thankful that a strong bipartisan group of Members of Congress saw these bills for what they are and voted to stop them. We hope and expect that these bills will go no further.

“EDF Action remains opposed to this political interference in the scientific integrity of the Environmental Protection Agency.”