US House of Reps allows big business to take a seat at the government's advisory boards

[ladysashi]

From the League of Conservation Voters:

While the nation's attention was focused on the Senate's defeat of a Keystone XL Pipeline bill, the EPA came under heavy attack in the House of Representatives - and two blatantly anti-science bills actually passed. Here's what happened:

1. Tuesday: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow individuals with financial ties to polluting corporations to serve on the Science Advisory Board to the EPA.
2. Wednesday: The House passed a bill that would prevent the EPA from analyzing non-public data, even though findings based on private data (like hospital patient data, trade secrets, etc.) are crucial to the EPA's mission.

In a nutshell, these proposals impede the EPA’s reliance on the best available science and undermine the agency’s ability to protect the health of Americans.