Ami Bera: “I want to thank my colleague from Oregon for her leadership on the Science Committee as well as our ranking member from…”

“I want to thank my colleague from Oregon for her leadership on the Science Committee as well as our ranking member from Texas for her leadership. But I have to rise in opposition of H.R. 1442, the EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act, and here is why: it is absolutely accurate that the best science and the best advice comes from multiple perspectives. You certainly need the perspective of industry, but you have to independently have that perspective of science as well. You need a board that is unbiased, that is unfettered, that is transparent, that is looking at it from the perspective of advising Congress and giving us the best possible advice because our sole job is to protect our citizens, to provide that best advice to our citizens. That is what the advisory board is designed to do and should do. But it requires a delicate balance. It can't be stacked in one direction or the other direction. You have to create that transparency that allows for vibrant, unfettered dialogue. And I say this as a scientist, as someone who has been on advisory boards. Now, the importance of what the EPA does and what advice they provide Congress is incredibly important. I will just share: I am a lifelong Californian. I grew up in southern California. I grew up at a time where I could actually see the air that I was breathing, where there were days that they ordered us to stay inside.…”