Lamar Smith: “I want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma, the vice chairman of the Science Committee, for yielding me time. Mr.…”

“I want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma, the vice chairman of the Science Committee, for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, Americans expect the review of regulatory science to be balanced and transparent. H.R. 1029, the Science Advisory Board Reform Act, ensures scientists get the opportunity to provide unbiased, independent advice to the Environmental Protection Agency and to Congress. I thank Congressman Lucas and the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson, for their initiative on this issue. This bill strengthens the EPA Science Advisory Board's independence so that the administration cannot manipulate science to further its political agenda. Hardworking American families are hit hard by costly regulations, whether it is through lost jobs or higher electric bills and gasoline prices, and the EPA has been known to twist science to justify its actions. Behind the scenes, however, there is a review process that was intended to provide a critical check on the EPA's conclusions. The EPA Science Advisory Board was created to provide a meaningful, balanced, and independent assessment of the science that supports the EPA's regulations. Unfortunately, this goal is not being realized. The EPA frequently undermines the SAB's independence and prevents it from being able to provide advice to Congress. As a result, the valuable advice these experts can provide is wasted, and the truth is silenced. The public's right to know must be protected in a democracy.…”