Today’s Science and Health Policy News for May, 9th 2008

A look at today’s science and health policy news:

US Offering to help China in fight against viral infection

AP- The US is offering to help China in its fight against a viral infection that has killed 34 children and sickened thousands others.
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China, Tibet, and the strategic power of water

Circle of Blue- Management of the Tibetan plateau’s supply of freshwater is becoming the center of increasing political strife between China and Tibet.
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Think Again: The cost of Enforced Sexual Ignorance

American Progress- An extensive investigation into the Texas’ abstinence-only education.
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Gray wolf protection lawsuit to move forward

LA Times- A federal judge has rejected the government’s request to delay a lawsuit seeking to place the gray wolf back on the endangered species list.
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Peregrine falcons in California’s urban areas are contaminated with toxic chemicals

LA Times- Peregrine falcons in the LA area are contaminated with record-high levels of toxic chemicals that may threaten their existence.
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Planes fly more, emit less greenhouse gases

USA Today- The US aviation industry has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 13% since 2000.
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Group Urges FDA to Take Contraceptive Off Market

NY Times- The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen has petitioned to pull the birth control patch “Ortho-Evra” off the market calling it far riskier than the pill.
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Armstrong urges Congress to renew war on cancer

AP- Lance Armstrong urged Congress to renew the nation’s war on cancer.
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Presidential Candidates Have Little Opportunity to Talk about Education

US News and World Report- As other issues draw attention, education policy has been ignored in the presidential campaigns.
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Congressional Panel Considers Call for More Female Science Professors

The Chronicle of Higher Education- A draft bill by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson would promote workshops “to increase awareness of implicit gender bias in grant review, hiring, tenure, promotion and selection for other honors based on merit.”
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Bush’s signature gives go-ahead for Platte recovery plan

Rocky Mountain News- President Bush has signed the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008.
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Smith talks science

Gering Courier- Rep. Adrian Smith talk about domestic energy production, and the need for hydro, nuclear and coal energy.
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New rule would limit insurers contact with elderly, disabled

AP- Under a proposed federal rule, agents selling private health insurance plans would no longer be able to cold call the elderly and disabled.
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Bush’s reading program doesn’t pass

LA Times- The Reading First program in the No Child Left Behind Act has not helped young children read better.
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Durbin Assails Energy Department on FutureGen Project

Congress Daily- Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin criticized the motives for restructuring the FutureGen clean coal energy project.
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House Democrats Try Again With Net Neutrality Bill

InternetNews- Reps. John Conyers and Zoe Lofgren are seeking to block ISPs from discriminating against certain network traffic on antitrust grounds.
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Today’s Science and Health Policy News for May, 7th 2008

A look at today’s science and health policy news:

EPA may decide not to limit the amount of a toxin in water supplies

L.A. Times–An agency official tells a Senate committee that it’s possible there will be no standard set for the amount of perchlorate allowed in drinking water.
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Bush hits the gas on clean fuel economies

Politico–The Bush administration is pushing for more aggressive fuel economies, and the clean car advocates are hitting the brakes.
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Democratic and Republican healthcare plans offer clear choices

L.A. Times–John McCain, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton want better and cheaper coverage for more Americans. But their strategies for achieving those goals are fundamentally different.
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Senate wrangling derails air traffic overhaul bill

Reuters–A bill to modernize the U.S. air traffic system, increase safety oversight and improve customer service was derailed on Tuesday by U.S. Senate wrangling.
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Piracy Becomes Focus Of Net Neutrality Debate

Information Week– Much of the debate centered on piracy at a hearing Tuesday on the future of the Internet before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
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Evolution bills buried

Daytona Beach News Journal–In the whirlwind of Friday’s final day of the legislative session, one high-profile proposal went, well, extinct.
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A City Committed to Recycling Is Ready for More

N.Y. Times–The mayor of San Fransisco will soon be sending the city’s Board of Supervisors a proposal that would make the recycling of cans, bottles, paper, yard waste and food scraps mandatory.
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Australia’s Koalas at risk from climate change

A.P.–Koalas are threatened by the rising level of carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere because it saps nutrients from the eucalyptus leaves they feed on.
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Women face tougher impact from climate change

Reuters–Climate change is harder on women in poor countries, a Nobel Peace laureate said on Tuesday.
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Consider the Carterfone rules: Open up spectrum to broaden consumer choice

The Hill–An open letter from Rep. Mike Doyle.
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A Phony ‘War on Science’

Washington Post–Michael Gerson’s op-ed on the accusation that Republicans are conducting a “war on science.”
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Don’t Give Up on Energy Independence

Wall Street Journal–President Reagen’s national security adviser Robert McFarlane’s op-ed on energy independence.
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Survey shows US honey bee deaths increased over last year

A.P.–A survey of bee health released Tuesday revealed a grim picture, with 36.1 percent of the nation’s commercially managed hives lost since last year.
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A Technology Consortium Plans a Wireless Network

N.Y. Times–A consortium of telecommunications companies plans to announce on Wednesday that it intends to build the first of a new generation of nationwide wireless data networks.
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Companies Improve Scores in Climate-Change Ranking

New York Times–According to Climate Counts, the nonprofit group that scores consumer products companies on their green track records, consumer companies are getting greener, but they are still a pretty carbon-intensive lot.
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Pandemic Flu Threat Remains Substantial, Health Experts Say

Washington Post–The world still faces a substantial threat of a flu pandemic and countries need to speed up preparations for a global outbreak, health experts said Tuesday.
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Study: Restaurant Tobacco Bans Influence Teen Smoking

A.P.–A Massachusetts study suggests that restaurant smoking bans may play a big role in persuading teens not to become smokers.
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Quick Benefit to Smoking Halt, With a Caveat, Study Finds

Reuters–Women who stop smoking can enjoy major health benefits within five years, but it can take decades to correct respiratory damage and shed the added risk of lung cancer.
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Breast-feeding raises children’s IQs, study says

L.A. Times–Children whose mothers took part in a program had higher verbal scores than children in a control group.
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First zero-carbon city to rise out of the desert

New Scientist–One of the world’s largest oil producers has begun construction on the first zero-carbon city, powered entirely by renewable energy.
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Today’s Health and Science Policy News for May, 6th 2008

A look at today’s science and health policy news:

States Look to Rein In Private Medicare Plans

N.Y. Times–State officials say they will soon ask Congress for more power to regulate the marketing of private insurance.
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Coal users trying to redirect Congress on global warming

The Hill–A new group of lobbyists is attempting to redirect the momentum to curb green house gas emissions to pay for expensive new federal spending programs.
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Some Senate Republicans Want Renewable-Fuels Waiver

National Journal–Two dozen Senate Republicans Friday sent a letter to EPA Administrator Johnson asking him to consider waiving all or parts of a renewable-fuels mandate Congress.
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Report on NASA ignites call for credit card crackdown

Houston Chronicle–Supporters of a bill meant to curb government credit card abuse called for stricter sanctions against employees who misuse the cards at gov. agencies.
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Trapped sea lions shot on Columbia River

L.A. Times–Federally protected sea lions were shot and killed as they lay in traps meant to humanely catch them.
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New renewable darling puts on the pressure

Politico–Cellulosic fuel, emerging as the new darling of renewable fuels, is not-so-subtly pressuring the ethanol lobby to pick a favorite: corn or cellulosic biofuels.
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Green energy means more work for lobbyists

Politico–Green energy lobbying firms are emerging as major players on the Congressional scene.
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Caution urged in choosing gene tests

A.P.–Everyone’s genes spell out a risk for some disease, and a coming anti-discrimination law is about to give genetic testing a boost.
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Scientists: Warming may greatest threat to tropical species

A.P.–While global warming is expected to be strongest at the poles, it may be an even greater threat to species living in the tropics, scientists say.
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Climate change now on corporate radars

Politico–Suddenly, climate change has exploded onto the agenda of corporate America.
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Uranium claims spring up along Grand Canyon rim

L.A. Times–A rush to extract uranium on public lands pits environmentalists against mining companies.
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Are There Missing Pieces to the Human Genome Project?

Scientific American–A new study finds up to 250 regions where the reference genome sequenced over 13 years may be missing information.
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Vegetable oil fuels cars — and tax bills

L.A. Times–Drivers who use cooking grease to run their diesel vehicles often don’t realize they’re supposed to obtain permits and pay a state tax on each gallon.
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Google Ends Microsoft’s Yahoo Search

N.Y. Times–Microsoft and Yahoo were pushed to the brink of a multibillion-dollar marriage and then to a sudden breakup this weekend by the same player.
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Blood Pressure Is Most Lethal in Poor and Middle-Income Countries

N.Y. Times–A new study has found that about 80 percent of the world’s deaths from high blood pressure occur in poor and middle-income countries.
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Suit filed to block Medi-Cal rate cuts

S.F. Gate–An influential coalition of health care organizations sued the state of California Monday to block a 10 percent cut in Medi-Cal rates set to take effect this summer.
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A Woman, a Village and a War on Plastic Bags

Washington Post–An English woman launched an effort to stem the use of plastic bags.
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U.S. crude oil sets new record above $120 a barrel

A.P.–U.S. crude oil futures rose to a new record high for a second day on Tuesday, with crude oil futures for June delivery touching a record of $120.70 a barrel.
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Today’s Science Policy News for May, 2nd 2008

A look at today’s science and health policy news:

Congress Passes Bill to Bar Bias Based on Genes

N.Y. Times–A bill that would prohibit discrimination by health insurers and employers based on genetics won final approval in Congress on Thursday by an overwhelming vote.
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E.P.A. Proposes New Limits on Lead in the Air, the First Revision in 30 Years

N.Y. Times–For the first time in 30 years, the EPA has proposed a new limit for lead concentrations in the air.
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Science groups want war cash

Politico.com–A coalition of scientists, tech companies, and lobbyists are seeking a $500 million boost in this year’s wartime supplemental funding bill to restore cuts to the NSF and prevent layoffs from the DOE’s Office of Science.
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CDC Cites Largest U.S. Resurgence of Measles Since 2001

Washington Post–At least four outbreaks of measles are underway around the United States, the largest resurgence in years, federal health officials reported yesterday.
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Federal agency declares West Coast salmon fishery a disaster

A.P.–Federal authorities have declared the West Coast salmon fishery a failure, opening the way for Congress to appropriate economic disaster assistance.
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NASA Delays Shuttle Flight to Hubble Space Telescope

SPACE.com–NASA has pushed back the planned launch of the final flight to overhaul the Hubble by up to five weeks due to external fuel tank delays.
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F.D.A. Warns Merck About Plant

N.Y. Times–The FDA has ordered Merck & Company to correct numerous manufacturing deficiencies at its main vaccine plant, the agency said Wednesday.
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U.S. power cos could get CO2 credits worth billions

Reuters–U.S. power companies could get free carbon credits worth billions of dollars under global warming legislation being considered by the U.S. Congress.
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State Legislators Seek Bills to Allow Questioning of Evolution Theory in Schools

FOX News–Legislators in several states are seeking new ways to allow teachers to cast doubt on the theory of evolution.
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Study Questions ‘No Child’ Act’s Reading Plan

Washington Post–Students enrolled in a $6 billion federal reading program that is at the heart of the No Child Left Behind law are not reading any better than those who don’t participate.
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New mental health policy may help more U.S. troops

Reuters–U.S. troops who seek psychological care after combat will no longer face the possibility of losing their security clearances.
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Oxygen-poor ocean zones are growing

L.A. Times–Linked to global warming, these areas of the Pacific and Atlantic cannot sustain most marine life, a new study warns.
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In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World

N.Y. Times–Using computer simulations and measurements of ocean temperatures, scientists predicts a slight cooling of Europe and North America, probably related to shifting currents and patterns in the oceans.
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H.P. Reports Big Advance in Memory Chip Design

N.Y. Times–HP scientists reported in the science journal Nature that they have designed a simple circuit element that could make it possible to build tiny powerful computers.
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The greening of Greensburg, Kan.

USA Today–A year later, tornado-devastated town finds new life in rebuilding eco-friendly.
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Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

Business Week–Corn-based fuel isn’t the villain critics contend, but shifting to other crops is critical.
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It can be a gamble to invest in alternative energy

USA Today–Consider companies that dabble in wind power, conservation.
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Charred Earth Examined as Carbon-Storing Option

Discovery–Exploring storing carbon in charcoal, or biochar, which is resistant to microbial attack and can stay in the soil for hundreds or thousands of years.
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Today’s Science Policy News for April, 30th 2008

A look at today’s science and health policy news:

Court Forces Government to Move on Polar Bear Status

NY Times- A federal court has ruled that the Bush Administration must decide whether the polar bear deserves protection by May 15.
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New Policy Prolongs EPA Chemical Reviews

Washington Post–The Bush administration has changed EPA reviews of chemicals in a way that will delay scientific assessments of their health risks.
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White House blocked EPA studies, GAO reports

SF Gate–The GAO reported that the White House’s budget office and other agencies had delayed or blocked efforts by the EPA to list chemicals as carcinogens by requesting more research time.
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Senators Propose Ban on Chemical in Plastics

Washington Post–Senate Democrats introduced a bill yesterday that would ban a controversial chemical found in plastics from all products made for infants and young children.
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Groups sue to get gray wolves back on endangered species list

L.A. Times–At least 35 have been killed in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming since their March 28 delisting.
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Has U.S. Science Lost Its Competitive Edge?

ScienceNOW–A symposium held yesterday by the National Academies attempted to answer questions on U.S. competitiveness.
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Hubble mission: Big on safety, pressed for time

USA Today–The astronauts who will repair the Hubble Space Telescope say safety upgrades at NASA will make their flight safer but their job harder.
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Texans in Congress try to boost NASA budget

Houston Chronicle–The Texas congressional delegation pressed ahead Tuesday with an effort to boost NASA’s $17.3 billion budget.
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Antarctic ice threatened by ozone-hole recovery

Nature–Recovery of the ozone hole above Antarctica could warm the Antarctic and cause more ice to melt in coming decades, researchers say.
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How safe are green cleaning products?

L.A. Times–Plant-based or natural ingredients don’t always mean a cleaning product is safe. The market is largely unregulated.
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Food scientists say stop biofuels to fight world hunger

A.P.–Some food scientists recommend halting the use of food-based biofuels, such as ethanol, saying it would cut corn prices by 20 percent during a world food crisis.
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