[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 20, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             INTRODUCTION OF THE SOUND SCIENCE ACT OF 2013

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                        HON. STEPHEN LEE FINCHER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 20, 2013

  Mr. FINCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss my bill, the Sound 
Science Act of 2013, which directs the Office of Science and Technology 
Policies (OSTP) to require each agency to develop guidelines to 
maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of scientific 
information used by federal agencies.
  My legislation requires appropriate peer review, the disclosure of 
scientific studies used in making decisions, and an opportunity for 
stakeholder input. It also requires federal agencies to give greatest 
weight to information based on reproducible data that is developed in 
accordance with the scientific method. Further, it deems agency actions 
that do not follow such procedures to be arbitrary and subject to 
challenge by affected stakeholders.
  Mr. Speaker, many of the regulations developed by the federal 
agencies are well intentioned, yet recently there have been reports 
that federal agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 
may be moving well beyond hard-science in the rule making process, 
which would have significant negative impacts on a wide range of 
industries. For example, some outside interest groups are pressuring 
the FDA to take action against antimicrobial soaps, asserting that 
antimicrobial soaps are no more effective than common soap, even though 
antimicrobial soap has been mandated in hospitals and doctors' offices 
for decades. Additionally, chicken and pork farmers are concerned that 
the FDA's decision to review long-standing industry practices in the 
area of antibiotics without a sound scientific basis will adversely 
affect animal welfare and will have a negative impact on food safety.
  Simply put, the rules and regulations promulgated by federal agencies 
affect both businesses and the consumer. Bottom line, the U.S. economy 
is in a fragile state, any hurdle, fee, or foreign advantage, will cost 
the U.S. economy valuable jobs. Higher costs to comply with regulations 
undermine businesses ability to compete globally, while causing 
consumers to pay more for products.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues in the House (and Senate) to 
support me in passing the Sound Science Act of 2013 in order to ensure 
the scientific integrity of federal agencies.

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