[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5040]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     INSIGHTFUL EDITORIAL CENSORED

  (Ms. LOFGREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, ``Catering to the Religious Right,'' that 
is the tagline the editors at the San Jose Mercury News used to 
introduce its March 15 editorial and cartoon regarding President Bush's 
science policy.
  The editorial outlined the Bush administration's distortion and 
censorship of scientific research. On global warming, stem cell 
research, drinking water and air, women's health, the Bush 
administration has overlooked proven scientific data to placate big 
business or the religious right.
  The Mercury News serves the largest media market in Northern 
California and is read by millions of people around the world, and I 
thought that the Members of the House should also see this editorial 
which was to become part of my ``Dear Colleague'' letter last week. 
Unbelievably, the Republican staff of the Committee on House 
Administration vetoed the letter as too political. They came to this 
conclusion without consulting the Democratic staff.
  Readers of a newspaper of general circulation can read the truth, but 
not the elected Members of the House of Representatives. Should we be 
surprised? Republicans in the White House are censoring scientists; 
apparently the Republican majority in this House is following that 
pattern. Republicans may be able to stop me from sending a letter, but 
they cannot stop me from speaking on the floor.

                          ____________________