EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2014
Latest action · Nov 19, 2014 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedApr 9, 2013
- Passed HouseNov 18, 2014
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to revise requirements for the Science Advisory Board, which gives scientific advice to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and address public disclosure of scientific and technical information that the EPA uses as a basis for agency actions.
Emphasizes that the Board provides such advice independently.
Revises the process of selecting members of the Board. Requires at least 10% of Board membership to represent state, local, or tribal governments. Excludes from membership any federally registered lobbyists.
Directs the Board to ensure that:
- the points of view represented on the Board are fairly balanced among the members,
- persons with substantial and relevant expertise are not excluded from the Board because of affiliation with or representation of entities that might have a potential interest in the Board's advisory activities, and
- members do not participate in advisory activities that involve review or application of their own work.
Revises Board terms of office.
Revises the procedures for providing advice and comments to the EPA by: (1) including draft risk or hazard assessments in the regulatory proposals and documents made available to the Board, and (2) requiring advice and comments to be included in the record regarding any such proposal and published in the Federal Register.
Revises the operation of Board member committees and investigative panels to: (1) require that they operate in accordance with the membership, participation, and policy requirements (including new requirements for public participation in advisory activities of the Board) contained in this Act; (2) deny them authority to make decisions on behalf of the Board; and (3) prohibit direct reporting to EPA.
Revises requirements for public participation and transparency. Requires the EPA and the Board to make all reports and relevant scientific information available to the public concurrently when that information is made available to the Board.
Adds guidelines for the conduct of Board advisory activities, including: (1) avoidance of making policy determinations or recommendations, (2) communication of uncertainties, (3) dissenting members' views, and (4) periodic reviews to ensure that such activities address the most important scientific issues affecting EPA.
(Sec. 3) Prohibits this Act from being construed as supplanting the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act or the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
Recorded votes 3
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 525 | On Passage | Passed229–191 | Nov 18, 2014 |
| House 524 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed195–225 | Nov 18, 2014 |
| House 523 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Agreed to232–184 | Nov 18, 2014 |
Cosponsors 21
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Apr 9, 2013 to Jun 27, 2013; 5 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-MD | Andy Harris | Original | Apr 9, 2013 |
| R-MI | Dan Benishek | Original | Apr 9, 2013 |
| R-CA | Dana Rohrabacher | Original | Apr 9, 2013 |
| R-TX | Lamar Smith | Original | Apr 9, 2013 |
| R-TX | Ralph M. Hall | Original | Apr 9, 2013 |
| R-TX | Joe Barton | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-TX | Louie Gohmert | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-GA | Lynn A. Westmoreland | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-UT | Rob Bishop | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-MT | Steve Daines | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-TX | Steve Stockman | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-GA | Tom Price | May 22, 2013 | |
| R-WY | Cynthia M. Lummis | Jun 27, 2013 | |
| R-AZ | David Schweikert | Jun 27, 2013 | |
| R-AK | Don Young | Jun 27, 2013 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Science, Space, and Technology Committee | Referred Apr 9, 2013Markup Apr 11, 2013Reported Jul 22, 2013 |
| Senate | Environment and Public Works Committee | Referred Nov 19, 2014 |
Actions 20
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Nov 19, 2014Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Nov 18, 2014Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 756. (consideration: CR H8050-8064; text of measure as reported in the House: CR H8050-8051)
- Nov 18, 2014Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1422, H.R. 4012 and H.R. 4795. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1422, H.R. 4012, and H.R. 4795. General debate is limited to 1 hour for each bill. The resolution specifies certain amendments are in order for H.R. 1422, H.R. 4012, and H.R. 4795. One motion to recommit with instructions is permitted for each bill.
- Nov 18, 2014DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 1422.
- Nov 18, 2014POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - The Chair announced that pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule 19, further proceedings on H.R. 1422 had been postponed.
- Nov 18, 2014Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8060-8064)
- Nov 18, 2014DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 756, the House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Stewart Part A amendment No. 1.
- Nov 18, 2014Mr. Maloney, Sean moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. (consideration: CR H8062-8063; text: H8062)
- Nov 18, 2014DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sean Maloney motion to recommit with instructions, pending reservation of a point of order. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to prohibit people from serving on the Science Advisory Board if they represent a corporation or a trade association with a financial interest in the outcome of the Boards decisions. The reservation of the point of order was subsequently withdrawn.
- Nov 18, 2014The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H8062)
- Nov 18, 2014On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 195 - 225 (Roll no. 524).
- Nov 18, 2014Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 229 - 191 (Roll no. 525).
- Nov 18, 2014Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Nov 17, 2014Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 756 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1422, H.R. 4012 and H.R. 4795. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1422, H.R. 4012, and H.R. 4795. General debate is limited to 1 hour for each bill. The resolution specifies certain amendments are in order for H.R. 1422, H.R. 4012, and H.R. 4795. One motion to recommit with instructions is permitted for each bill.
- Jul 22, 2013Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 113-165.
- Jul 22, 2013Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 119.
- Apr 11, 2013Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Apr 11, 2013Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 21 - 16.
- Apr 9, 2013Introduced in House
- Apr 9, 2013Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
In the Congressional Record 3
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E1631 | Gerald E. Connolly D-VA | Nov 19, 2014 |
| House | Debate and remarks H8045–H8050, H8050–H8064Text printed H8045, H8050Amendments H8048, H8060Motions H8062Recorded votes H8049, H8050, H8061, H8063consideration (H. Res. 756), previous questionSean Maloney motion to recommit (prohibit corporation and trade associations members from serving if entity has a financial interest in outcome of decisions)Stewart amendment (technical) | Ami Bera D-CA, Andy Harris R-MD, Chris Stewart R-UT (amendment), David E. Price D-NC, David Schweikert R-AZ, Eddie Bernice Johnson D-TX, James P. McGovern D-MA (amendment), Lamar Smith R-TX, Marsha Blackburn R-TN, Michael C. Burgess R-TX, Randy K. Weber, Sr. R-TX, Rob Bishop R-UT, Rodney Davis R-IL, Rush Holt D-NJ, Sean Patrick Maloney D-NY (motion), Suzanne Bonamici D-OR | Nov 18, 2014 |
| House | Debate and remarks H7852 | Lamar Smith R-TX | Sep 18, 2014 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Apr 22, 2013H.R. 1422, EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013As ordered reported by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on April 11, 2013
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the page H1858.
CRS reports 1
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 1
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R42879 | Federal Regulation of Chemicals in Commerce: An Overview of Issues for the 113th Congress Archived | Report | May 30, 2013 |
Amendments 2
Amendments offered to this bill.
| Amendment | Description | Offered by | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAmdt 1144 | Amendment in the nature of a substitute. | Rules Committee | House amendment offered |
| HAmdt 1145 | Amendment makes sundry technical and conforming changes to the bill in order to allow the measure to be properly applied to existing statute. | Chris Stewart R-UT | On agreeing to the Stewart amendment (A002) Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 232 - 184 (Roll no. 523). |
Related bills 2
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to provide for Scientific Advisory Board member qualifications, public participation, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013
- Short Titles as Reported to House
- EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013
- Short Titles as Passed House
- EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2014
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Environmental Protection.
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Nov 19, 2014Referred in Senate
- Nov 18, 2014Engrossed in House
- Jul 22, 2013Reported in House
- Apr 9, 2013Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
