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Re: Science Chair Boehlert-Views on 2001 (fwd)
You all might be interested in knowing that the Seaborg ANS Congressional
Fellow this year will be working in Rep. Boehlert's Science Committee
office, which should bring nuclear issues up on Rep. Boehlert's radar
screen.
what will we do without RADSAFE? Isn't there another university that would
take it on? How about HPS?
Ruth Weiner
ruth_weiner@msn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Thursday, February 01, 2001 12:15 PM
Subject: Science Chair Boehlert-Views on 2001 (fwd)
>I thought RadSafers might be interested in the following policy issue.
>This is a summary of perspectives from the new Chair of the House
>Science Committee, Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), who is generally regarded
>as a friend of science. Of particular interest is his LACK of mention
>of the nuclear energy option as well as his promise to take a hard look
>at the DOE. Nuclear energy proponants have their work cut out for them.
>
>This is unedited, so all misspellings below are someone else's fault.
>
>Regards,
>Susan Gawarecki
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 11:31:24 -0500
>From: cssp@acs.org
>To: Board <CSSP@acs.org>
>Subject: Science Chair Boehlert-Views on 2001
>
>Sherwood Boehlert(R-NY), new Chair of the House Science
>Comte had this to say this am at a meeting at the NAS:
>1) he joked that he will become popular by providing
> "press coverage for the Members of the Comte, parking
>for the staff, and money for the scientific community" and
>said that he wanted to build the Science Comte into a more
>significant force in Congress.
>2) He want a healthy, sustainable and productive R&D--
>"one that educates students, increases human knowledge,
>strengthens US competitiveness and contributes to the
>well-being of the world."
>3) In this year, 2001, he will concentrate on sci-math
>education, energy policy, and the environment and said
>he doesn't have any ready made solutions yet. But
>he did ask how we can attract more top students into
>sci-math teaching, how can we ensure that technology
>actually improves education, and how can we use exams
> to promote critical thinking, retention of knowledge, and
>a love of learning. He suggessted that drawing resources
>into research universities may help amswer his questions.
>4) His view of energy policy was focused around alternative
>sources--wind, solar, fuel cells, etc and conservation. he
>also suggetsed that he'd "give a good, ahrd look " at the
>Dept of Energy.
>5) He said that we need environmental research that is
>adequately funded and conducted by top scientists both
>inside and outside govmt. He wants the Science Comte
>to keep abreast of brewing controversies in environ policy.
>He wants "more reliable results, not more convenient ones".
>He wants to review "the risks of biotech on the environment".
>6) He planneed the first full Comte hearings on the above
>agenda to occur in early March.
>7) He will explore his concerns about the health of the research
>enterprise itself and promised unabiguously to "fight to increase
>research funding, especially in the physical sciences,"in the
>coming year and support the "vital DoE Labs".
>8) He promised that the Science Comte will look at the apparent
>imbalance in the federal research portfolio. But he will ask many
>"tough questions" about if that is so. He asked, "Given the clear
>public concern with health and other areas of biology, why shouldn't
>NIH get the larger share of the pie?"
> He asked "why double the federal civilian research budget?
>What are we going to get for that money? How will we ever know
> if we are over- or under-spending in any filed or area?"
> He said he will not any longer accept "randomly generated
>numbers" in place of real data in search of answers to his questions
>--so let us round up the needed data. He answered a query on
>the "doubling bill" with a show of skepticism and finally the
>statement that he " would like to find a way to pass it".
>9) He said we need to make a better case to the appropriators, and
>noted that Jim Walsh(R-NY) was both a key figure in this process
>and a good personal friend of his. But he said Congress will deal
>with "doubling agency by agency, and that the DoE Labs do not yet
>have a clear role."
>10) He worried about the growing university-industry (U-I)partnership
>and the remaining role of government. He asked how does the U-I
>affect education, free flow of ideas and information, the nature of the
>University research, intellectual property. "The time has come to
>review the U-I relationship", he said. "How can they be more productive
>and less risky to universities?" he asked.
>11) He concluded that his new role was to be the science community's
>"staunchest ally, and fairest critic". he said he will always ask the
>tough
>and uncomforatble questions to ensure that the science community
>is acting in the nation's long term interest.
>He concluded that he will make Einstein smile--he will ensure that as
>long as he is chairman, "no one plays dice with your universe".
>
>------- End of Forwarded Message
>--
>.....................................................
>Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
>Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee
> -----
>A schedule of meetings on DOE issues is posted on our Web site
>http://www.local-oversight.org/meetings.html - E-mail loc@icx.net
>.....................................................
>
>
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