WASHINGTON—The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4012, the Secret Science Reform Act of 2014, by a 237-190 vote on Nov. 19.
According to the bill summary on THOMAS, the search engine for Congress, H.R. 4012 amends the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 to prohibit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from proposing or finalizing any action unless all scientific and technical information supporting the action is publicly available and can be independently verified.
Among the industry supporters of the bill was the Adhesive and Sealant Council.
“The Environmental Protection Agency must utilize high-quality science as well as provide transparency on how decisions are made when issuing federal regulations,” the ASC said just before the House vote. “H.R. 4012 will increase the clarity and understanding of how the agency has reached a regulatory decision for all involved stakeholders.”
A motion to reconsider H.R. 4012 was laid on the table and agreed to without objection.