E.P.A. Nominee Gets an Earful From Committee Democrats

[Rose Siding]

snip>
Appearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Mr. Johnson, a 24-year employee of the E.P.A. who has been acting administrator since his predecessor, Michael O. Leavitt, became secretary of health and human services, was greeted warmly by Republicans and faced predictably pointed questions from Democrats over recent agency initiatives, including controversial emission control rules put into place last month.

Ms. Boxer's objections were based on a little-known research program near Jacksonville, Fla., sponsored by the agency and the American Chemistry Council, that offered money to low-income families willing to allow the agency to measure the effects of pesticides on their children under 1 year of age. The project, called Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study, was suspended last year after negative public reaction that prompted the agency to call in outside experts to access its feasibility.
.....
.....Calling the program "appalling, unethical and immoral," Ms. Boxer implored Mr. Johnson "to pull the plug on this program tomorrow" and, in an interview later, said she would do whatever she can to hold up his confirmation so long as the program has any chance of being revived.

"Until it's canceled, I will do anything I can to stop this nomination," she said. "This program is the worst kind of thing; it's environmental injustice where children are the victims."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/06/politics/06cnd-enviro.html?

[Hand]

1. You GO, Barbara!

Bitch slap that slimy POS until he cries uncle! Then do it some more!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. what you said!

[DeepModem Mom]

2. What??? Testing pesticides on toddlers from poor families?

Wake up America -- there's something seriously wrong with these people!

[Rose Siding]

3. Yeah and THAT's who bush picked to LEAD the EPA

Unbelievable.

[mbperrin]

4. Huh! Thought Mengele

was dead!

[drduffy]

6. Just the typical

repub attitude to towards the poor and defenseless. The 'caste' system coming to America. You know, the poor and their children aren't really 'people' anyway, are they?

[Coventina]

7. I'm wondering about legal ramifications (oh yeah... "tort reform")

I mean, say the kid gets some kind of chronic health problem, say crippling athesma from this experiment.

Can't he sue his parents and/or the government once he gets older?

But I suppose "tort reform" will take away his right to do that.

These people are EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!

:wtf: :mad: :puke:

[struggle4progress]

8. kick for Republican family values