{"id":19308,"date":"2023-01-23T16:26:06","date_gmt":"2023-01-23T16:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/?p=19308"},"modified":"2023-01-23T16:26:06","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T16:26:06","slug":"esa-policy-news-january-23-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esa.org\/esablog\/2023\/01\/23\/esa-policy-news-january-23-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"ESA Policy News: January 23, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this issue:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Congress<\/a>
\n<\/strong>House Republicans name new members and leadership for the House Appropriations Committee, House Science Committee and House Natural Resources Committee with the start of the 118th Congress.<\/p>\n

Executive Branch<\/strong><\/a>
\nBiden administration releases a National Strategy to Develop Statistics for Environmental Economic Decisions.<\/p>\n

Courts<\/a><\/strong>
\nStates and industry groups challenge new Biden Waters of the U.S. rule in the courts.<\/p>\n

States<\/strong><\/a>
\nDemocrats in Minnesota pledge to use new trifecta to require 100% renewable energy by 2040.<\/p>\n

International<\/strong><\/a>
\nUAE named oil chief to lead COP28 talks.<\/p>\n

Scientific Community<\/a><\/strong>
\nNSF declines to include question about sexual orientation in workforce surveys.<\/p>\n

Federal Register opportunities<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Congress<\/h2>\n

Appropriations Committee:<\/strong> With the start of the 118th<\/sup> session of Congress and a new Republican majority in the House, House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger (R-TX) announced new appropriations subcommittee chairs. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) will lead the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee. Rogers is a long-time appropriator who previously served as the chair of the Appropriations Committee. The Commerce, Justice and Science subcommittee drafts the bill that funds the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA, among other agencies. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) is leading the Interior and Environment Subcommittee, which funds the Interior Department, the US Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. Rep. Chuck Fleishman (R-TN) is the chair of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee. Fleishman\u2019s district includes Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) chairs the Agriculture, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration subcommittee.<\/p>\n

House:<\/strong> The full House voted 365-65 to establish<\/a> a new Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party. Among other US-China issues, the committee is expected to address US-China science and technology collaboration and research security. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) is the chair of the committee. Several Democrats, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), have expressed interest in being the committee\u2019s ranking member. Khanna was the original House sponsor of the Endless Frontiers Act, a predecessor to the Chips and Science Act.<\/p>\n

Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) released the following statement:<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a caucus, CAPAC remains neutral regarding the creation of the Select Committee. We strongly support strengthening our economy and protecting our national security, and we have always recognized that there are legitimate concerns with the actions of the government of the People\u2019s Republic of China.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, because of the known risks of xenophobic rhetoric intensifying anti-Asian hate here in the United States\u2014and my belief that the work of this Select Committee can be done by existing committees in the House\u2014I voted against H.Res. 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot forget that rhetoric used around economic competition with Asian countries has resulted in the verbal and physical harassment and even murder of Asian Americans here at home.\u00a0 Since March 2020 and former President Trump\u2019s sustained references to the coronavirus as the \u2018China virus,\u2019 over 11,500 hate crimes and incidents against Asian Americans have been reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the House of Representatives embarks on the formation of this committee, CAPAC reminds all members that this committee should not be used as an open invitation to engage and traffic in blatantly xenophobic anti-China rhetoric that we know historically results in physical violence and emotional harm against Asian Americans across the country. Further, this committee cannot be used to promote policies that result in the racial profiling of our communities, but rather it must be directly focused on specific concerns related to the government of the People\u2019s Republic of China.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout the 118th Congress, CAPAC will remain vigilant in overseeing the committee\u2019s work, hearings, and rhetoric. What we say and how we say it matters. And we know how dangerous the consequences can be if we don\u2019t get this right.\u201d<\/p>\n

House<\/strong>: The Republican House Steering Committee announced new committee assignments for Republicans for the 118th<\/sup> Committee. Led by Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK), the new Republican members of the House Science Committee are Reps. Dale Strong (R-AL), Max Miller (R-OH), Rich McCormick (R-GA), Mike Collins (R-GA), Brandon Williams (R-NY), George Santos (R-NY) and Tim Kean (R-NJ). Strong is a freshman member who represents a district that includes NASA facilities in Huntsville, AL.<\/p>\n

Returning Republican members of the House Science Committee are Reps. Randy Weber (R-TX), Brian Babin (R-TX), Jim Baird (R-IN), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Mike Garcia (R-CA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA). Baird is an agricultural scientist and one of few Ph.D. scientists in Congress.<\/p>\n

The new Republican members of the House Natural Resources Committee are Reps. Mike Collins (R-GA), John Duarte (R-CA), Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Anna Luna (R-FL) and James Moylan (R-Guam). Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) is the House Natural Resources Committee chair. Westerman served as the committee\u2019s ranking member during the previous session of Congress and has a professional background in forestry.<\/p>\n

Interior:<\/strong> The Bureau of Land Management is revising<\/a> sage grouse conservation plans. The agency first revised management plans to protect sage grouse habitat and avoid an Endangered Species Act listing for the bird in 2015 during the Obama administration. The Trump administration amended the plans in 2019. The Biden administration is expected to revisit the Trump administration changes to the original conservation plans and review new scientific information published since 2015. The Bureau is now expected to release new proposed resource management plan revision during summer 2023.<\/p>\n

More News:<\/u><\/p>\n