Marburger Responds To Charges Of Politicized Science

Abstract

Allegations by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) that the White House has been politicizing science are preposterous, says President George W. Bush's science adviser, John H. Marburger III. In a 20-page response, as requested by Congress, he delivers a pointed criticism of the UCS report that was issued in February (C&EN, Feb. 23, page 5). For example, a UCS accusation that a political litmus test is applied before someone can serve on an federal science advisory panel is untrue, Marburger says. Many Democrats serve on advisory panels, he comments. In another instance, UCS claims that the White House pressured EPA to remove information on global climate change from its draft Report on the Environment 2003. But Marburger responds that EPA appropriately referred readers to a long discussion in the Climate Change Science Strategic Plan issued in July instead of including information on global change in its draft. The UCS ...