Disease, Cuba and the EPA

LJWorld.com weblogs Congressional Briefing

Posted by Joel Mathis May 23, 2005 at 7:10 a.m.

Sam Brownback links [(The Times-Picayune) Senators fight 'neglected diseases':][1] Now, Landrieu and Brownback, who is getting mentioned as a possible GOP presidential candidate in 2008, have joined forces to introduce the Eliminate Neglected Disease Act. "Neglected diseases are diseases that don't get much attention but nonetheless account for the vast majority of all deaths in the world: malaria, tuberculosis, acute respiratory infection, infectious diarrhea," Brownback said. Many of the illnesses can be cured with just modest help by U.S. relief agencies, including improved sanitation, the senators said. Jerry Moran links [(Neward Star-Ledger Farmers find allies in fight against U.S.-Cuba policy:][2] An unusual alliance of farm-state Republicans, liberal Democrats and free-trade advocates is fighting a Bush administration policy aimed at stifling the growth of farm exports to Cuba. ... Among them is Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), sponsor of legislation that would overturn the more- stringent Bush administration rules, ease travel restrictions for Americans seeking to do business with Cuba, and allow payments from Cuba to go directly into U.S. bank accounts rather than pass through third-country institutions. A similar measure sponsored by Rep. Jerry Moran (R- Kan.) is pending in the House. Todd Tiahrt links [(OMB Watch commentary) Sneak attack on EPA turned away:][3] If you blinked, you missed it, but what was at stake was nothing less than the ability of the federal government to do anything for the environment: during the House consideration of the appropriations bill for Interior and EPA, Rep. Todd Tiahrt pushed an amendment "to provide that no funds may be used to promulgate regulations without outside auditing to determine the authenticity of the scientific methods used to develop such regulations." It was withdrawn. How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][4] [1]: http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/washington/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1116743035211180.xml [2]: http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/index.ssf?/base/business-0/1116738142322180.xml [3]: http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/753/20 [4]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed