Senate Environment and Public Works Passes EPA 'Secret Science' Bill

Earlier this week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved S. 544, “The Secret Science Reform Act," on a party line vote of 11-9.  S. 544 would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from finalizing rules that are based on science that is not "transparent or reproducible."  It would also compel EPA to make publicly available all the studies and data that go into its rulemakings.  Last month, the House passed its version of the bill (H.R. 1030), also mostly along party lines, despite a White House veto threat.  In its veto threat against the House bill, the White House said that the legislation would impose "arbitrary, unnecessary and expensive requirements."