Gardner calls for Colorado Farmers’ Input:
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican, is asking for input from Colorado farmers on their priorities as the new session of Congress gets underway. Gardner, who sits on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, among others, asked the Colorado Farm Bureau “and farmers and ranchers across the state on what legislative priorities are important to Colorado’s agriculture communities,” in a letter sent Tuesday. “As we move forward into a new Congress and new administration, I want to hear from Colorado Farm Bureau and our state’s farmers and ranchers on how we can work together to support growth in Colorado’s agriculture industry. With various commodity prices dropping close to 20 percent between 2013 and 2015, I would like to know what legislative priorities you believe will assist in helping to turn around this trend. “Whether it is regulations or legislation, it is important for the administration and Congress to understand the impact of their policies, and agriculture is no exception. I look forward to hearing from you and farmers and ranchers throughout the state on how we can work together to ensure Colorado agriculture continues to be effectively represented in Washington.”
President Obama Signs Gardner-Peters American Innovation and Competitiveness Act Into Law:
President Obama signed the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, a bicameral, bipartisan legislative compromise originally introduced by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Gary Peters (D-MI), along with John Thune (R-SD), and Bill Nelson (D-FL). The first major update to federal research and technology policy to originate in the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in more than a decade, this legislation maximizes basic research opportunities, reduces administrative burdens for researchers, encourages scientific entrepreneurship, and promotes oversight of taxpayer-funded research. The legislation also promotes diversity in STEM fields, incentivizes private-sector innovation, and boosts manufacturing. It most directly affects programs within the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
During a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing, Former National Science Board official Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier stated, “This committee has already addressed one of the greatest long-term threats to American innovation: You’ve made science bipartisan again, countering rhetoric that has at times made the research community feel under siege.”
“I’m proud to see the President sign the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act into law today. A strong, bipartisan effort, this legislation is the result of nearly two years of work to gather input from the scientific community, universities, and interested stakeholders,” said Senator Gardner. “I thank Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson, and Senator Peters for their leadership and hard work to not only make science bipartisan again, but ensure that America stays at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development.”
“I’m pleased the President signed into law this important bipartisan bill that will ensure America maintains a competitive edge in the global economy,” said Senator Peters, Ranking Member of the Space, Science and Competitiveness Subcommittee. “Scientific research and innovation are the foundation of a strong economy, and the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act will help leverage federal investments in basic research, strengthen STEM education to train a skilled workforce and support small and medium sized manufacturers to keep our country internationally competitive. I was honored to work with Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson and Senator Gardner to craft this vital legislation that will help our economy continue to grow.”
Highlights of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act:
Maximizing Basic Research
- Highlights Peer Review: Reaffirms the appropriateness of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria used to evaluate grant proposals.
- Keeps Government Accountable to Taxpayers: Promotes transparency by requiring public notices of grants to justify the project’s expenditures and confirm that they align with NSF’s priorities.
- Broadens Research Opportunities: Updates NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) to continue promoting groundbreaking research in states that receive relatively little federal research money.
- Modernizes Existing Programs: Includes updates to the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) programs, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) laboratory and education outreach programs.
- Administrative and Regulatory Burden Reduction
- Reduces Paperwork Burdens: Establishes an inter-agency working group to provide recommendations on eliminating unnecessary paperwork for researchers and institutions.
- Streamlines Government: Repeals obsolete agency reports and unfunded government programs.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
- Enhances Scientific Community Input: Establishes a STEM Advisory Panel composed of academic and industry representatives to provide recommendations on federal STEM programs.
- Promotes Diversity in STEM Fields: Creates a working group to study how to improve inclusion of women and underrepresented individuals in STEM fields and reaffirms the necessity of broadening participation in STEM fields through NSF programs.
Leveraging the Private Sector
- Incentivizes Private-Sector Innovation: Updates prize competition authority to encourage greater participation in federal prize competitions.
- Expands Opportunities for Public Involvement: Permits federal science agencies to use crowdsourcing as a tool to conduct agency projects.
Manufacturing
- Encourages Improved Manufacturing: Adjusts the federal cost-share ratio and implements new accountability and oversight provisions within NIST’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program.
Innovation and Technology Transfer
- Bolsters Scientific Entrepreneurship: Authorizes the successful I-Corps program to help scientists move their research from the laboratory to the marketplace.
- Reaffirms Importance of Commercialization: Directs NSF to continue awarding translational research grants and strengthen public-private cooperation.
Gardner Joins Resolution Opposing UN Action Against Israel:
Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO) announced he joined his colleagues in supporting a resolution, led by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), that firmly opposes United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2334 and all efforts to undermine negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
“President Obama’s decision to abstain from the UN Security resolution vote condemning Israel is a direct affront to our friend and ally, Israel. This is yet another example of the Obama Administration’s failed foreign policy and illustrative of his actions that undermine our allies and strengthen our enemies,” said Gardner. “This bipartisan resolution formally objects to the UN’s efforts to delegitimize Israel and sends a message to the world that we stand with Israel. I urge the incoming Trump Administration to recognize the importance of the relationship with our closest ally, Israel, and work to reiterate our unwavering support.”
The Resolution
- Expresses grave objection to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016);
- Calls for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to be repealed or fundamentally altered so that it is no longer one-sided and allows all final status issues toward a two-state solution to be resolved through direct bilateral negotiations between the parties;
- Rejects efforts by outside bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, to impose solutions from the outside that set back the cause of peace;
- Demands that the United States ensure that no action is taken at the Paris Conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict scheduled for January 15, 2017, that imposes an agreement or parameters on the parties;
- Notes that granting membership and statehood standing to the Palestinians at the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and other international institutions outside of the context of a bilateral peace agreement with Israel would cause severe harm to the peace process, and would likely trigger the implementation of penalties under sections 7036 and 7041(j) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 (division K of Public Law 114–113);
- Rejects any efforts by the United Nations, United Nations agencies, United Nations member states, and other international organizations to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel through economic or other boycotts or any other measures, and urges the United States Government to take action where needed to counter any attempts to use United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 to further isolate Israel;
- Urges the current presidential administration and all future presidential administrations to uphold the practice of vetoing all United Nations Security Council resolutions that seek to insert the Council into the peace process, recognize unilateral Palestinian actions including declaration of a Palestinian state, or dictate terms and a timeline for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
- Reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to continue to seek a sustainable, just, and secure two-state solution to resolve the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians; and
- Urges the incoming Administration to work with Congress to create conditions that facilitate the resumption of direct, bilateral negotiations without preconditions between Israelis and Palestinians with the goal of achieving a sustainable agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
Senator Gardner Introduces Bill to Expand Access to Safe, Effective Contraception:
Love and Comstock Introduce Companion Bill in the House
Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) re-introduced the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act, paving the way for contraceptives to be sold over-the-counter without a prescription. Additionally, Congresswomen Mia Love (R-UT) and Barbara Comstock (R-VA) introduced the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act incentivizes manufacturers of routine-use contraceptives to file an application with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell their products over the counter (OTC). These incentives apply to any contraceptive the FDA deems to be safe and effective for routine OTC use and available to adults over the age of 18. Additionally, the legislation repeals the Affordable Care Act’s restriction on the use of health, medical, and flexible savings accounts to purchase over-the-counter drugs without a prescription.
“The Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act is straightforward: it gives women the ability to purchase contraception over-the-counter,” said Senator Ernst. “Women wear many hats in their increasingly busy, daily lives; they should have the ability to access routine use contraception directly from their local pharmacy. This bill provides them with the opportunity to do just that.”
“It’s important that Congress adopt a modern and commonsense approach to contraception,” said Senator Gardner. “Selling safe and effective oral contraceptives over-the-counter to adults will inevitably drive down costs and afford women the convenience to access their medication on their time. Our legislation recognizes the need to make contraceptives affordable and accessible, and it’s time that Congress put politics aside to allow women the ability to make their own decisions about safe, effective, and long-established methods of contraception.”
Key provisions of the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act
- Incentivizes manufacturers of contraceptives to file an application for a prescription-to-over-the-counter switch (Rx-to-OTC switch) by:
- Allowing priority review for contraceptive Rx-to-OTC switch applications.
- Waiving the FDA filing fee for contraceptive Rx-to-OTC switch applications.
- Makes these incentives available to:
- Contraceptives intended for routine-use that, if found to be safe and effective for OTC use by the FDA, would be made available OTC to adults aged 18 and above.
- Allows women greater access and ability to save for their health care needs by:
- Repealing the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) prohibition on the use of health savings accounts, medical savings accounts, and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to purchase OTC drugs without a prescription.
- Repealing the ACA’s annual limits on FSA contributions.
Gardner’s Disappointment Over EPA’s Refusal to Pay Gold King Mine Claims:
Lawmakers Vow to Introduce Legislative Fix
Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), along with Congressman Scott Tipton (CO-3), today released the below statements regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to not receive and process claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) for any injury or economic loss arising out of the Gold King Mine spill in August 2015.
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy spoke with the lawmakers earlier today to inform them the EPA will not reimburse the 73 individuals and tribes who filed claims under the FTCA.
“I spoke with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy earlier today and she informed me the EPA is not processing these claims,” said Gardner. “This decision is disappointing and I plan to work with Senator Bennet and Congressman Tipton on legislation to ensure my constituents are made whole from this EPA-born spill. Last Congress, I introduced a bill that would expedite the FTCA claims and prohibit the government from using the discretionary function exception under the FTCA in relation to receiving and processing these claims. I will continue this effort with Senator Bennet and Congressman Tipton and work for a legislative fix to the EPA’s decision. When the law allows the government to hide from those whom it has harmed, the law must change. Gardner added: “Furthermore, EPA must expeditiously reimburse all state, local, and tribal governments for response costs, which a provision of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act) I authored mandates. I sent a letter demanding these payments be made in December and will continue to advocate for my constituents. Coloradans deserve better from their government and I plan on working to hold the agency accountable.”
“The record is clear that the Environmental Protection Agency was responsible for the spill. It is extremely disappointing that the EPA has categorically rejected every single claim filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The agency has broken its promise to make our communities whole in the days after the spill,” Bennet said. “We introduced legislation authorizing the EPA to reimburse businesses, tribes, governments, and individuals for damages from the Gold King Spill. We will continue to work with affected states to ensure that all victims are compensated for their losses. We will also continue to push for local governments to receive full reimbursement from the EPA for costs incurred due to the spill.”
“It is hard to believe that the EPA has determined existing statute prohibits the agency from taking full responsibility and remedial actions following the Gold King Mine spill, when the agency has so clearly shown little regard for statute in implementing its regulatory agenda over the past eight years,” said Tipton. “After the EPA’s irresponsible actions led to the release of three million gallons of contaminated water into Cement Creek and the Animas River, the agency said it would make sure that wronged parties were made whole. The news today is a complete departure from that commitment, and our states, local governments, and tribes can rest assured that we will continue to work to make the EPA accountable for the mess they have made.”
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