U.S. House: Chemical Safety Board in Disarray
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is in disarray and has struggled to finish investigations into serious accidents at chemical plants and refineries that in one case killed seven people, according to a draft report by two Congressional committees. The report, prepared by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, said CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso and two other officials have created an "abusive and hostile work environment" at the board's offices. The report, seen by Reuters, will be issued later Thursday. As a result, experienced investigators have left, according to the report, and delayed probes such as the one into the 2010 explosion at Tesoro Petroleum Corp's refinery in Anacortes, Washington, that killed seven.
Cummings Supports Coast Guard’s Educational Partnership
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and former Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, will join Coast Guard senior leaders and the President of Morgan State University, Dr. David Wilson, on Tuesday, November 1st, aboard the newly delivered Coast Guard National Security Cutter STRATTON to sign a partnership agreement that will provide new academic opportunities to Morgan State University’s students and faculty…
Cummings Requests Further BP Investigation
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a request to Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) on August 30, requesting that, in his role as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, Rep. Kucinich convene a hearing to examine questions surrounding the extent of the oil that remains in the Gulf of Mexico following the spill from the BP Macondo well-site, as well as the adequacy of current government and private industry efforts to assess the danger that remnant oil in the waters of the Gulf poses to the environment and to the seafood harvested from the Gulf.
Cummings Introduces Legislation to Curb the Spread of Infections
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, announced the introduction of the Community and Healthcare-Associated Infections Reduction (CHAIR) Act of 2007, H.R. 4214, legislation to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of deadly infectious disease. H.R. 4214 specifically addresses the growing concern surrounding the drug-resistant staph infection known as MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 19,000 patients with invasive MRSA died in 2005—more than the number who died from HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's, emphysema or homicide. Eighty-five percent of those MRSA cases originated from hospitals. H.R.
