Science & Congress

What I Learned, and Unlearned, in My Year as IFT’s Congressional Science Fellow

Tom Zinnen Biotechnology Policy & Outreach University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Wisconsin-Extension

IFT & AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship Program • IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists

IFT & AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship Program • IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists • IFT is now in its sixth year of participation • AAAS program in its 28th year

IFT & AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship Program • IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists • IFT is now in its sixth year of participation • AAAS program in its 28th year • About 35 scientific societies involved • Selection in spring • Orientations begin at the end of August • 95 fellows total: 39 in Congress, the rest in the executive branch

Benefits to IFT • Fulfilling the aspiration to be the leading voice for science in food policy.

• Building a corps of members with experience and connections within Congress and the executive branch.

• Providing an opportunity for members to participate in government

Selection • Nominations in January • Reviewed in February • Interviews in March or April • Selection in May • Transition in summer • AVMA/CoFARM orientation, end of Aug • AAAS orientation, 2 weeks in Sept

Placement • If I’m free and have a PhD, why is this so hard?

• Questions: • House or Senate • Personal or Committee • R or D • Issues or Personality

IFT’s Congressional Science Fellows • Joe Regenstein, Senate personal • Stephanie Smith, Senate committee • Mickey Parrish, Cong. Research Service • Joan Rothenberg, House personal • Tom Zinnen, House committee • Monica Seagroves-Fanjoy

Placement • Timing • Election year • Presidential election year • Status of appropriations bills • Staff familiarity with AAAS and experience with fellows • Space

Top Issues: • Biotech & food • Genomics • International trade • US biotech & food policy • Sharing Science with The Public • Privacy, Intellectual Property, Propriety

House versus Senate • The Senate is the Enemy • Majority Rules • A Working Body • 2 year terms--you’re running all the time • Dissolves & reorganizes every other year • The House is the Enemy • Minority Rights • A Deliberative Body • 6 year terms • A continuing body • Shares head of government functions with president

House Committee on Agriculture • House committees: A and B • Committee chairmanships: 6 year rule • Mr Combest of Texas

House Committee on Agriculture • House committees: A and B • Committee chairmanships: 6 year rule • Mr Combest of Texas • Mr Stenholm of Texas

House Committee on Agriculture • House committees: A and B • Committee chairmanships: 6 year rule • Mr Combest of Texas • Mr Stenholm of Texas • 49 others • Large committee, high turnover

Jurisdiction In Relation to other Committees • House Ag is an Authorizing Committee • It must deal with the Ag Appropriations Subcommittee • Budget, Rules, Ways & Means, Appropriations • Judiciary, Energy & Commerce, Resources, Science • Examples: Dairy Compacts, Water, Trade

Jurisdiction, 2 • USDA • FDA (food) • EPA (some aspects of pesticides)

Constituencies • America’s Farmers and Ranchers • America’s Ranchers and Farmers • The Farmers and Ranchers of America • The Ranchers and Farmers of America • The Growers and Producers of America’s Food and Fiber and BioFuels • (The people who ship and market food)

Calendar • Jan 3 • Jan 20 • March: Budget Resolution • August recess • Oct 1, new FY • Jan • March • Oct 1 • Nov X, Election Day

Organizing the Committee • Protect Jurisdiction • Chairmanship • Membership of Committee • Number of Subcommittees • Chairmen of Subcommittees

What do Congress Members Do?

• Legislate: Make and Amend Statutes • Budget: Plan to spend money, spend it, and account for it • Constituent service • Oversight • Get re-elected

Oversight • Staff briefings • Member briefings • Hearings • GAO reports • NAS and other reports

Food Issues in 2000-2001 • StarLink, September 18, 2000 • Mad Cow Disease in Germany, Nov 2000 • Foot & Mouth Disease in UK, Feb2001 • Other Life Science Issues • Genomics: Human, Arabidopsis, E. coli • Cloning & Human Embryonic Stem Cells

StarLink • The Split Approval • The Blunder: Applying the Standards of Practice of Hybrid Corn Production but Not the Standard of Performance • 660’ isolation, 3% tolerance = hybrid corn • 660’ isolation, zero tolerance = StarLink • Contaminant vs Adulterant • Detecting DNA suffices • Impacts on the food chain and brandnames

Foot & Mouth Disease • Recently in Taiwan • By Accident or By Malice: • General concern about Invasive Species • Specific Concern in Agroterrorism • In UK, impacts on rural economy – In Agriculture – In Tourism

Mad Cow Disease in Europe • Words Count • Reassurances that may or may not address Risks • Measures by USDA • Communication by USDA • The Important Difference between Making Statements about Nature and Making Statements about Our Best Understanding of Nature

Words Count, Continued • EU’s new reviews of transgenic crops • “No risk to humans, livestock or the environment” • $4 billion is bigger than $400 million

Politics, Policy & Science • The order is the essence • Where do Members get their scientific advice?

• “Who ya gonna call?”

Researching Risks of Biotech • 1% of Biotech for Risk Research • Six flavors of Biotech • All the money goes to researching risks of only one flavor • What’s a fair comparison?

The Bombings in Seattle and Clatskanie

The Bombings in Seattle and Clatskanie • $5 million damage to U. of Washington Urban Horticulture Facility in Seattle • The Impact of the Front Page Color Photo Above the Fold in the NY Times • Governmental Responses to Protect the People and the Facilities that Make Up the Research, Extension and Education System in Agriculture

Some Trends • The “S” Word for Grains and Dairy, but not for Livestock and Fruits & Veggies.

• Continued emphasis on production ag • Conservation as a way to increase farm income consistent with WTO and with the support of urban America • Inroads in a broader view of the food system

Funding for Life Sciences and for Ag & Food Science • NIH • NSF • USDA

Understanding the Powers & Limits of Science • Dealing with Uncertainty • Probing the Unknown

Would I do it again?

• In a Heartbeat

Do I encourage others to try?

• Absolutely--it’s a transforming experience.

Thanks to • IFT • IFT Foundation • IFT Chicago Staff, esp. Mary Helen Arthur • IFT DC Staff, esp. Stephanie Smith and Fred Shank • UWEX • UWBC