Food and Drug Administration Skirts Scientific Process to Keep Food Safe
The FDA failed to enforce a policy that protects food from potentially unsafe chemicals.
Homeland Security Officials Modified Intelligence Reports to Downplay Politically-Inconvenient Threats
DHS officials delayed or modified several intelligence reports on the threat of Russian political interference in the US.
CDC Defunded by $300 Million for a Politically-Motivated Ad Campaign
CDC officials were sidelined in a decision to remove $300 million from the agency’s budget.
White House Installs Political Operatives at the CDC
The White House installed two political operatives at the CDC to control what information the CDC releases on COVID-19.
CDC Order to Dock Cruise Ships was Substantially Weakened
The White House blocked a science-based order from the CDC extending a no-sail order for cruise ships until mid-February.
White House Blocks CDC From Requiring Masks on Public Transit
The CDC drafted an order requiring all passengers and employees to wear masks on public transportation, but the White House chose to block the order.
The EPA suspended anti-pollution laws during the pandemic
The EPA temporarily suspended its enforcement activities, allowing industrial facilities to decide whether they would comply with environmental laws.
Polar Bear Study by USGS Scientists Shelved for Three Months
The Director of the USGS delayed the release of a study on polar bear dens for three months.
CDC Scientists Sidelined in Decision to Seal US Border
The White House ordered the CDC to use their emergency powers to effectively seal the US borders in March, overruling the agency’s scientists who said there was no evidence the action would slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
White House Blocks FDA’s Vaccine Guidance Document
The White House blocked the release of an FDA guidance document, which detailed steps that pharma companies need to take to produce a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.