The Bush Administration has received a grade of "F" on protecting the health and safety of America's children. On Monday the Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) released the "Bush Administration Report Card 2001-2004," reviewing 16 policy areas ranging from air quality regulation to lead poisoning prevention, to support for children's environmental health programs, and more.
Describing a consistent pattern of actions and inactions, CEHN concluded that "this Administration's track record is toxic to our children." The CEHN report card explores the federal record of the past three years in detail, noting that "this Administration had ample opportunity to do better" in many areas.
In mercury regulation, for example, the Bush Administration received an "F" for its attempts to weaken regulation and reduction of environmental exposure to this neurotoxin. CEHN notes that in a July, 2000 report, the National Academy of Sciences determined that "each year more than 60,000 children are born at risk for neurodevelopmental problems associated with in-utero mercury exposure. The NAS recommended that every effort should be made to reduce the release of mercury into the environment."
CEHN gave the Bush Administration a "C" for prevention of lead poisoning. Despite the long-recognized neurotoxicity of lead to children, the Bush Administration's proposed FY2005 budget cuts $35 million from lead hazard control grants -- a funding reduction of 20%.
The administration is also seeking to reduce or eliminate funding for Health and Urban Development (HUD) programs that help low-income families find safe and affordable housing, including $50 million in HUD lead hazard control grants.
CEHN assigns an "F" for the Bush Administration's consistent lack of commitment to children's environmental health research and programs. A few examples:
Under President Bush, the Office of Children's Health Protection has been leaderless for over two years.
In October 2001, the administration announced funding for four new research centers into children's environmental health, only to have EPA cut the budgets for the original eight. Congressional pressure restored some of this funding, but the total number of centers will ultimately be 11, not 12.
EPA also cut funding for the National Children's Study, which would follow approximately 100,000 children from before birth to at least age 18, assessing the impact of environmental factors on health.
The Bush Administration also received "F" grades for failing to promote or support other aspects of children's environmental health, such as placing politics above science in setting policy, and consistently impeding the public's access to information.
"Each Administration's actions -- and inactions -- profoundly affect the lives and well-being of children, through childhood and beyond," CEHN states in the executive summary. "Even as this report is being finalized, a number of emerging issues reiterate the overwhelming pattern that children are losing out to other priorities of this Administration."[1]
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SOURCES:
[1] Children's Environmental Health Bush Administration Report Card, 2001-2004, Children's Environmental Health Network.
