Bloggers keep us up to date on what’s happening in Congress:

• Lisa Stiffler at Dateline Earth reports that both houses have now passed legislation reducing the amount of lead and phthalates allowed in children’s products and increasing the regulatory strength of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
• Andrew Plemmons Pratt at Science Progress considers FDA regulation of tobacco, which the House has just approved.
• Andrew Schneider at Secret Ingredients explains why four Senators from the Environment and Public Works Committee have asked EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson to resign.
• The Prescription Project alerts us to a bill introduced in both the House and Senate that would fund “academic detailing” – using pharmaceutical companies’ methods of visiting prescribers’ offices, but with the aim of encouraging them to use the safest, most cost-effective drugs.

 

Elsewhere:

Kevin Doyle at Gristmill explains what “green jobs” actually are.

Jennifer Sass at NRDC’s Switchboard brings us news of NRDC’s lawsuit against the CPSC for their failure to hand over communications with industry related to phthalates.

Maggie Mahar and Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review argues that lobbyists won’t stymie meaningful healthcare reform. 

Chris Fleming at Health Affairs Blog breaks down government healthcare spending; some groups benefited more than others, but it didn’t all go to lower-income recipients.

Angry Toxicologist warns us about the consequences of “paralysis by analysis.”

Neha Sood at RH Reality Check, preparing to attend the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, calls for a stronger commitment from world leaders to enable women and girls to protect themselves against HIV infection.

C.T. Pope at Circle of Blue paints a picture of life without adequate water and sanitation, and checks the progress toward the sanitation target of the Millennium Development Goals.