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Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 09:34:13 -0500
Reply-To: List Moderator <approval1**At_Symbol_Here**esf.uvm.edu>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: List Moderator <approval1**At_Symbol_Here**esf.uvm.edu>
Subject: NIOSH Reorganization Continued
This came in after the "action deadline", but I think it's still
useful for "consumers" of NIOSH services to be aware of...
- Ralph
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 07:59:19 -0800
From: Gordon Miller
Subject: [lhsc-list] Fwd: NIOSH Reorganization Continued
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sharon Morris
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 9:38 AM
Subject: Urgent Action Needed Before Saturday to Save NIOSH
Despite the strong Senate language and bipartisan support for NIOSH,
Dr. Julie Gerberding as moved forward to bring NIOSH in line with her
"business model" for running CDC. NIOSH no longer has control of its
own budget, communications staff, or printing authority. The NIOSH
1-800 information number will soon be moved to Atlanta, where it will
be answered by contractors with no direct knowledge of occupational
safety and health.
Dr. Gerberding is hiring chief management officers for each of the
new coordinating centers, who will control the budgets. She
specifically said she didn't want anyone "encumbered" by a public
health background, so with one exception they come from industry or
other agencies. The chief management officer for NIOSH and the other
programs in the new Environmental, Occupational Health and Injury
Prevention Center is from NASA.
The CDC exhibit at APHA was a preview of things to come. There was
no separate booth for NIOSH or any of the other components of CDC.
The booth, which cost $99,950, with an additional reported charge of
$40,000 to buy the space, was mainly about promoting CDC as a whole
and had little information on the individual programs. The
information that was there was difficult to find because it was
organized by life stages.
The House and Senate conferees on the appropriations bill are
schedule to meet THIS Saturday, November 20. The best chance of
turning this around is to get the House to support the Senate
language in S. Rept. No. 108-345:
"The Committee expects CDC to ensure that the ongoing CDC
reorganization does not impede nor diminish NIOSH's ability to meet
its statutory responsibilities to protect the safety and health of
America's workers. The Committee believes that NIOSH must have the
stature necessary to work effectively with OSHA, the Department of
Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services in the manner
described by statute. Therefore the Committee directs the CDC to
maintain the status quo with respect to the direct reporting
relationship of the NIOSH director to the CDC director.
(1 ) make no changes to NIOSH's current operating procedures and
organizational structure and
(2) ensure that no funds or personnel will be transferred from NIOSH
to other components of CDC by means other than traditional
reprogramming of funds."
The chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee is Ralph Regula,
OH and the ranking minority is David Obey, WI. The Republican
members are Istook (OK), Northup (KY), Wicker (MS), Cunningham (CA),
Granger (TX), Peterson (PA), Sherwood (PA), Weldon (FL), Simpson
(ID), Young (FL), ex officio. The Democrats are Hoyer (MD), Lowey
(NY), DeLauro (CT), Jackson (IL), Kennedy (RI), Roybal-Allard (CA).
I would recommend that you contact your representative if you are in
one of the states above. Otherwise, Craig Higgins, Regula's staff
person on the committee, is a good person to contact. The
subcommittee phone number is 202-225-3508. Any contacts with them
will have to be by phone, fax, or e-mail, as it's way too late for
letters.
--
Sharon L. Morris
Senior Lecturer and Assistant Chair
for Community Outreach
Department of Environmental and
Occupational Health Sciences
4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98105-6099
Phone: 206-543-9540
Fax: 206-685-3872
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