ACLU accusing Bush administration of restricting science info/research

[Guest guest]

This is why we love our President soooo much! ;-)

Pay particular attention to the last few lines on what the ACLU has to say about

Bush and

mercury emissions.

http://www.autismmedia.org/

ACLU Says Bush Is Restricting Science

Tue Jun 21,12:42 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union charged Tuesday that the Bush

administration is placing science under siege by overzealously tightening

restrictions on

information, individuals and technology in the name of homeland security.

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The administration " has sought to impose growing restrictions on the free flow

of

scientific information, unreasonable barriers on the use of scientific materials

and

increased monitoring of and restrictions on foreign university students, " the

ACLU said.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks the government has actively increased the use

of

classifying information to keep it secret, including the use of the category

" unclassified but

sensitive " and extending classification authority to more departments, the ACLU

said.

Hopkins of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

criticized the

ACLU for seeking to politicize the issue.

" The report chooses to criticize actions taken to address security concerns in

the wake of

the 9/11 terrorist attack, " Hopkins said. " The administration has worked in good

faith with

serious members of the science community, including the National Academies, to

determine the best way to enable the conduct of science without providing

terrorists with

a road map for pursuing their aims. "

Indeed, the National Academy of Sciences delayed publication of an article at

the request

of the Department of Health and Human Services over concerns the paper could

provide

terrorists information on poisoning the milk supply. Negotiations over the

report are

continuing.

But the ACLU contends that the administration has been overzealous, reversing

past

government openness by creating a presumption of secrecy and lengthening

classification

periods.

The report lists other science restrictions, including limiting the access of

foreign scholars

to information, restricting their participation in some areas of research and

tightening visa

rules with the result of blocking or delaying visits to this country by foreign

students and

teachers.

And the ACLU charged the administration with trying to suppress information on

such

topics as global warming, mercury emissions and emergency contraception.