RE: GO FIGURE...........

[Guest guest]

We will have a formal name for Chairman Burton's new " subcommittee " under

the U. S. House Committee on Government Reform within the next few days.

It's a shame the drug company lobbyist wanted to comment " on the condition

of anonymity " --gutless whimps!!!!!! Would have been fun to subpoena them.

Not-so-Peacefully,

Jeff Sell

Hitt * * Sell

4309 Yoakum Boulevard

2nd Floor

Houston, TX 77006

(fax)

832.731-3145 (v-mail)

JZSell@...

www.HittSell.com

GO FIGURE...........

If there's no proof - what are the pharmaceutical companies worried

about?????

*************

Lobbyists target Burton

By E. Kaplan </about/jonathan_kaplan.shtm>

Rep. Tom (R-Va.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee,

has ended a dispute over what to do with his predecessor, Rep. Dan Burton

(R-Ind.), and has decided to give him a subcommittee chairmanship.

told The Hill that he would do so despite criticism from some drug

companies who believe Burton has a personal vendetta against them.

" Dan ought to have a subcommittee, " said. " I have full confidence in

Dan Burton. If anybody feels shafted, we'll sit down with them. "

Under criticism from some GOP lawmakers, has also rehired committee

staffers whom he had fired.

He says the realignment of jurisdictions between Burton and Rep. Mark Souder

(R-Ind.), who is giving up oversight of public health policy, is " completely

amicable. "

expects to finish sorting out the subcommittee assignments within a

few days, he says.

But lobbyists for the pharmaceutical companies that make vaccines for

children do not want Burton, who has an autistic grandson, to be given a

platform to pursue more investigations into claims that children's vaccines

can cause autism.

The lobbyists spoke on the condition of anonymity. Cardarelli, Burton's

press secretary, did not return repeated calls requesting comment.

" [burton] has set back immunization efforts in this country 10 years, " said

a lobbyist for a drug company. " We're now seeing parents scared to get kids

immunized. Everybody has expressed their concern about Burton running these

anti-vaccine hearings. The feedback we've got is that nobody in leadership

is excited. "

He added: " My gut feeling is that it does not matter what the name of the

subcommittee is. It is a broad enough forum. I don't see Dan Burton going

away. "

Another lobbyist for a vaccine-manufacturing drug company said they were

unhappy to see Burton further undermine the benefits of vaccines, but that

the industry had no organized strategy to oppose him or ability to effect

committee assignments.

Public health groups are concerned, too. " If he does not have a subcommittee

chair, he'll do something else, " said a lobbyist for an advocacy

organization. " The bigger question is: When is enough enough? Some of us

would say it's been enough. "

While the leadership is not happy with the situation, it is staying silent.

Feehery, a spokesman for Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), declined

to comment on the matter.

For its part, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America

(PhRMA), the lobbying group for the industry, denied it is opposed to

Burton's chairmanship.

" In three weeks of legislative strategy meetings, I did not hear one person

say one thing about Mr. Burton, " said Mike Tuffin, the group's spokesman.

" That's an internal House matter. We're not concerned at all who might chair

the subcommittee. "

In the 2002 election cycle, drug companies raised $17,481,391 for the

Republicans, according to Opensecrets.org. The United Seniors Assn., an

advocacy group largely funded by PhRMA, ran a reported $12 million in

political advertisements supporting GOP candidates.

The few companies that make vaccines, which are expensive to produce and

heavily regulated by the Federal Drug Administration, are concerned mainly

because Burton's tactics could subject them to lawsuits over products that

generate only 5 percent of their revenues, experts in the industry said.

But , who was chosen over more-senior lawmakers to lead the panel

several weeks ago, has the power to rein in Burton: To prevent so-called

fishing expeditions, all subpoenas will have to be approved by the full

panel's chairman.

Burton, as committee chairman, held extensive hearings into allegations that

children's vaccines have caused an alarming rise in autism, and vaccine

safety generally. He has a strong following among a small, but politically

potent, group of parents with autistic children.

Since April 2001, Burton has held five hearings on the subject, according to

the committee's website. He has written letters asking President Bush to

host a White House conference on autism and to others advocating increases

in research funding.

" It's been pretty clear that there is some connection between vaccinations

and autism, " said Craig Snyder, a lobbyist with IKON Public Affairs. " I'm

sure he would continue to explore this. "

Meanwhile, Souder, who currently chairs the Subcommittee on Criminal

Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, said he was more than willing to

relinquish oversight of public health policy.

" It's more a practical matter, " said Souder, adding that his panel had

oversight of too many issues. " My primary goal is to keep oversight of

narcotics policy, faith-based initiatives, social issues and, hopefully,

national parks. "

also has announced he would abolish the District of Columbia

Subcommittee.

" The subcommittees will look very different than the last Congress', " said

Marin, ' spokesman. " It will be based on members' areas of

expertise and interest. "