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The Government Accountability Office was tasked to study the presence of and health risks of formaldehyde on clothing under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The agency's report finds a decrease in levels of formaldehyde on clothing since the 1980s and the findings do not appear to call for regulations.

The obstacles that the U.S. lawmakers are facing to enact or approve legislation in view of the small majority enjoyed by Democrats are discussed.

The debates will continue on tort reform, chemical plant security and clean air legislation and both the house are likely to raise the issue of holding down federal spending, with the second session of the 109th Congress scheduled to convene in January 2006. The year 2006 being the election year, the session promises to be another partisan and argumentative one.

Implications of the supply shortage of isotope helium-3 on physics research, medical imaging, oil and gas drilling, and national security are discussed. Meanwhile, a House hearing has been held seeking testimonies from both the U.S. Departments of Energy and of Homeland Security. Recommendations on addressing the shortage are presented, based on the hearing.

The U.S. National Science Board believes that the merit review criteria for science and engineering funding need to be reviewed and that a new national science and engineering committee should be created. The suggestions are in response to a report stating that the U.S. research and development lead is declining.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is expected to reverse previous restrictions that were enforced relevant to non-disclosure of contracted research results carried out in universities following the 9/11 attacks. Restrictions will henceforth only be applicable if the disclosure poses a threat to national security.

The capabilities of the Food and Drug Administration to check the safety of nanomaterials that are present in products appearing on the market are discussed.

The U.S. Congress has passed an appropriations bill which provides funds for fiscal 2010 for Congress itself. Congress allowed federal agencies and departments to continue operations until October 31, 2009 at the same level of spending they had for fiscal 2009. Information about research and development (R&D) bills is also provided.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has determined which materials in children's products will have to be tested for lead under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. Items made with metals and plastics, especially toys and books, must meet the stricter standards. Other products that were exempted under the new rule are also given.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are planning to enact a legislation that will strengthen the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) with more personnel and resources. This will help protect consumer interests amid growing concerns of the presence of lead in paint and phthalates in children's toys.

In July 2001 the U.S. Department of Justice announced an alleged breakthrough in research on alcohol policy. According to the DOJ, a comparison of drinking rates among American and European […]

Implications of interpreting confidential business information in the context of to-be-updated 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act are discussed. The Environmental Working Group asserts that human health could be at risk due to chemical companies' needless confidentiality claims. Meanwhile, the American Chemistry Council has been calling for balanced confidentiality laws to protect trade secrets.

Information about the first year of the 111th U.S. Congress is provided. Important bills are making their way through the legislative process, including the revision of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards and legislation for reducing carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate climate change.

The 100th Congress worked on several bills relevant to the chemical industry in 2008, but did not actually pass many. In September 2008, the House passed a bill to upgrade the quality of patent examinations and curb speculative patent infringement lawsuits. However, the Senate couldn't agree on several key provisions.

The increased industrial sponsorship of academic research in the US might have negative effect on the industrial research. Many companies have chosen to shift their basic research centers outside the US, where a highly educated workforce is waiting and less restrictive laws can energize the research process, as federal government support for research has not increased in years.

The House Appropriations Committee has approved a fiscal 2005 budget that cuts the NSF budget 2% from 2004, by 111 million to $5.47 billion. The House cuts showed that NSF's Math & Science Partnerships program, a part of the agency's to improve elementary and high school science education would bear the brunt of the cuts, a $74 million reduction to $83 million for 2005.

The restrictions put by the government on universities regarding research either prevents the publication of research work without prior approval or restricts foreign national from working on projects. Alice P. Gast, vice president for research and professor of chemical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) believes that these restrictions discourage research in various areas including area of infectious diseases.