Government Concentrates

Shorter processing time for visas

A new study of the time it takes the U.S. government to process visa requests from foreign scientists and science students finds significant improvement over last year. In early 2003, processing took an average of 67 days for a visa check to be completed. By November 2004, that time had been cut to about 15 days. The report (GAO-05-198) focuses on the Visas Mantis program, which is the multiple agency, security-screening process applied to visa applicants when possible transfer of sensitive technology is involved. This is the procedure that scientists and students most often face when applying for U.S. visas. The Government Accountability Office found that the State Department had added staff to improve the process, provided more guidance to consular officers, and developed an electronic tracking system to expedite reviews. The report notes that improvements are still being made. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Science Committee, had requested the GAO study. "Casting too wide a net in visa reviews actually damages our security," Boehlert said. "It denies us the students and scientists we need to develop the technology we require for our defense and economic well-being."

Science, Technology Medals awarded

The White House has announced, somewhat belatedly, the recipients of the 2003 National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology--the nation's highest honors in science and technology. Among the 2003 National Medal of Technology recipients is the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which was nominated for the honor by the American Chemical Society. The other National Technology Medal winners are Jan D. Achenbach, Northwestern University; Watts S. Humphrey, Software Engineering Institute, Pittsburgh; Robert M. Metcalfe, Polaris Venture Partners, Waltham, Mass.; UOP LLC, Des Plaines, Ill.; and the team of Rodney D. Bagley, retired from Corning Inc., Corning, N.Y., Irwin Lachman, retired from Corning Inc., and Ronald M. Lewis, former employee of Corning Inc. Receiving a 2003 National Medal of Science are R. Duncan Luce, University of California, Irvine, in behavioral or social sciences; J. Michael Bishop, University of California, San Francisco, in biological sciences; Solomon H. Snyder, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in biological sciences; Charles Yanofsky, Stanford University, in biological sciences; John M. Prausnitz, University of California, Berkeley, in engineering; Carl R. De Boor, University of Wisconsin, Madison, in mathematics; G. Brent Dalrymple, Oregon State University, in physical sciences; and Riccardo Giacconi, Johns Hopkins University, in physical sciences.

Bill opponents hand over tax records

Two associations of state and local air regulators have turned over their financial and tax records to a Senate committee. Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), who chairs the Environment & Public Works Committee, requested the records 10 days after a hearing at which a representative of the groups criticized Inhofe-sponsored legislation. That bill, S. 131, is designed to reduce air pollution from coal-fired power plants (C&EN, Feb. 14, page 29). The two groups, the State & Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators and the Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials, are concerned that some provisions of S. 131 would hamper the ability of state and local regulators to manage air quality. A spokesman for the groups calls Inhofe's request "a move of intimidation." A committee aide says Inhofe's inquiry is unrelated to S. 131 but is part of the senator's longtime concern over how EPA administers grants. The two groups receive some EPA grant money.

Supplier shares blame for accident

The root cause of a chemical accident that killed seven workers and injured 37 in 2003 should be shared by the manufacturer that used an explosive chemical and the company that supplied it, says a recent report by the Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board. The accident occurred at CTA Acoustics, Corbin, Ky., when phenolic resin dust exploded during a production line cleanup. CTA bought the phenolic resin powder from Borden Chemical to make acoustic fiberglass insulation, and both Borden and CTA knew the dust was potentially explosive but failed to warn production line workers or take counteractions, the board says. The dust was ignited by a malfunctioning oven and resulted in cascading production line explosions. Board investigators found that CTA had a history of fires from the dust and knew of its explosive nature. However, the firm did not adjust its manufacturing procedures, modify the plant's design, or tell its workers. Borden was also aware that the dust was combustible and said so on Material Safety Data Sheets given to CTA. But Borden failed to explicitly warn of the dust's explosive nature--despite a similar 1999 explosion due to its resin at the Jahn Foundry in Massachusetts, where three people died. The board laid out other failures but reserved much criticism for Borden, a member of the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association and signatory to product stewardship requirements of SOCMA's Responsible Care Initiative.

GOVERNMENT & POLICY ROUNDUP

Some $87.5 million in matching grants for 12 projects to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines was recently announced by the Department of Energy. The projects are intended to raise efficiency from 30% or less to 55% for internal combustion engines on commercial vehicles, DOE says.

After two years of debate, the United Nation's General Assembly approved a resolution on Feb. 18 to ban all "forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of life." The resolution passed by a slim majority and is not legally binding.