Capitol Comment 187 - Smoggy Science: The Truth Behind Ozone Transport

Urban ozone smog has declined nationwide for over a decade, with particularly strong gains in the Northeast (see chart1). Despite such improvements in air quality, the standard for ozone has been tightened, escalating fears among many states that increasing controls on local sources of ozone smog will fail to achieve compliance.

Capitol Comment 186 - The FDA Should Come Clean: Consumers Have a Right to Know How Long the FDA Hid Psyllium’s Ability to Fight

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is America’s number one killer, causing or contributing to more than 750,000 deaths each year. Over half of American adults have borderline or high cholesterol levels, which contribute to CHD. Studies have shown that certain types of fiber (as part of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet) can help lower one’s cholesterol levels and therefore reduce one’s risk of heart disease.

Capitol Comment 185 - A Policy Two-Step that is a Political Winner

"Life is better here," claims a new advertisement for a telecommunications company. The slogan conjures images of individuals free of hassles and ready to tackle the challenges of the 21st century with technology as an ally. Unfortunately, today’s laws and regulations stand in the way.

Life certainly would be better if American consumers could save more than $85.1 billion over the course of the next five years. Sound farfetched? Sadly, it would only require the introduction of a dose of common sense to federal telecommunications policy.

Capitol Comment 184 - Three Simple Steps Toward a Sound Encryption Policy

Consumers have an economic interest in the widespread use of strong encryption. Unfortunately, under the current political environment, either Congress or the administration may implement dangerous restrictions on the development, sales and use of this technology. Liberty is at stake, both economic and civil.

Capitol Comment 178 - Administered Prices Administer Economic Disaster

The Ohio Legislature is expected to consider legislation to reduce telecommunications access fees. These fees flow between various telecommunications providers in order to transfer telephone calls between different companies' networks. For example, long distance companies pay a fee to local telephone companies to bring a long distance call all the way to a consumer's home - usually the last portion of that call travels over a local telephone company's network.

Capitol Comment 177 - The U.S. Should Bail Out of the IMF

If the U.S. Congress approves bailing out the financially troubled Asian nations and replenishing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for future bailouts, American taxpayers will be footing the bill for the mistakes of other countries.

Capitol Comment 173 - 'Gag Clauses' in Managed Care Contracts: If It's Already Fixed, Don't Fix It

In September, President Clinton told a union audience he was proud of his 1994 attempt to impose a government-run health care system on America — in effect putting a government bureaucrat between every American and their doctor. He then told the audience how he intends to implement his failed health care take-over one piece at a time: "Maybe we can do it ... a step at a time, until eventually we finish this." The next few "steps" down the road to ClintonCare include one sponsored by Iowa Republican Rep. Greg Ganske in a bill called the "Patient Right to Know Act" (H.R. 586).

Capitol Comment 172 - How the Balanced Budget Act Will Soon Cut Off Medicare Beneficiaries' Choice of Doctors

Americans have always taken pride in being the freest people in the world. As recently as 1994, the American public recoiled at the thought of receiving health care through a socialist system similar to Great Britain's. Among that system's many horrors, "more than one million patients are waiting for surgery in Britain, for everything from tonsillectomies to heart bypasses to exploratory surgery for cancer."1

Capitol Comment 171 - Free Trade: Fast Track to Prosperity

On September 16, President Clinton finally introduced his legislative proposal for renewing fast track authority to negotiate trade agreements. This authority, which expired in 1994, would allow the president to negotiate trade pacts that Congress must approve or disapprove by a simple up or down vote. Therefore, members of Congress — and the special interests who attempt to influence them — could not amend trade agreements during the legislative process.