Science & CongressScience & Congress

What I Learned, and Unlearned, What I Learned, and Unlearned, in My Year as IFT’s in My Year as IFT’s

Congressional Science Fellow Congressional Science Fellow

Tom ZinnenTom Zinnen

Biotechnology Policy & OutreachBiotechnology Policy & Outreach

University of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

University of Wisconsin-ExtensionUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension

IFT & AAAS Congressional IFT & AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship ProgramScience Fellowship Program

• IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists

IFT & AAAS Congressional IFT & AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship ProgramScience Fellowship Program

• IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists • IFT is now in its sixth year of participationIFT is now in its sixth year of participation

• AAAS program in its 28th yearAAAS program in its 28th year

IFT & AAAS Congressional IFT & AAAS Congressional Science Fellowship ProgramScience Fellowship Program

• IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists IFT is the Institute of Food Technologists • IFT is now in its sixth year of participationIFT is now in its sixth year of participation• AAAS program in its 28th yearAAAS program in its 28th year

• About 35 scientific societies involvedAbout 35 scientific societies involved• Selection in springSelection in spring• Orientations begin at the end of AugustOrientations begin at the end of August• 95 fellows total: 39 in Congress, the rest in the 95 fellows total: 39 in Congress, the rest in the executive branch executive branch

Benefits to IFTBenefits to IFT

• Fulfilling the aspiration to be the leading Fulfilling the aspiration to be the leading voice for science in food policy.voice for science in food policy.

• Building a corps of members with Building a corps of members with experience and connections within experience and connections within Congress and the executive branch.Congress and the executive branch.

• Providing an opportunity for members to Providing an opportunity for members to participate in governmentparticipate in government

Selection Selection

• Nominations in JanuaryNominations in January

• Reviewed in FebruaryReviewed in February

• Interviews in March or AprilInterviews in March or April

• Selection in MaySelection in May

• Transition in summerTransition in summer

• AVMA/CoFARM orientation, end of AugAVMA/CoFARM orientation, end of Aug

• AAAS orientation, 2 weeks in SeptAAAS orientation, 2 weeks in Sept

PlacementPlacement

• If I’m free and have a PhD, why is this so If I’m free and have a PhD, why is this so hard?hard?

• Questions:Questions:• House or SenateHouse or Senate• Personal or Personal or

CommitteeCommittee• R or DR or D• Issues or PersonalityIssues or Personality

IFT’s Congressional Science IFT’s Congressional Science FellowsFellows

• Joe Regenstein, Senate personalJoe Regenstein, Senate personal

• Stephanie Smith, Senate committeeStephanie Smith, Senate committee

• Mickey Parrish, Cong. Research ServiceMickey Parrish, Cong. Research Service

• Joan Rothenberg, House personalJoan Rothenberg, House personal

• Tom Zinnen, House committeeTom Zinnen, House committee

• Monica Seagroves-FanjoyMonica Seagroves-Fanjoy

PlacementPlacement

• TimingTiming

• Election yearElection year

• Presidential election yearPresidential election year

• Status of appropriations billsStatus of appropriations bills

• Staff familiarity with AAAS and experience Staff familiarity with AAAS and experience with fellowswith fellows

• SpaceSpace

Top Issues:Top Issues:

• Biotech & foodBiotech & food

• GenomicsGenomics

• International tradeInternational trade

• US biotech & food policyUS biotech & food policy

• Sharing Science with The PublicSharing Science with The Public

• Privacy, Intellectual Property, ProprietyPrivacy, Intellectual Property, Propriety

House versus SenateHouse versus Senate

• The Senate is the The Senate is the EnemyEnemy

• Majority RulesMajority Rules• A Working BodyA Working Body• 2 year terms--you’re 2 year terms--you’re

running all the timerunning all the time• Dissolves & Dissolves &

reorganizes every reorganizes every other yearother year

• The House is the The House is the EnemyEnemy

• Minority RightsMinority Rights• A Deliberative BodyA Deliberative Body• 6 year terms6 year terms• A continuing bodyA continuing body• Shares head of Shares head of

government functions government functions with presidentwith president

House Committee on AgricultureHouse Committee on Agriculture

• House committees: A and B House committees: A and B

• Committee chairmanships: 6 year ruleCommittee chairmanships: 6 year rule

• Mr Combest of TexasMr Combest of Texas

House Committee on AgricultureHouse Committee on Agriculture

• House committees: A and B House committees: A and B

• Committee chairmanships: 6 year ruleCommittee chairmanships: 6 year rule

• Mr Combest of TexasMr Combest of Texas

• Mr Stenholm of TexasMr Stenholm of Texas

House Committee on AgricultureHouse Committee on Agriculture

• House committees: A and B House committees: A and B

• Committee chairmanships: 6 year ruleCommittee chairmanships: 6 year rule

• Mr Combest of TexasMr Combest of Texas

• Mr Stenholm of TexasMr Stenholm of Texas

• 49 others49 others

• Large committee, high turnoverLarge committee, high turnover

JurisdictionJurisdictionIn Relation to other CommitteesIn Relation to other Committees

• House Ag is an Authorizing CommitteeHouse Ag is an Authorizing Committee• It must deal with the Ag Appropriations It must deal with the Ag Appropriations

SubcommitteeSubcommittee• Budget, Rules, Ways & Means, Budget, Rules, Ways & Means,

AppropriationsAppropriations• Judiciary, Energy & Commerce, Resources, Judiciary, Energy & Commerce, Resources,

ScienceScience• Examples: Dairy Compacts, Water, TradeExamples: Dairy Compacts, Water, Trade

Jurisdiction, 2Jurisdiction, 2

• USDAUSDA

• FDA (food)FDA (food)

• EPA (some aspects of pesticides)EPA (some aspects of pesticides)

ConstituenciesConstituencies

• America’s Farmers and RanchersAmerica’s Farmers and Ranchers

• America’s Ranchers and FarmersAmerica’s Ranchers and Farmers

• The Farmers and Ranchers of AmericaThe Farmers and Ranchers of America

• The Ranchers and Farmers of AmericaThe Ranchers and Farmers of America

• The Growers and Producers of America’s The Growers and Producers of America’s Food and Fiber and BioFuelsFood and Fiber and BioFuels

• (The people who ship and market food)(The people who ship and market food)

CalendarCalendar

• Jan 3Jan 3• Jan 20Jan 20• March: Budget ResolutionMarch: Budget Resolution• August recessAugust recess• Oct 1, new FYOct 1, new FY• JanJan• MarchMarch• Oct 1Oct 1• Nov X, Election DayNov X, Election Day

Organizing the CommitteeOrganizing the Committee

• Protect JurisdictionProtect Jurisdiction

• ChairmanshipChairmanship

• Membership of CommitteeMembership of Committee

• Number of SubcommitteesNumber of Subcommittees

• Chairmen of SubcommitteesChairmen of Subcommittees

What do Congress Members Do?What do Congress Members Do?

• Legislate: Make and Amend StatutesLegislate: Make and Amend Statutes

• Budget: Plan to spend money, spend it, and Budget: Plan to spend money, spend it, and account for itaccount for it

• Constituent serviceConstituent service

• OversightOversight

• Get re-electedGet re-elected

OversightOversight

• Staff briefingsStaff briefings

• Member briefingsMember briefings

• HearingsHearings

• GAO reportsGAO reports

• NAS and otherNAS and other reports reports

Food Issues in 2000-2001Food Issues in 2000-2001• StarLink, September 18, 2000StarLink, September 18, 2000

• Mad Cow Disease in Germany, Nov Mad Cow Disease in Germany, Nov 20002000

• Foot & Mouth Disease in UK, Foot & Mouth Disease in UK, Feb2001Feb2001

• Other Life Science IssuesOther Life Science Issues

• Genomics: Human, Arabidopsis, E. Genomics: Human, Arabidopsis, E. coli coli

• Cloning & Human Embryonic Stem Cloning & Human Embryonic Stem Cells Cells

StarLinkStarLink• The Split ApprovalThe Split Approval• The Blunder: Applying the Standards The Blunder: Applying the Standards

of Practice of Hybrid Corn Production of Practice of Hybrid Corn Production but Not the Standard of Performancebut Not the Standard of Performance

• 660’ isolation, 3% tolerance = hybrid 660’ isolation, 3% tolerance = hybrid corncorn

• 660’ isolation, zero tolerance = 660’ isolation, zero tolerance = StarLinkStarLink

• Contaminant vs AdulterantContaminant vs Adulterant• Detecting DNA sufficesDetecting DNA suffices• Impacts on the food chain and Impacts on the food chain and

brandnamesbrandnames

Foot & Mouth DiseaseFoot & Mouth Disease

• Recently in TaiwanRecently in Taiwan

• By Accident or By Malice:By Accident or By Malice:

• General concern about Invasive SpeciesGeneral concern about Invasive Species

• Specific Concern in AgroterrorismSpecific Concern in Agroterrorism

• In UK, impacts on rural economyIn UK, impacts on rural economy– In AgricultureIn Agriculture– In TourismIn Tourism

Mad Cow Disease in EuropeMad Cow Disease in Europe

• Words CountWords Count• Reassurances that may or may not address RisksReassurances that may or may not address Risks• Measures by USDAMeasures by USDA• Communication by USDACommunication by USDA• The Important Difference between Making The Important Difference between Making

Statements about Nature and Making Statements Statements about Nature and Making Statements about Our Best Understanding of Natureabout Our Best Understanding of Nature

Words Count, ContinuedWords Count, Continued• EU’s new EU’s new

reviews of reviews of transgenic cropstransgenic crops

• ““No risk to No risk to humans, humans, livestock or the livestock or the environment”environment”

• $4 billion is $4 billion is bigger than $400 bigger than $400 millionmillion

Politics, Policy & SciencePolitics, Policy & Science

• The order is the essenceThe order is the essence

• Where do Members get their scientific Where do Members get their scientific advice?advice?

• ““Who ya gonna call?”Who ya gonna call?”

Researching Risks of BiotechResearching Risks of Biotech

• 1% of Biotech for Risk Research1% of Biotech for Risk Research

• Six flavors of BiotechSix flavors of Biotech

• All the money goes to researching risks of All the money goes to researching risks of only one flavoronly one flavor

• What’s a fair comparison?What’s a fair comparison?

The Bombings in Seattle and The Bombings in Seattle and ClatskanieClatskanie

The Bombings in Seattle and The Bombings in Seattle and ClatskanieClatskanie

• $5 million damage to U. of Washington $5 million damage to U. of Washington Urban Horticulture Facility in SeattleUrban Horticulture Facility in Seattle

• The Impact of the Front Page Color Photo The Impact of the Front Page Color Photo Above the Fold in the NY TimesAbove the Fold in the NY Times

• Governmental Responses to Protect the Governmental Responses to Protect the People and the Facilities that Make Up the People and the Facilities that Make Up the Research, Extension and Education System Research, Extension and Education System in Agriculture in Agriculture

Some TrendsSome Trends

• The “S” Word for Grains and Dairy, but not The “S” Word for Grains and Dairy, but not for Livestock and Fruits & Veggies.for Livestock and Fruits & Veggies.

• Continued emphasis on production agContinued emphasis on production ag• Conservation as a way to increase farm Conservation as a way to increase farm

income consistent with WTO and with the income consistent with WTO and with the support of urban Americasupport of urban America

• Inroads in a broader view of the food Inroads in a broader view of the food systemsystem

Funding for Life Sciences and for Funding for Life Sciences and for Ag & Food ScienceAg & Food Science

• NIHNIH

• NSFNSF

• USDAUSDA

Understanding the Powers & Understanding the Powers & Limits of Science Limits of Science

• Dealing with UncertaintyDealing with Uncertainty

• Probing the UnknownProbing the Unknown

Would I do it again?Would I do it again?

• In a HeartbeatIn a Heartbeat

Do I encourage others to try?Do I encourage others to try?

• Absolutely--it’s a transforming experience.Absolutely--it’s a transforming experience.

Thanks toThanks to

• IFTIFT

• IFT FoundationIFT Foundation

• IFT Chicago Staff, esp. Mary Helen ArthurIFT Chicago Staff, esp. Mary Helen Arthur

• IFT DC Staff, esp. Stephanie Smith and IFT DC Staff, esp. Stephanie Smith and Fred ShankFred Shank

• UWEXUWEX

• UWBCUWBC