If you're interested in facilitating the confirmation of ESA member
(and Past President of the Society) Jane Lubchenco as NOAA
Administrator, and John Holdren (AAAS past president) as White House
Science Advisor, you could contact your Senators, both to express
your concern about the anonymous hold(s?) on the confirmations and to
ask whether your Senators are the ones who have placed the hold(s).
David Inouye
Dear Friends,
Sad to say, internal Senate politics is delaying confirmation of the
most important science appointees -- and it may not be Menendez who
many of us contacted last week. See
http://scienceblogs.com/authority/2009/03/science_advisor_and_noaa_admin.php.
I called Harry Reid's office. He had been very helpful with the
CCB's Nevada Biodiversity Initiative and I mentioned that when I
talked to a staffer about Reid breaking the logjam. The staffer said
she would pass the message on (I'm not holding my breath).
At this point in history we badly need good scientists doing what
they can to avert catastrophe. Holdren can advise Obama but cannot
run the OSTP until confirmed, Lubchenco is in limbo. I hope you will
all, scientists or not, will contact Reid (info at url above) and ask
that he end this sad delay.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS LETTER TO ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT HELP.
Thanks.
Best.
Paul
Paul R. Ehrlich
Bing Professor of Population Studies
President, Center for Conservation Biology
Department of Biology, 371 Serra Mall
Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020
Ph 650-723-3171
Fx 650-723-5920
http://www.stanford.edu/group/CCB/Staff/Ehrlich.html
