CA State Senate Bill 829 introduced to fight Trump's 'Make America Sick Again,' fund research
SB 829 would create the California Institute for Scientific Research (CISR
Yesterday California State Senator Scott Wiener (D - San Franciso) introduced legislation to counter what many assert is Donald Trump's assault on public health.
Senate Bill 829 proposes the creation of the California Institute for Scientific Research (CISR). According to Wiener's press release the legislation would provide the following:
"SB 829 creates the California Institute for Scientific Research (CISR) within the Government Operations Agency. It directs the Institute to fund scientific research in areas including but not limited to:
- Biomedical
- Behavioral
- Climate
- Weather
- Ocean
- Coastal and marine ecosystems and resources
- Detecting and responding to new and emerging health threats
- Disease prevention
- Promoting healthy and safe behaviors, communities and environment
- Safety, efficacy, and security of drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, and cosmetics
“As Trump, Musk, and RFK Jr. tear apart federal science leadership, California must step up for science. California must lead,” Wiener said in the announcement. “California is a global leader on science in our own right, and we must step in to protect our scientific institutions from the new Administration’s anti-science, Make America Sick Again onslaught."
The backdrop for this legislative push is the controversial tenure of several Trump-appointed officials, such as former COVID-19 advisor Dr. Scott Atlas, whose public statements and policy recommendations often conflicted with the consensus of the scientific community. Critics argue that appointments such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are leading to dangerous public health policies such as the lack of response to the recent West Texas measles outbreak.
The legislation co-authored by Senator Akilah Weber Pierson (D-La Mesa), and co-authored by Senators Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), and Jerry McNerny (D-Pleasanton). No committee hearings have been scheduled.
