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He says the realignment of jurisdictions between
Burton and Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.), who is giving up oversight
of public health policy, is “completely amicable.”
Davis expects to finish sorting out the subcommittee assignments
within a few days, he says.
But lobbyists for the pharmaceutical companies
that make vaccines for children do not want Burton, who has an
autistic grandson, to be given a platform to pursue more
investigations into claims that children’s vaccines can cause
autism.
The lobbyists spoke on the condition of
anonymity. John Cardarelli, Burton’s press secretary, did not
return repeated calls requesting comment.
“[Burton] has set back immunization efforts in
this country 10 years,” said a lobbyist for a drug company.
“We’re now seeing parents scared to get kids immunized.
Everybody has expressed their concern about Burton running these
anti-vaccine hearings. The feedback we’ve got is that nobody in
leadership is excited.”
He added: “My gut feeling is that it does not
matter what the name of the subcommittee is. It is a broad
enough forum. I don’t see Dan Burton going away.”
Another lobbyist for a vaccine-manufacturing
drug company said they were unhappy to see Burton further
undermine the benefits of vaccines, but that the industry had no
organized strategy to oppose him or ability to effect committee
assignments.
Public health groups are concerned, too. “If he
does not have a subcommittee chair, he’ll do something else,”
said a lobbyist for an advocacy organization. “The bigger
question is: When is enough enough? Some of us would say it’s
been enough.”
While the leadership is not happy with the
situation, it is staying silent. John Feehery, a spokesman for
Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), declined to comment on the
matter.
For its part, the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the lobbying group for the
industry, denied it is opposed to Burton’s chairmanship.
“In three weeks of legislative strategy
meetings, I did not hear one person say one thing about Mr.
Burton,” said Mike Tuffin, the group’s spokesman. “That’s an
internal House matter. We’re not concerned at all who might
chair the subcommittee.”
In the 2002 election cycle, drug companies
raised $17,481,391 for the Republicans, according to
Opensecrets.org. The United Seniors Assn., an advocacy group
largely funded by PhRMA, ran a reported $12 million in political
advertisements supporting GOP candidates.
The few companies that make vaccines, which are
expensive to produce and heavily regulated by the Federal Drug
Administration, are concerned mainly because Burton’s tactics
could subject them to lawsuits over products that generate only
5 percent of their revenues, experts in the industry said.
But Davis, who was chosen over more-senior
lawmakers to lead the panel several weeks ago, has the power to
rein in Burton: To prevent so-called fishing expeditions, all
subpoenas will have to be approved by the full panel’s chairman.
Burton, as committee chairman, held extensive
hearings into allegations that children’s vaccines have caused
an alarming rise in autism, and vaccine safety generally. He has
a strong following among a small, but politically potent, group
of parents with autistic children.
Since April 2001, Burton has held five hearings
on the subject, according to the committee’s website. He has
written letters asking President Bush to host a White House
conference on autism and to others advocating increases in
research funding.
“It’s been pretty clear that there is some
connection between vaccinations and autism,” said Craig Snyder,
a lobbyist with IKON Public Affairs. “I’m sure he would continue
to explore this.”
Meanwhile, Souder, who currently chairs the
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human
Resources, said he was more than willing to relinquish oversight
of public health policy.
“It’s more a practical matter,” said Souder,
adding that his panel had oversight of too many issues. “My
primary goal is to keep oversight of narcotics policy,
faith-based initiatives, social issues and, hopefully, national
parks.”
Davis also has announced he would abolish the
District of Columbia Subcommittee.
“The subcommittees will look very different than the last
Congress’,” said David Marin, Davis’ spokesman. “It will be
based on members’ areas of expertise and interest.” |
