Climate science, policy, politics, and action
On Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold an oversight hearing titled “The State of Our Nation’s Federal Forests and Outlook for the 2026 Wildfire Year.”
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Subcommittee hearing entitled “Advancing Environmental Protection Through Science and Technology.”
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Dr. Maureen Gwinn serves as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Science (DAA-S) in OASES. Dr. Gwinn previously served as the Acting Assistant Administrator for Research and Development (ORD) and Science Advisor at the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). In this role, she provided direction to ORD on overall program goals, objectives, policies, strategies, technical and scientific approaches, and program plans, based on a recognized scientific expertise. She also chaired the Agency Science Technology and Policy Council and oversaw the Agency’s scientific integrity program.
Dr. Gwinn held multiple leadership roles within ORD including Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Chief Scientist, National Program Director for ORD’s Sustainable and Healthy Communities (SHC) National Research Program, Director of the Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division within ORD’s Center for Computational Toxicology Exposure, Senior Science Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science and Associate National Program Director for Community Public Health in SHC.
Dr. Gwinn joined the US EPA in ORD’s National Center for Environmental Assessment, where she worked on human health hazard assessments for the Integrated Risk Information System program.
Dr. Gwinn earned her BS degree in Biology at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine and her MS and PhD in Oral Biology at the State University of New York in Buffalo, New York. She became a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology in 2007 and was nominated to the Academy of Toxicological Sciences in 2014.
EPA was created during the Nixon Administration by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970 as a response to growing public concern over widespread environmental pollution and frustration with the fragmented approach to environmental protection. It was formed to consolidate environmental responsibilities from across the Federal government, including from the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Health, Education, and Welfare. From the outset, a majority of research and development (R&D) activities at the Agency were concentrated in a single program office, the Office of Research and Development (ORD). In May 2025, the EPA announced a major reorganization plan that would integrate scientific staff from ORD into the regulatory program offices for Air and Radiation, Water, Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, and Land and Emergency Management.9 The remaining staff of ORD would be transferred to a new Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solutions (OASES) to “align research and put science at the forefront of the agency’s rulemakings and technical assistance to states.”
Full committee hearing for the purpose of receiving testimony from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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The subcommittee hearing will focus on the following bills to weaken the Clean Air Act:
The hearing also covers one bill to strengthen Clean Air Act:
On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
On Wednesday, June 3, at 10:00 a.m., U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, will hold a hearing examining the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) proposed budget for fiscal year 2027.
Witness:
Full committee markup.
The subcommittee markups were May 21.
The Committee on Rules will meet Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET in H-313, The Capitol on the following measures:
Subcommittee hearing entitled “The Blue Economy: Advancing American Fisheries, Maritime Strength, and Coastal Economies.”
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Full committee hearing.
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