BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics & Policy

Presidential candidates outline science policies

October 5, 2000 7:00 AM UTC

Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush both expressed strong support for increased funding for NIH, asserted that agricultural biotechnology regulations should be based on science, and supported making the R&D tax credit permanent in remarks published Thursday in Science. Bush vowed if elected to "fight to ensure that U.S. (ag biotech) products are allowed entry into the European Union and that accepted scientific principles are applied in enacting regulations." Gore noted the "enormous promise" of biotechnology "to help increase crop yields, produce more nutritious foods, and improve environmental quality." He added, however, that "We need to remember that modern agriculture is not a risk-free endeavor. We need to assess any risks associated with genetic engineering in the context of the risks regulators, farmers, and consumers have been dealing with for decades." ...