Conservative lobbyist kills plan to encourage kids to study science!

From Inside Higher Ed:

The U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote last week on a bill that would create the position of "science laureate" -- a national title to honor an accomplished scientist and promote science, akin to the U.S. poet laureate. But backlash from a conservative group led lawmakers to pull the proposal from the floor. 

The legislation, co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California and Republican Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, would have allowed the president to appoint up to three science laureates who would serve for one or two years, as decided by the president, and allowed for their reappointment.,,,,,,,,,,,

But concerns from Larry Hart, director of governmental relations at the American Conservative Union, about the bill’s journey through Congress and its contents delayed the voting process. 

Since the vast majority of scientists believe that greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming, new science laureates would almost surely also believe that the data show that to be true. That might add to the pressure to do something about greenhouse gas emissions, and what companies would possibly object to that?