Biotechnology Regulation

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO commented on its attempts to interview staff and obtain documents from the Council on Competitiveness during its review of the Environmental Protection Agency' (EPA) efforts to issue a biotechnology regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act. GAO noted that: (1) it verbal requests to interview Council staff involved in developing the administration's policy guidance for regulating biotechnology products and to review certain administration documents were denied; (2) after its verbal requests were denied, it made a written request in March 1992, which was denied in April 1992; (3) it was able to obtain most of the documents sought from other sources, and the unavailability of the remaining requested documents had little impact on its review because it could discuss the content of those documents with other sources; and (4) without the opportunity to interview Council staff, it could not assess whether the EPA draft regulation will be in line with the administration's policy guidance when submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review.