1. ENVIRONMENT

The “Climategate” science scandal looms
over global warming negotiations in Copenhagen,
Denmark.

CEI Expert Available
to Comment: General Counsel Sam
Kazman on CEI’s role in the global
climate debate:

“The science behind global warming
alarmism is falling apart from within, and the Climategate documents
demonstrate why. There's been no statistically significant warming over the
last 10-15 years, despite increasing levels of supposedly dangerous CO2. CEI is
proud to have helped delay the energy rationing sought by the alarmists, and we
plan to continue doing so in several ways, including our announced intention to
challenge EPA’s Endangerment finding in court.”

2. CONGRESS

Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
lobby to end the long-standing federal
antitrust exemption for health insurance companies.

CEI Expert Available
to Comment: Senior Fellow Gregory
Conko on why ending the exemption would
actually hurt competition:

“As Congress moves forward with its
health care reform efforts, a last-minute proposal to revoke the 64-year-old
exemption from federal antitrust laws for health insurers has flown under the
media radar. Proponents of the repeal proposal tout it as a broadly popular
effort to slow the consolidation of the health insurance industry and promote
more vigorous price competition. But the change would do nothing to prevent
insurance firm mergers, which are already subject to federal oversight.
However, federalizing antitrust enforcement over the insurance industry would
unnecessarily duplicate existing state insurance regulations and jeopardize
practices that help small insurers compete.”

3. HEALTH

The Centers for Disease Control reports a
decline in reported cases of H1N1, or swine flu.

CEI Expert Available
to Comment: Adjunct Fellow Michael Fumento on what swine flu isn’t doing this week:

“New infections are way down this
week to only about 480 reported by CDC-monitored labs, compared to 1,370 just
the week before and 11,470 at the height of the epidemic. So that’s a drop of
65% in one week and a plummet of 96% from the height. Deaths are the same as
last week at what appear to be about 70, while hospitalizations appear to have
been cut by about half. Remember that according to CDC estimates, about 257
Americans die of seasonal flu per day during flu season – which is
what we’re in.”

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