Manufacturers of off-road vehicles have mounted fierce resistance to proposed federal rules aimed at reducing rollover crashes that have killed hundreds of riders. After failing to persuade the Consumer Product Safety Commission to shelve the rules, the companies have turned to Congress to run interference.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized its determination that artificial trans fat is no longer generally recognized as safe for use in food. Health advocacy organizations are hailing the long-expected move as a major victory for public health.

With the public comment period closing this week for the proposed Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard, nearly 1,100 health and medical professionals from all 50 states and the District of Columbia joined together in a letter urging the EPA to adopt the most protective standard under consideration - 60 parts per billion (ppb).

The final version of the farm bill awaiting action in Congress includes policy improvements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but it also cuts $8.6 billion over 10 years from the program, according to the American Public Health Association. Under the measure, which has been debated by Congress for more than two years, SNAP and SNAP nutrition education provide millions of seniors, children and families with food assistance and nutrition education to improve access to healthy food and food security.

The Governing Council of the American Public Health Association (APHA) has approved a policy statement expressing APHA’s support for expanding U.S. workers’ access to earned sick days and paid medical and family leave.

Congress’ current piecemeal approach to funding government agencies is not winning fans among public health experts, who point to a salmonella outbreak that has spread to 18 states as evidence that the budget impasse is endangering the nation’s health.

The American Public Health Association (APHA) has come out “strongly against” Congressional efforts to defund the Affordable Care Act just days before it takes affect. From a statement issued by the organization: “The proposed legislation would harm Americans in multiple ways..."

The American Public Health Association (APHA) says it supports standards proposed recently by the Environmental Protection Agency that would set the first-ever federal limits on toxic pollutants in wastewater discharged from coal-fired power plants.

President Obama’s recently released budget proposal for fiscal year 2014 fails to adequately fund key health programs, according to Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.