5 
and in no sense can they be considered minimum national standards. Thus 
I believe, Mr. Chairman, that state and local governments will recognize 
the prudence and conservatism of these standards and find them to be a 
high standard for the protection of health and the local environment. 
Public Participation 
Your report and the Commerce Committee report state that public 
participation is essential. We wholeheartedly agree. We have tried to 
provide opportunities for public participation and comment in all phases 
of the development of NIH policies in this area. The current Guidelines 
were developed with extensive opportunity for public comment and review 
and, in large part, reflect suggestions from public commentators. All 
meetings of the Recombinant Advisory Committee are announced in the 
Federal Register and are open to public scrutiny. The original Guidelines 
and the currently proposed revisions have been reviewed at public hearings 
of the DAC . The membership of the DAC, in both instances, was aug- 
mented to assure that sufficient expertise and diverse opinions were 
present on relevant scientific, environmental, occupational, and public 
policy issues. At the most recent hearing, witnesses representing 
industrial and academic research and labor and environmental groups were 
invited to give testimony. In addition to the invited witnesses, a 
number of others were given an opportunity to testify. 
We have encouraged public participation not only at the national 
level but at the local level. Recommendations for diverse membership on 
[Appendix B — 181] 
