Short Takes – 7-23-25

House stymied as Speaker Johnson’s hand-picked committee rebels over Epstein. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “For now, Johnson is stuck in a difficult balancing act of weighing the eagerness among members to cast a vote in favor of releasing the Epstein documents, the outcry from the MAGA base, and his vested interest in placating Trump, who has urged GOP lawmakers to drop the matter — all while trying to manage the House floor.”

Senate Democrats agree to advance military construction, VA spending bill. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““First, it was done in a bipartisan process, no question about it. Second, it undoes many of the awful [Department of Government Efficiency] cuts to veterans and, third, we’ll have an amendment process,” he said, noting that Democrats only voted for the motion to begin a floor debate on the legislation.”

Eliminating Chemical Safety Board Raises Industry Concerns. PowderBulkSolids.com article. Pull quote: “Even some industry groups have opposed the shutdown. Shakeel Kadri, executive director of the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCSP), told The New York Times that the CSB provides an invaluable service, especially to small- and medium-sized companies that lack the resources to conduct sophisticated root-cause analyses themselves. The board’s findings, he noted, are not only used domestically but also referenced in academia and abroad.”

How many steps a day do you really need to take? ScienceNews.org article. Pull quote: “Still, experts have shown that even small changes in physical activity can boost overall health. “Every step counts,” del Pozo Cruz says. “You don’t need to reach 10,000 steps to see improvements — just moving more each day, even from a very low baseline, can reduce your risk of serious health problems.””