• White House, lawmakers make progress on cybersecurity bill
  Lawmakers and the White House reportedly have made progress on developing a cybersecurity bill and negotiating issues such as what role agencies including the Department of Homeland Security would have in fighting cyberthreats and attacks. The goal, says House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., is to have a bill to vote on by April. The White House is also asking for help from the private sector in the implementation of President Barack Obama's executive order on cybersecurity, as private companies utilize more than half of the country's infrastructure. The Hill/Hillicon Valley blog (3/2), The Hill/Hillicon Valley blog (3/1), Reuters (3/1)     

• EPA incurs 5% budget cut because of sequester
  The federal budget sequester will be felt at the Environmental Protection Agency through furloughs, possible cuts in state funding and other measures. The agency was monitoring expenses and overtime pay ahead of Friday's deadline, according to an EPA memo. Bloomberg BNA (free content) (3/1), InsideEPA.com (free content) (3/3)     

• Obama nominates McCarthy for EPA chief
  President Barack Obama has nominated Gina McCarthy as head of the Environmental Protection Agency and Ernest Moniz for secretary of energy. McCarthy leads the EPA's air and radiation office, and the American Chemistry Council and member companies "have a lot of confidence in McCarthy's leadership ability," said Cal Dooley, ACC president and CEO. The Washington Post (3/4), The Hill (3/4)     

• ACC comments on the nomination of new EPA administrator      

• Calif. rule update could improve use of recycled content in packaging
  California has updated rules for rigid-plastic packaging containers that could boost the volume of recycled post-consumer materials for products sold in the state. "Through our rulemaking, the department heard a lot of the concerns from the collective industry -- the container manufacturers and product manufacturers -- about getting enough notice and awareness for those working in national markets that may not have been aware of the original law," said Trevor O'Shaughnessy of CalRecycle, which manages the program. PlasticsNews.com (3/1)     

• Other News

• ACC declares support for transparency requirements under General Duty Clause
  Chemical Week (subscription required) (3/1)     

• Chemical manufacturing shrinks in latest ISM index
  ICIS News (U.K.) (3/1)     

• Eastman touts laser-welding technology for plastics processing
  Eastman Chemical has introduced a copolyester-processing technology co-developed with IPG Photonics. The technique uses lasers to reduce the need for chemicals. "Welding techniques typically require an energy-absorbing additive to be added to the polymer, and with medical applications, there is always the question of biocompatibility with the polymer and any additives," said Gopal Saraiya of Eastman. PlasticsToday.com (3/1)     

• Other News

• Bayer looks to make MaterialScience unit more efficient
  Plastics & Rubber Weekly (U.K.) (3/1)     

• Global leaders need to link cultural trends to business success
  Globalization requires business leaders to formulate strategies that promote cultural awareness, write Muriel Joseph‐Williams and Richard Griffith. "Companies routinely train their people to learn a new IT system, new procedures, new processes and new methods. They should also be able to provide specific development programs to their staff that help identify and react to important change-effecting parameters in their environment," they write. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (2/26)     

• 10 steps that CEOs can take to create leaders
  Top leaders should constantly try to improve themselves and should set similar standards for their organization's other senior managers, Dan McCarthy writes. "A CEO's behaviors are powerful -- they set the expectations for the rest of the management team, creating a trickle-down effect of leadership development," McCarthy writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (2/28)     

• ACC urges STB to take action on reforms to increase access to competitive freight rail service
  The American Chemistry Council filed comments with the Surface Transportation Board that urge the Agency to take action on reforms that would benefit U.S. manufacturing and the economy by increasing access to competitive freight rail service for domestic producers. ACC filed the comments in support of the National Industrial Transportation League's proposed competitive switching reforms that are being considered by the STB. Read more from ACC on rail reform.     

• ACC Weekly Economic Report
  The economic reports this week were mostly positive. After shaking off fears of the "fiscal cliff," consumers turned more confident in February. GDP in the fourth quarter was revised slightly upwards to a minor growth position. The expiration of the payroll tax cut and lower dividend earnings, however, took a bite out of personal income, leaving consumers less able to spend at the start of the new year. Stay informed. Subscribe to ACC's Weekly Economic Report.     

Top five news stories selected by ACC SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• EPA prepares open-access database on chemical information (ChemicalWatch.com (free content))

• Industry sees 2013 as critical year for TSCA modernization (ICIS Chemical Business (U.K.))

• Texas firm plans $1.2 billion propane-production facility (FuelFix.com)

• 8 ways to sabotage your negotiations (SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership)

• Chemical makers to work with feds on cybersecurity efforts (Chemical & Engineering News)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

The man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. Accept life, and you must accept regret." --Henri Frédéric Amiel, Swiss philosopher, poet and critic