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The Endangered Species Act (ESA) lists the threatened and endangered species, however questions are raised whether the ESA has done enough to save struggling plants and animals. The ESA requires that listing threatened and endangered species and drawing up recovery plans to conserve them be based on 'the best available science'.

Fuel advocates predict that hydrogen fuel cells will replace the highly polluting fossil fuels that are the US' predominant energy source. The critics believe that US President George W. Bush's 2006 budget proposal, which consists of increasing spending on research into hydrogen technologies, next generation nuclear plans and 'clean coal' technology does not call for new funds in research of renewable-energy technology.

An overview of the US tobacco industry is given, where in 45 million Americans are smokers, and out of which 23 percent constitute the adult population. Different issues such as, whether cigarette manufacturers still targeting minors, are the higher cigarette taxes an effective way to reduce tobacco use, and whether there are safe ways to use tobacco, are addressed.

The issues regarding voting irregularities by party operatives, whether it is undermining the election system, whether the felons who have completed their time in prison should be denied the right to vote and whether electronic voting machines will help the Americans exercise their vote, are discussed.

The concern over the threat posed by nations and groups that promote terrorism has intensified after the discovery of a global black market in nuclear weapons. Arms experts commend the US President's call for tighter controls on proliferation, although the same say his proposals do not go far enough.