McGovern is not someone to hold up, but that's not the quote.

It was: "I would only argue that senators don't have the luxury that a research scientist does awaiting until every last shred of evidence is in"

I would say the idea aged poorly in the USA. Older generation of politicians were more welcoming to experts in their fields.

Now they reject the experts. Either to a please their voter base or for personal profit. Big grocery has more money for political donations / legal bribery.

USA Supreme Court conservative judges have ruled that expertise has no value in a ruling against protecting the environment from toxic chemicals.

US had a whole agency that worked with politicians to understand technology until the 90's and Newt got rid of it.