Vitter, Inhofe Announce Growing Republican Support For Chemical Safety Reform

The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act reaches 56 bipartisan cosponsors representing 36 states

(Washington, D.C.) - Today, U.S. Sens. David Vitter (R-La.) and Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) announced the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act has 33 Republican Senate cosponsors, bringing the total of bipartisan cosponsors to 56 representing 36 states. The bipartisan legislation would overhaul the outdated Toxic Substances Control Act to better protect the public while still allowing American businesses to thrive and innovate.

“Now with 33 Republican cosponsors, the excitement for passing the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act is tangible. Our country has lived under a broken chemical law for nearly four decades now, and this comprehensive, bipartisan reform bill will make necessary changes to provide Americans and our chemical industry with the certainty they deserve without stifling industry success,” said Vitter. “We’ve worked hard to make sure the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act has common sense conservative reforms, including holding federal agencies accountable for their decisions and ensuring they use sound science and rigorous cost-benefit analysis, which unfortunately is not something they are currently required to do.”

“The Lautenberg Act has garnered the support of a majority of Republicans because it is common-sense regulatory reform. Not only will it help to better safeguard Americans, but it also gives job-creators the certainty they need with one clear rulebook that protects interstate commerce. The legislation will require any federal decisions to be based on sound science and take into consideration regulatory costs as well as benefits. Most importantly, this legislation will prevent one or two states, working only with the environmental community, from determining regulations that impact businesses and families across the entire nation. It instead promotes collaboration among all the states and the federal government, empowers governors to make recommendations on what substances are being reviewed, and gives states like Oklahoma a greater role going forward. I applaud the 33 Republicans who recognize that now is the time to update this outdated and broken law in a reasonable way,” said Inhofe.

The current list of Republican cosponsors includes: Senators Vitter, Inhofe, Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Daniel Coats (R-Ind.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.).

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