Matt Dempsey Matt_Dempsey@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-9797

Katie Brown Katie_Brown@epw.senate.gov (202) 224-2160  

Boxer Disease Cluster Bill DOA on Senate Floor

Committee Process Breakdown Ensures Defeat in Senate

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works commented on S. 76, the "Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act," which passed out of EPW Committee today by at vote of 11-7. 

"Although this bill passed out of Committee today, it will not pass in the Senate," Senator Inhofe said.  "Over the past few months, we have worked with Senator Boxer's staff to address many problems with the bill in the hope of reaching a compromise.  Unfortunately, these efforts were completely tossed aside: Senator Boxer marked up S.76 as originally introduced, without addressing any of the concerns raised by myself and my Republican colleagues.

"As a father and a grandfather, I support protecting our children and communities from the phenomena of disease clusters.  But this bill as drafted is nothing more than an EPA power grab: it takes authority away from health experts at the Center for Disease Control and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and gives it to the EPA - a regulatory agency that is far less qualified for the job and motivated by a strong political agenda.  This shift in authority is not justified by sound scientific evidence and it would have devastating consequences for jobs and economic growth."

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