ICYMI: Momentum Increasing for the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 2st Century Act

 

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) introduced major bipartisan legislation that would protect Americans from toxic chemicals by enacting common-sense and necessary reforms to update the United States’ ineffective, outdated chemical regulatory program. The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 2st Century Act has 17 original cosponsors – 9 Republicans and 8 Democrats, as well as support from the national environmental and public health communities. Click here to read more.

 

Below are statements in support of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 2st Century Act and bipartisan TSCA reform:

 

“With lawmakers coming together from both sides of the aisle, this is the best chance in a generation for us to move past an obsolete and badly broken law to provide strong protections for all Americans.”

—Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund

 

“After nearly four decades under a failed law, this legislation would finally provide EPA with the tools it needs to better protect American families. Rare political circumstances have opened a narrow window to pass meaningful reform that protects the health of American families. It’s essential Congress act now.”

—Dr. Richard Denison, Lead Senior Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund

 

“Frank believed that fixing America’s chemical law could be his most significant legacy — in a career devoted to protecting public health. The new bipartisan proposal from senators Tom Udall and David Vitter builds important improvements upon the solid foundation Frank laid with Senator Vitter in 2013. I strongly encourage Senators in both parties to step up and help finish the job of ensuring our families are protected from toxic chemicals.”

—Bonnie Lautenberg, widow of Frank R. Lautenberg

 

“We also believe it is an appropriate tribute to Sen. Lautenberg's legacy. The senator was dedicated to protecting the environment and making us safer from chemical accidents.”

—Jeff Tittel, President, New Jersey Sierra Club

 

“The Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act contains important safeguards designed to protect animals.  It requires the EPA Administrator to minimize the use of animals in testing through specific mandates, and calls for additional research on new testing methods that do not involve animals.  We are proud to support this important bill, and are pleased that it advances human safety without sacrificing the well being of other creatures.”  

—Leslie Lantz, President, Delaware Votes for Animals


 

“The New Mexico Building Trades Council knows that advancements in commerce shouldn't come at the expense of worker safety.  We support the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, because we know it will make the men and women we represent safer, and it will boost our economy by fixing a broken chemicals management system.”  

—R. Daniel Beavers, President, New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council

 

“The Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act adds significant worker protections to our federal chemical management system.  The law would be amended to specifically define people who work with chemicals as a vulnerable population, and it would require that their safety be taken into account.  It also eliminates the requirement that the EPA consider cost to manufacturers and other non-health factors in its decisions.  Every worker in Missouri will be safer when this important bill becomes law.”

—Irl Scissors, Director, Protect Missouri Workers

 

“The bill will ensure that Americans in all states will be safer, not only those who live in states with the resources to take on the complicated and expensive job of regulating chemicals on their own.  I commend Senator Heitkamp for her leadership in supporting this important bipartisan legislation.” 

—Jason Ehlert, President, The North Dakota Building & Construction Trades State Council

 

“On behalf of every unionized carpenter in Michigan, we commend Senator Stabenow for her leadership in co-sponsoring the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.  This important bill will help Michigan's economy and will make every worker in the state safer from exposure to toxic chemicals.”  

—Mike Jackson, Executive Secretary / Treasurer, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters

 

“As an elected official, I support the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Reform Bill because I know it will make every New Mexican - including each of my Bernalillo County constituents - safer.  But more importantly, I support this bill as the mother of four children.  Giving the EPA the power to evaluate the risks of chemicals will protect them in the short and long term.”

—Maggie Hart Stebbins, Chair, Bernalillo County (New Mexico) Commission

 

“Bipartisanship is hard to come by in the Senate these days, especially on issues that affect the environment. But in this case, Democrats and Republicans are coming together to improve a failed law that doesn’t work for consumers and doesn’t work for businesses. Right now, we are closer than we’ve ever gotten to reforming our toxics law because both sides have worked together to compromise on policy without compromising their principles.”

—Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)

 

“I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act which was released today with strong bipartisan support touting eight Democrats and eight Republicans. This law has not been updated since 1976, and for the first time we have a real chance at bipartisan reform that will require a review of all active chemicals in commerce. The bill strengthens protections for all Americans while creating a uniform federal system to ensure more regulatory certainty for consumers and industry.  I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee in moving forward with the first major environmental update in decades and working to get this bill not only through the committee and senate but signed into law.”

—Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Jim Inhofe (R-OK)

 

“I am proud to be a cosponsor of this groundbreaking legislation that will modernize our severely outdated chemical regulatory system, In honor of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg, who dedicated his life to chemical safety, I urge my colleagues to move forward and pass this bipartisan bill that protects the health and safety of all Americans by making sure the chemicals we use in everyday products are not hazardous. This bill proves that bipartisan compromise can still work in Washington when people are committed to coming together to find commonsense solutions, and I hope it serves as a model for future agreements.”

—Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)

 

Booker called the introduction of the legislation “an important step," and said he would honor Lautenberg's "contributions to protecting the environment and public health by pursuing vital improvements to this bill.”

— (“U.S. senators introduce chemical safety act named for Lautenberg” by Jonathan D. Salant, NJ Advance Media for http://NJ.com, March 10, 2015) 

 

Menendez said he would continue to work with bill's sponsors to “build upon this effort” and get a measure signed into law. “The proposed legislation is unquestionably better than current law, which has proven ineffective in keeping consumers safe from dangerous chemicals,” he said.

— (“U.S. senators introduce chemical safety act named for Lautenberg” by Jonathan D. Salant, NJ Advance Media for http://NJ.com, March 10, 2015) 

 

“Prospects for TSCA reform have never been brighter thanks to the bipartisan leadership from Senators Vitter and Udall. The market disruptions caused by emerging international chemical control laws, ‘retail regulation’ imposed by big-box stores, and restrictions and bans imposed by state legislatures are constant reminders that Washington needs to take action. Introducing this bill is a step in the right direction and is clearly an improvement over the status quo. Members of Congress serious about improving TSCA should support this bill as a vehicle for reform.”

—William E. Allmond, Vice President of Government and Public Relations, Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates

 

“This bipartisan bill is an important step in modernizing the way we assess the safety of chemicals. Members of both parties worked tirelessly to produce language that improves the process for evaluating chemicals without placing unfair burdens on industry. Even though there is still much to review, we are hopeful the provisions of the bill will enhance safety while maintaining America's ability to compete in today's global marketplace. NACD thanks Senators Vitter and Udall for their hard work and willingness to work across party lines to introduce legislation that brings about much-needed TSCA reform.”

—Eric R. Byer, President, National Association of Chemical Distributors

 

“TSCA reform has been a legislative priority for TIA for the past two years. If enough members lend their voices in support of this bill, we have the potential to truly make a difference and overhaul a chemical law that has not been updated in nearly 40 years.”

—Ed Desmond, Executive Vice President of External Affairs, Toy Industry Association

 

“TSCA reform remains a top priority for our members and we commend the bipartisan engagement around the issues included in this legislation. We remain confident that meaningful reform to strengthen EPA’s ability to review and manage chemicals in commerce can be achieved.  We look forward to doing what we can to help passage of this important legislation.” 

—Chris Cathcart, President and CEO, Consumer Specialty Products Association

 

“These Senators have worked incredibly hard to get us to this point. We cannot let a once-in-a generation opportunity pass us by that could enact a meaningful, bipartisan solution to the outdated federal chemical management system we have had in place since 1976.”

—Ernie Rosenberg, President & CEO, The American Cleaning Institute

 

“Today, with strong bipartisan support, a big and important step towards reform was taken as the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act was introduced.”

—National Association of Manufacturers

 

“The legislation provides a rare opportunity for bi-partisan agreement on a major public policy initiative, something that one doesn't see much in Washington these days. But more than that, it's an issue around which the scientific community, environmental groups, regulators and industry can develop consensus on how best to replace an out-of date, decades-old, multi-layered and counter-productive approach to regulating chemical safety.”

—Dan Borne, President, Louisiana Chemical Association

 

“The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act is an important effort to put in place a sensible federal framework to assess, evaluate, and regulate chemicals with an emphasis on the protection of maternal and child health… Thank you again for introducing this legislation and advancing the debate on TSCA reform.”

—American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, March of Dimes, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

 

“Moms Clean Air Force salutes Senator Udall’s extraordinary commitment to a bipartisan process in crafting protections for our families against toxic chemicals. This bill contains important improvements to our current broken and inadequate law. For years, mothers across the country have been demanding safeguards against dangerous chemicals. We urge Congress to take up this legislation. We will continue to work to ensure that we get reform that truly leads to an era in which mothers everywhere can trust the safety of the products we are buying.”

—Dominique Browning, Senior Director, Moms Clean Air Force

 

“This new draft would provide a chemicals management system far better than the one we have under current law.  While work remains to be done, this draft reflects major improvements over the bill that was introduced last year, which in itself was a major step forward.  This law would institute a systematic review of chemicals in commerce to ensure they do not present serious risks to the more vulnerable among us, including pregnant women, infants and children.”

—Lynn R. Goldman, M.D., M.P.H., Pediatrician, formerly Assistant Administrator, EPA & current Dean, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University