House Republicans Surrender to Chemical Lobby’s Wishlist

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, House Republicans introduced a discussion draft of a bill that would eviscerate the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), our nation’s primary chemical safety law. An overwhelming bipartisan majority of Congress rewrote TSCA less than a decade ago – strengthening the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the public from the thousands of new and existing chemicals in the United States.  

TSCA rightly requires the EPA to review chemicals across their life cycle to determine whether they pose “unreasonable risk” to people or the environment and regulate chemicals to mitigate those risks. Today’s Republican-led bill, however, would prevent the EPA from keeping dangerous chemicals off the market and from protecting the public from the toxins in our homes, workplaces, and communities. The bill would make it much harder—and in many instances impossible—for the EPA to require that chemicals are tested for safety; meaningfully review new and existing chemicals; and address chemicals’ serious health risks. Inexplicably, House Republicans want to outsource EPA’s job to protect the public to other countries.

After the introduction, Earthjustice Action Senior Legislative Representative Daniel Savery issued the following statement:  

“Gutting a vital and popular chemical safety law is nothing short of absurd, yet House Republicans are once again doing the bidding of polluters. This time, they’re capitulating to industry lobbyists who are seeking to continue to profit both off of flooding the nation with dangerous new chemicals and giving life support to legacy ones like asbestos. The bill is not a ‘targeted and measured reform’ and does not ‘safeguard the health and safety of our communities.’ It dismantles a critical law that protects children, workers, and the broader public from cancer, developmental harm, and other serious risks. 

“The public is outraged by the harm caused by toxic chemicals in our air, water, food, homes, and workplaces. Congress must listen and reject this stunningly reckless legislation that will only result in more chronic illnesses, cancers, and other adverse health impacts while the chemical industry reaps large profits.”