05.18.16
A bipartisan group of Senate and House leaders announcied that they are finalizing TSCA reform legislation. The group issued the following statement on Tuesday:
“House and Senate negotiators are finalizing a TSCA reform bill that represents an improvement over both the House and Senate bills in key respects. Current federal law only provides very limited protection. We are hopeful that Congress will be taking action soon on reforming this important environmental law.”
The announcement was made by coalition that included:
• U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee
• U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee
• U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), lead Democrat sponsor of S.697
• U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), lead Republican sponsor of S.697
• U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Economy for the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsor of H.R. 2576
• U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), ranking member of EPW Committee
• U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), chairman of EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight
• U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), ranking member of EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight
• U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
• U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
• U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore-Capito (R-W.Va.).
However, there are some who voiced concern.
Reps. Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Paul Tonko of New York said negotiations say talks have lead to a draft that’s worse than current law. The duo of Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee and its environment subcommittee, say they plan to abandon support.
According to reports, Congressional negotiators will release language “in the next day or two” overhauling TSCA
“We had hoped to support a strong TSCA bill that would empower the EPA to identify and manage dangerous chemicals, but the current draft is not only significantly weaker than the bipartisan deal we negotiated, it is actually weaker than current law,” Pallone and Tonko said in a joint statement released on Tuesday.
“House and Senate negotiators are finalizing a TSCA reform bill that represents an improvement over both the House and Senate bills in key respects. Current federal law only provides very limited protection. We are hopeful that Congress will be taking action soon on reforming this important environmental law.”
The announcement was made by coalition that included:
• U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee
• U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee
• U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), lead Democrat sponsor of S.697
• U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), lead Republican sponsor of S.697
• U.S. Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Economy for the House Energy and Commerce Committee and sponsor of H.R. 2576
• U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), ranking member of EPW Committee
• U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), chairman of EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight
• U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), ranking member of EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight
• U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
• U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
• U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore-Capito (R-W.Va.).
However, there are some who voiced concern.
Reps. Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Paul Tonko of New York said negotiations say talks have lead to a draft that’s worse than current law. The duo of Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee and its environment subcommittee, say they plan to abandon support.
According to reports, Congressional negotiators will release language “in the next day or two” overhauling TSCA
“We had hoped to support a strong TSCA bill that would empower the EPA to identify and manage dangerous chemicals, but the current draft is not only significantly weaker than the bipartisan deal we negotiated, it is actually weaker than current law,” Pallone and Tonko said in a joint statement released on Tuesday.