TSCA Modernization Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Number one, the starting point for analysis of this law is the current law. The current law is a mess. It is the Wild West out there when it comes to regulating chemicals. There are 85,000 chemicals that are on the market that have never been tested, and bad things are going to happen. This law changes that. The EPA is now going to have authority to regulate and review these substances as to their health and safety.

Number two, it requires a safety finding before a new product goes on the market.

Number three, it replaces the cost-benefit analysis for a health-only analysis. When it comes to health and safety, that is absolutely essential. It is not about the cost. The cost in human terms and to communities when you have let something go by for accounting reasons, as opposed to looking vigilantly at health and safety, is not the way to go. It is a very good change.

Next, it protects vulnerable populations: children, pregnant women, and especially workers who are in plants where these products are used.

Finally, it makes the companies come clean with what information they have that allows regulators to come to a conclusion. That is very important.

The preemption issue is a concern. In Vermont, we have had a very active Republican and Democratic Governor, a very active Agency of Natural Resources secretary, and very, very active and aggressive attorneys general. They are concerned about this. But there is, in this legislation, flexibility so that Vermont is going to continue to have the ability to act to protect its citizens, and I am confident they will.

If the EPA is going to put a product on a list that they are going to start reviewing, we are going to get a heads-up in Vermont, as every State is, of about 9 months. I have confidence in the Vermont General Assembly, in the Vermont Governor, in the Vermont attorney general, and in the Vermont secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources to do what is required to protect the public health and the public safety.

So no law is perfect, but in this institution, we have had a hard time passing laws that we all know need to get done. I thank all the people who have been involved.

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