Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1660, the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act. I want to thank Senators Klobuchar and Crapo for their leadership in guiding this bill through the Senate.

Madam Speaker, this is a truly bipartisan bill, with 10 out of the 19 Senate cosponsors being Republican Senators, including Isakson of Georgia, Senators Corker and Alexander from Tennessee, Senator Vitter from Louisiana, and Senator Cochran of Mississippi, just to name a few. Just last week, this legislation was unanimously approved by the Senate. I, along with Representative Vern Ehlers, introduced the House companion, H.R. 4805.

I want to thank Chairmen Waxman and Rush for their leadership in guiding H.R. 4805 through the Energy and Commerce Committee, which was reported out in a bipartisan manner by a vote of 27-10 on May 26. During the committee debate on this legislation we worked collaboratively with the minority to address the vast majority of the concerns initially raised by CTCP Subcommittee Ranking Member Whitfield and Representatives Gingrey and Scalise. And I thank them for their support during the full committee's consideration. Those changes are included in this legislation that we are considering today.

On the issue of labeling, we expect that EPA will take steps to ensure that consumers are able to make informed purchases. At the same time, it is not our intention to require labeling that is more burdensome than what is already required in California.

Madam Speaker, the bill is a result of months of hard work; and we have a strong bipartisan, bicameral measure that is widely supported by a diverse coalition comprised of industries, public health advocates, environmental groups, and others. Groups that have publicly endorsed this legislation include the American Forest and Paper Association; the Engineered Wood Association; the Composite Panel Association; American Home Furnishings Association; Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association; Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association; the Sierra Club; the United Steelworkers of America; the American Public Health Association; the Retail Industry Leaders Association; and others.

I am pleased that the House is taking up this important bipartisan measure today. The bill would direct that EPA establish one national standard for formaldehyde in domestic and imported composite wood products. As we all know, the emissions of formaldehyde, which is a harmful chemical widely used in a variety of composite wood product applications, are known to have adverse effects on human health and resulted in cases of toxicity for those storm victims provided FEMA trailers following Hurricane Katrina.

Formaldehyde emissions from composite wood are largely the result of cheap foreign products that enter the U.S. marketplace at much lower cost, which places U.S. manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage. This legislation will level the playing field for our domestic manufacturers by creating one national standard on formaldehyde emissions for both our domestic industry and foreign manufacturers to follow.

Simply put, we must ensure that faulty foreign wood products do not enter the U.S. market anymore. In doing so, this bill will protect and create American jobs, boost the competitiveness of our domestic manufacturing sector, and ensure that American consumers are not exposed to faulty foreign products with high formaldehyde emissions.

In closing, I would like to thank Chairman Waxman's staff, particularly Robin Appleberry for her hard work and effort in working in a bipartisan manner with my office and with the minority staff of the Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure that the legislation will protect consumers as well as our U.S. domestic manufacturing industries. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, we can all agree that harmful formaldehyde emissions need to be addressed immediately. Formaldehyde emissions from composite woods are largely the result of cheap foreign products that enter the U.S. marketplace at much lower costs. These emissions have harmed far too many Americans, and their foreign sources have and continue to place our domestic manufacturing industries at a competitive disadvantage. This legislation will level the playing field for our domestic industries and protect the health of American consumers.

Madam Speaker, today we have a strong bipartisan, bicameral bill that will boost our domestic manufacturing industries, create jobs, and protect American consumers. This bill is strongly supported by a large number of industries, public health advocates, and environmental groups. Again, this legislation is bipartisan, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 1660, to make certain that faulty foreign wood products do not enter the U.S. market.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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