U.S. Senate Defies Chemical Corporations – Passes Safe Chemicals Act Out of Committee

Environmental  Health Advocates Celebrate Historic Vote

LouisvilleCharter.Org  Participants Respond

(Washington,  DC) The United States Senate resisted tens of millions of dollars in lobbying  and campaign contributions from the chemical industry to pass the Safe  Chemicals Act out of a key committee.  This bill would reform the Toxic Substance Control Act, for the first  time since 1976.

“A  measure of faith has been restored in our U.S. Senate. Despite corporate  influence and deceptive practices by the chemical industry, our legislators did  the right thing and acted to protect us from toxic chemicals that are linked to  so many illnesses. But their work is by no means over. As nurses, we urge  passage by the full Congress of the strongest possible Safe Chemicals Act,”  says Katie Huffling, RN, MS, CNM,  Director of Programs for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments.

Mark  Mitchell, MD Co-Chair of the National Medical Association’s Environmental  Health Task Force, comments, “Conditions such as lowered IQ, learning and behavioral problems, obesity,  diabetes, cancer, and infertility – all linked to chemical exposure – are on  the rise. The Senate has shown that they are serious in efforts to reduce  harmful exposure from many of the 84,000 unregulated chemicals in commerce.”

“Since  many people and communities of color, as well as workers, are  disproportionately impacted by chemicals, this is a major step towards justice  and human rights in the United States,” responds Kathleen A. Curtis, LPN, Executive Director of A Clean and  Healthy New York.

“We  applaud the U.S. Senators who stood up to some of the most powerful  corporations in the world to protect our health and especially our children’s health  from chemicals exposure,” Mike Schade,  Markets Campaign Coordinator with the Center for Health, Environment &  Justice (CHEJ).

“Today we moved closer towards protecting those most at  risk from chemical exposure. As a result the public as a whole will reap the  health benefit from this historic step 35 years in they making,” comments José  T. Bravo Executive Director Just Transition Alliance.

Available for Interviews

Mike Schade, Center for Health, Environment & Justice, New York. 718.873.3505 (cell), mike@chej.org. Mike Schade can address the manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride and the communities harmed by it, and the hazards PVC presents in everyday products, and market shifts created when consumer awareness was raised on bisphenol A (BPA).

Jose T. Bravo, Executive Director, Just Transition Alliance, San Diego, CA. 619.838.6694, jose@just-transition.org. Jose works with communities contaminated with chemicals, which occurs mostly where people of color and low-income residents live, Habla   Espanol.

Kathleen A. Curtis, LPN, A Clean & Healthy New York, 518.708.3922. Albany, New York. clean.kathy@gmail.com. Kathy can address chemical reform in states and on a federal level and the role of flame retardants in the story.

Katie Huffling, RN, MS, CNM,  Director of Programs for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. 410-706-2351 khuff002@son.umaryland.edu. Katie can address concerns from nurses and helath care prodvers about chemical exposure issues.

Mark Mitchell, MD Co-Chair of the National Medical Association’s Environmental Health Task Force, the oldest and largest association of Physicians of Color. 860.794.9497, mmitchell@enviro-md.com. Mark can talk about health disparities linked to environmental issues, as well as hot spots, legacy chemicals, increased susceptibility and unanticipated exposures in environmental justice communities.

Richard Moore, Los Jardines Institute in Albuquerque, NM, 505.301.0276, ljinewmexico@gmail.com. Richard can talk about environmental justice issues and organizing in the Southwest around TSCA reform.

Michele Roberts, Environmental Justice Alliance, 504.450.8568, mroberts@ehumanrights.org. Michele can address TSCA policy issues and the impacts on communities in Mossville, Louisiana and other historic African American communities.