Boxer Adds to Chemical Review Debate with New Draft Proposal
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., floated draft legislation to overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act in September before leaving the Capitol for pre-election recess. Boxer is the chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The draft bill revises another draft released by committee ranking member Sen. David Vitter, R-La., in late July. House lawmakers in the early months of 2014 ramped up efforts to advance that chamber's version of the overhaul legislation, but Democrats on a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee threatened to obstruct movement on the House draft bill (see 14043003). The House draft would launch a review of the risk levels of chemicals in U.S. commerce, but would not make significant changes to import regulations.
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Boxer said in a statement the review timelines in the Vitter draft are far too long, and expectations are the review process will not be underway for seven years. "This could leave nearly a thousand chemicals of greatest concern unaddressed," said Boxer. "The Vitter proposal also contains loopholes that undermine the rights of victims of toxic chemical injury, and under the Vitter proposal states face sweeping preemption even when there is no meaningful action by the federal government."