By: Smith of Harris H.C.R. No. 89
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, American consumers deserve to have confidence that
the products they buy, when used for their intended purposes, are
safe; and
WHEREAS, a federal chemical management program should place
protecting the public health - including children's health -- as
its highest priority, and should include strict government
oversight; and
WHEREAS, the federal chemical management program should
preserve America's role as the world's leading innovator and
employer in the manufacture, processing, distribution in commerce
and use of chemicals; and
WHEREAS, the current chemical management law, the Toxic
Substance Control Act (TSCA) was signed into law in 1976, and is now
nearly 35 years old; and
WHEREAS, since the enactment of the law, our ability to
understand the impact chemicals have on the human body and the
environment has advanced significantly; and
WHEREAS, those advancements in science and technology need to
be integrated into the federal chemical management program; and
WHEREAS, momentum for modernization of the federal chemical
regulatory system is growing in Congress; and
WHEREAS, a robust federal chemical management system will
obviate the need for state governments to adopt different - at times
conflicting - state regulatory programs that have the potential for
negative impacts on the national economy.
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Texas Legislature encourages the
112th Congress of the United States to enact federal legislation to
modernize the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Amendments to
TSCA should strengthen chemicals management to:
(a) Ensure that chemicals are safe for their intended use;
(b) Require EPA to systematically prioritize chemicals for
the purpose of assessing their safe use;
(c) Require that EPA act expeditiously and efficiently in
assessing the safe use of chemicals;
(d) Require companies that manufacture, import, process,
distribute, or use chemicals to provide EPA with relevant
information to the extent necessary for EPA to make safe use
determinations;
(e) Assure that the potential risks to children from
exposures to chemicals are considered in the assessment of safe
use;
(f) Empower EPA to impose a range of risk management
controls to ensure that chemicals are safe for their intended use;
(g) Encourage companies and EPA to work together to enhance
public access to chemical health and safety information;
(h) Require that EPA rely on scientifically valid data and
information, regardless of its source, including data and
information reflecting modern advances in science and technology;
(i) Enable EPA to have the staff, resources, and regulatory
tools it needs to ensure the safety of chemicals; and
(j) Ensure that TSCA remains a vehicle to promote and
encourage technological innovation, and the maintenance of a
globally competitive industry in the United States; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to all members of the Texas delegation to
Congress.