With a bill in the Senate (S 697) and another being heard in the House, Congress is deep in discussion over reforming our nation’s long-broken Toxic Substances Control Act.
Let’s face it: things get ugly. It’s just plain ugly when companies like Exxon Mobil and Dow Chemical profit from practices that contribute to suffering and disease. It’s just plain ugly when American Chemistry Council defends those profits by sowing doubt, dragging feet and leaning hard on legislators with all their power and money.
Things will also get complicated. It seems clear that protecting people from expensive, debilitating life-long health harm should be our first priority. But after decades of broken chemical regulation, reform is a puzzle with many pieces—not including the favors, bargains, vendettas that pollute lawmaking processes.
And, it’s also personal. Every one of us knows someone who struggles for health, and whose risk of disease would be reduced if we could rid toxic chemicals from everyday life.
For Safer States, it’s personal because we’ve spent years working for protective chemical policy. We know what fast action, strong enforcement, and true accountability looks like, and we’re insisting on it.
But we need your help. We need sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers, neighbors and best friends across the nation to pick up the phone and speak up for a healthier future.
If you believe every child deserves a shot at a healthy future no matter their zip code, this is your issue. If you believe untested and unsafe chemicals have no place in our everyday lives, this is your issue.
Join us: call your legislator today. And stay tuned for updates at Safer States as the debate continues.
Yes, the process is ugly, and complicated. And it hits close to home. But with your help, we can drown out the money, the influence, and all that complicated noise — and end up with policy that truly protects all of us.
